CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT
Blood runs thicker than water, but both feel the same when your eyes are closed.
I don't own harry potter yada yada
-o0o0o0o-
Harry's mind was numbing at the pure boredom and routine that was Hogwarts. He knew that he had to keep his head down and take his OWLs, teach the DA, and Bill was doing a fantastic job along with Fleur and Viktor at teaching DADA, but he was tired of waiting for Voldemort to strike.
There has been not even a whisper of Voldemort's activities the past months and he was getting impatient.
It was October now, and the first Hogsmeade weekend of the year was today. Harry thought some time away from the school and classes with his friends and family would be the perfect thing he needed to push through this annoyance that was plaguing him. He felt an itch underneath his skin and an unsettling feeling pressing down on him since they arrived on the train.
His dreams were strange and haunting, a way he hadn't had since he was a child and he still had a horcrux in his scar. He knew Voldemort had planted his dreams in his mind – what he didn't know was how? His occlumency shields have not been breached, and he assumed it must have been a spell that linked them, since Voldemort had taken his blood to reform.
Thinking about it gave him a headache, he just sighed deeply and walked forward to meet his friends, all gathered by the entrance of the castle. He immediately kissed Daphne in greeting and said his hello's to everyone else as they set off to the carriages.
The day passed by slowly until the friends were all seated in the three broomsticks and he felt his insides warm from the cold at his sip of butterbeer, when he felt the strangest of presences reaching out to him. As if brushing against his magical signature. He tensed and looked around the Three Broomsticks.
"What's wrong, love?" Daphne asked lowly in concern, her icy eyes flashing with concern. She brushed his arm gently, and he relaxed into her touch, looking down at her fondly.
"Nothing, darling," he said, kissing the crown of her head. But in his peripheral vision a flash of black curls made its way into his line of sight. He excused himself, and followed the figure cloaked in black.
He was aggressively pulled into a darkened alley and he immediately had his wand trained at the base of the person's throat, and nearly buckled in shock when he heard a slightly deranged giggle.
"Are you going to kill me, Harry Potter?" The voice was feminine, and slightly deranged. He immediately uncloaked the person and inhaled sharply at the sight of the decrepit and no longer beautiful Bellatrix Lestrange.
"Bellatrix?" He questioned, his grip on his wand tightening as he pushed it closer to the base of her throat and pinned her to the alley wall, his eyes glowing. "What the fuck do you want?"
"I'm not here to hurt you, Harry," she said, rolling her eyes. "I'm here for your help."
"And why should I help you?" He asked, narrowing his eyes.
She licked her lips, eyes darting around apprehensively. "I will spy for you."
He snorted. "Why should I trust your word, Bellatrix?"
She slowly reached for her cloak pocket and took out a worn and torn piece of parchment, with faded ink and folded marks imprinted into it. He took it from her, and he inhaled sharply when he realised it was a letter his father had left to her upon his death.
"I loved your father," She inhaled sharply. "I loved my family. I regret what happened, and I want to support you…nephew." She looked up at him with big, earnest, grey eyes. So similar to his Sirius, Narcissa, and Andy's eyes.
"You will swear to me on your life and magic you will not betray me, nor will you tell me false information." He said lowly.
"I swear," She said vehemently, taking out her wand and speaking an oath. Once Harry was satisfied he lowered his wand.
"What do you want in exchange?" He asked warily. She sighed.
"I do not want to go to Azkaban again, I nearly went insane thinking of everything that went wrong," She whispered. "James, my family, you…I have atoned for my sins."
"I will back you in court, but you will be under surveillance after I've dealt with Tom. You will never be left alone, and will go through extensive mental rehabilitation." He said shortly, and sighed when she agreed to his conditions.
"Thank you, nephew." She whispered, hesitantly putting a hand on his cheek, her eyes shining with tears. "This is the sanest I have felt in a long while."
"You are family," Harry said gruffly, not leaning into her touch but not pulling away either. He towered over her short and lithe stature, he noticed.
"You look so much like him," she whispered with a sad smile. "My Jamie."
"Is he why you came to me?" He asked before he could help himself.
"I..I thought I heard his voice," She admitted. "Telling me you could help me. But that was just–"
"It was him," Harry said softly. "I had contacted him through the resurrection stone. It seems he had a message he needed to deliver to you." He felt his heart twinge at the lone tear that went down her cheek as she nodded. She pulled his hand away from his face.
"I look forward to learning more about you, Harry Potter." She began to turn on her heel to leave.
"Wait!" He called. She turned around and raised a brow. "How will I contact you?"
"Do not worry, I will contact you instead." She said, and disappeared with a soft pop. Harry shook his head in bewilderment at the interaction, straightened his face and walked back to his group of friends.
He pulled them to the side and cast a silencing charm around the large group.
"What is it, Harry?" Theo asked softly.
"I was just contacted by Bellatrix Lestrange." Harry said, still slightly in shock.
"Bellatrix?" Draco repeated in shock. "As in Aunt Bella?"
"Yes, Dray." Harry said. "She's going to spy for us."
"How do you even know if she's genuine?" Daphne asked, her eyes wide.
"I made her swear a magical oath." Harry said simply. "She said she would contact me when she had information."
"Then, I guess there is not much to do except wait." Hermione sighed softly.
-o0o0o0o-
The wait was not that long. A few days after Hogsmeade, a few days before Halloween, Harry received a parcel. He hesitated for a long moment, before he did diagnostic charms on it. Once he was satisfied that it was clear of hexes, curses, or anything of the like, he opened it.
If you say my name, I will appear. B.
He waited until dinner was over before gathering all his friends (Bill, Fleur, and Viktor included) and floo calling Arcturus and Sirius. They all made their way towards the room of requirement.
They all sat around the room of requirement, in a replica of the living room at Potter Manor and they waited.
"Should I say it?" Harry asked in the stifling empty room.
"No," Sirius said simply. "Let's wait a bit longer."
"Why aren't mother and Aunt Andromeda here?" Draco asked softly.
Sirius and Arcturus exchanged sidelong glances before the older man sighed.
"I did not want to get their hopes up, in case it was a trick." He said simply, and Harry nodded.
"Fair enough," He sighed. The mirror – it was a two way mirror, he had to admire the irony – buzzed as a muffled calling of his name filled the air around them. He picked it up, and the mirror unfogged and revealed the face of Bellatrix.
"Hello, Harry." She said, smirking. "I see you've received my gift."
"Hello, Bellatrix." Harry said stiffly. "Yes, I quite like it."
"The Dark Lord is after something in the Department of Mysteries." Bellatrix explained in hushed tones. "A prophecy about the two of you. He plans to lure you there."
Harry snorted, relief filling his system. "The prophecy is safe." He said simply. "I collected it years ago."
She raised a brow. "Oh?"
"Yes." Harry said shortly, exchanging a glance and smirk with his friends. "How did he plan to lure me there?"
"I don't know the details," She whispered hurriedly. "But from the whispers I've heard, the Dark Lord created some connection with you through the blood magic ritual he used to get a new body. He was going to exploit that connection and show you an image of him killing Sirius."
Harry's blood ran cold, his eyes flashed, a suspicious wind filled the room as he tried to reign in his magic.
"Harry," Daphne whispered, putting her hand on his knee. He looked into her clear, beautiful, crystalline eyes. He inhaled deeply.
"He plans to go after Sirius?" He asked, his voice deceptively calm.
"Yes," Bella whispered softly. "It was what made me come to you."
"I thought that was my father?" He queried.
"I was thinking of it, because of James. But his plan for Sirius – who despite it all, is still my baby cousin – was what made me defect completely." Bella admitted.
Sirius inhaled shakily.
"How does he plan to capture him?" Harry asked coldly. She cringed.
"I don't know," She admitted. "But I assume he'll send me to grab him." She said to him, "Which means I will tell you of the attack before it happens, and I will do my best to sabotage it without getting myself caught."
"No!" Sirius snapped, grabbing the mirror. Her image flickered in shock for a moment before she breathed.
"Sirius."
"You cannot sabotage it, Bella." He snarled at her. "He will find out it was you, and you will get killed for it."
"So be it." She said simply. "I cannot say death is not deserved."
"I don't care if you deserve it." Sirius snapped. "I don't care if you deserve to burn in the seventh circle of Hell, you're not putting yourself in danger."
"Sirius, now is not the time for this discussion." She said. "You have a target on your back as big as your godson does. I need you both to make it out of this alive. I don't care who else gets hurt in the crossfire, even if it is me."
Sirius shook his head. "Bella, stay safe. I will not hear any more of this."
"Let me do this for you," Bella said softly, looking at her little cousin.
"No."
"Then let me do this for me." She beseeched.
The children felt like they were intruding on an intimate moment, before Theo coughed and gently grabbed the mirror from Sirius' grasp, who turned to him with such a heartbroken look in his eyes, Theo felt his heart break. He gently placed an arm on Sirius' shoulder. Sirius, who was quite honestly the father Theo wished he had. Who took care of him, and who he could say for honest truth, loved him.
"Lady Lestrange," he said smoothly.
She raised an amused brow. "Lord Nott."
"Is there any more information on the Dark Lord you could possibly give? Anything about his plans now?" He asked brusquely.
"I know he's planning on doing some ritual with his familiar," Bellatrix said softly. "With his snake, Nagini."
Harry felt his breath stop.
"What ritual?" Theo asked urgently.
"I don't know the details," She said apologetically. "He merely said it was furthering his immortality."
"Oh Merlin," Hermione breathed sharply.
"He's making another horcrux." Bill said grimly.
"Horcrux?" Bellatrix breathed in horror. "He has more?"
"He had five." Harry said dully.
"Thank you, Bella." Sirius said softly. "Now go, before you get caught."
She nodded. "Goodbye, Sirius." She whispered. "Harry."
The mirror fogged over.
"Well, shit." Neville groaned.
"I know it's awful to admit," Sirius said softly. "But there is not much we can do. We merely have to train, prepare, and wait."
"We have our basilisk venom imbued weapons," Harry said softly. "When we face him, and you see a snake, do not hesitate to kill it."
They nodded.
"We will do this." Fred said, bravado filling his voice.
"Of course we will, Freddie." George said easily. "Kill an evil terrorist psychopath? Easy."
Harry snorted.
"Child's play, really."
-o0o0o0o-
Weeks go by, and before they knew it, Winter Holidays were creeping upon them. Soon, they'd blink and they'd be doing their OWLs.
Harry found that he just wanted some alone time, and found himself up in the Astronomy tower.
He felt the weight of the world on his shoulders, and he didn't know what to do.
He was just supposed to save the world, like he knew how to do that.
So focused he was on killing Voldemort. And it felt as though now, in the quiet of his own mind, he was ready to admit that the only reason was because it was personal.
His first reason wasn't to save the world. It really wasn't even his second.
It was revenge.
Revenge, then protect. Then save the world. But he didn't really care about the world, not really.
What has the world ever done for him? Sure, he made it work. He and his family worked the system, kept his public image good and slandered others.
But these were the people that published books and outlandish stories about him. Who celebrated when his family died and he was orphaned.
Who will gladly throw him in the line of fire so they don't have to fight. All too happy to not lift a finger and allow a child to fight for them, who cares if he lives or dies?
He would be Harry Potter the martyr just as easily as he is hailed as Harry Potter the Hero.
They will celebrate the end of the war before his body is even cold in the ground.
Just as they partied for his parents. Just as they memorialised what was supposed to be his childhood home. A statue? For them only to be referred to as a footnote in history when they were heroes.
They saved the world. And their thanks? Being an afterthought in history, and a party being celebrated mere hours after their death.
He heard footsteps and turned his head. He was tense, his wand drawn.
"Oh, it's just you." He sighed, sheathing his wand once more.
"Hey," Blaise said softly, walking over to him.
Harry turned his head back towards the stars.
Blaise stared at him for a moment, a considering expression on his face.
He then stepped forward, and sat next to Harry.
Harry looked at him, a question in his eyes.
Blaise merely smiled, and put his arm around the other boy's shoulders.
The pair sat in silence for a moment, before Harry curled inward, and allowed his tears to fall.
Blaise held him quietly as his friend cried.
Because sometimes, words don't need to be exchanged.
Sometimes, you just need someone there.
-o0o0o0o-
The training was quite possibly amongst the most brutal of things Daphne has experienced.
She had years to train, and yet her body never quite got used to it. Pushing herself to the brink of collapse and magical exhaustion ran your body haggard.
But she and the others knew they had to be ready. If they weren't ready, they were dead.
She glanced at Harry, effortlessly leading them through.
She wasn't ready to be dead.
She looked at everyone else in the room.
Theo, who was teaching them the darkest hexes and curses in the Nott ancient library. His eyes lit up into a vibrant blue.
She smiled.
He always gleamed when talking of magic and spells.
Hermione, who's wand was holding up her hair in a bun and she was trying to do wandless magic, her nose scrunched in concentration.
Blaise, who teased Hermione from his position leaning against the wall, an easy smirk on his face.
Fred and George who were turning pranks to help people from death eaters or things that could save their lives.
Fleur, who was always fighting to prove she was more than a pretty face.
Viktor, who was a triwizard champion despite only needing quidditch to truly succeed.
Draco and Neville who stood by Harry until the end and would follow him until the death because that was how much they loved him.
They never knew just how much Harry would do for them.
Two powerful wizards in their own right, and yet they truly believe Harry would be alright if one of them were to die.
Harry would raze the world to the ground for them.
For all of them.
Everyone wants to believe he's some hero. The Boy Who Lived, valiantly saving them all.
She sneered at the thought.
For sheep who love him one day and loathe him the next?
No, Harry was no hero.
Harry was a protector. He protected them. His friends and his family. If he saved the world because of it, then that's all well and good.
But, just because he is a protector, does not mean that he would not hesitate to burn the world for those he considered his.
She felt a shiver go down her spine. His easy smile and posture as he laughed with Draco and Neville was nothing compared to the power simmering below the surface.
She was in awe every moment she was in his presence. What Harry didn't know was as much as everyone in that room is his, he was theirs.
And they'd burn the world for him as well.
A/N: oh gosh please don't kill me. I'm sure some of you thought i abandoned this story, but I promise I havent. It's just been really slow and hectic. that being said, im only planning for a few more chapters. it may take a while but it will be done, this story will be finished i swear haha. we're in the final stretchhhh, not too much plot here, more emotions, because i love that. tell me your thoughts! please review, it gives me motivation lol. until next time! xoxo