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Chapter 34

The pain came in waves. Throbbing and agonising pain came to Harriet as she thrashed the bed. Her cries of pain echoed in the Potter Manor with such fury that one could almost feel the walls shaking. Alice and Dorcas were doing whatever they could to bring peace to the girl but without success. Not only was Harriet howling in anguish, but her magic was slashing around the room to the point where James and Lily pulled Alice and Dorcas out. There was something happening with Harriet. It was a battle with herself, and it showed in the way her magic treated everything around her as an enemy. It became so bad that Dumbledore had to arrive and, with the help of multiple wizards and witches, had to seal off Harriet's room in a powerful defence spell to stop her from destroying the manor itself.

Lily dropped to her knees in the middle of the hall, exhausted, heartbroken, and confused by what was happening. Her tears reflected the inner turmoil she was suffering as the screams of her daughter rang in her ears. "What is happening?! Fleur, what happened?!" Lily begged the Half-Veela for some sort of answer, but the French girl couldn't truly understand it either.

Fleur couldn't say much. It happened so fast when Harriet dropped to the floor in pain, her scar bleeding profoundly, and simply her magic was pushing everyone out. If Fleur hadn't been who she was and had the ability to withstand her beloved mate's magic, the sheer power emanating from Harriet could have hurt her seriously. Yet, the Overseer of the Guardians was stubborn and unafraid when it came down to her beloved safety. She could carry Harriet back to the manor before Harriet's condition worsened. But that was it.

Fleur stared at her technically speaking mother-in-law and shook her head. "I don't know. We were simply speaking, and then she dropped to the ground, screaming in pain."

Lily, overwhelmed by the sound of Harriet's screams echoing from inside the room once again, couldn't hold back her tears. Narcissa did her utmost to console the distraught red-haired woman, but the agony of a mother hearing her sole child's cries became unbearable. Several more minutes passed before the painful cries finally subsided, leaving behind a lingering feeling of anguish and sorrow.

Fleur looked troubled at what was happening inside since Dumbledore came out of the room with James and the others. Sirius, Remus, Severus, and Ted looked tired and troubled. Alice and Dorcas were arriving with many potions and other things, ready for anything. Yet, with one look, Dumbledore's words seemed to bring some comfort to Lily and the rest.

"Young Harriet's magic has calmed down for now. It should be safe for Alice and Dorcas to check on her."

Dumbledore said, and even as someone as powerful as him, the weariness of keeping Harriet's power at bay while waiting for her magic to subdue was an enormous task. He knew Harriet would become powerful, but Dumbledore never expected such raw power from someone as young as her. In terms of magic force, Harriet was already on a par with him and Voldemort, and she was not even thirteen yet, which worried Dumbledore a great deal. They built a protection circle around the bed where Harriet was resting, a desperate measure to keep Harriet's magic from hurting someone. But the old wizard and the rest knew that something was happening with Harriet's magic core.

Yet, they weren't sure of what it was.

"James, how is Harriet?" Lily asked. Her voice was almost a whisper.

"She is sleeping. I hope," James replied, his voice latched with worry and fear. "But her magic has calmed down. Alice, Dorca, Harriet's scar has been bleeding a lot, and she seems in pain. Could it be that Voldemort caused this?"

"It could be," Dorcas answered. "The Horcrux inside her scar could be acting up. Attacking Harriet from the insides."

"Causing Harriet's magic to act in defence," Alice added, nodding at Dorcas. "However, I believe that—Voldemort may use this to attack Harriet in the future. But also, it's a two-way street."

"What do you mean?" James asked, confused.

"That Harriet may have been using her connection to Voldemort to attack him back," Fleur answered, and now everyone stared at her.

"That sounds like her," Sirius mumbled, chuckling without joy. "Making sure that git gets a taste of his own medicine."

"Could Voldemort attack Harriet again in the future?" Lily asked while holding Narcissas's hand, who was helping the poor woman stay on her feet.

"It could be," Dumbledore stated. "But if Harriet did indeed fight back. I guess Voldemort would think twice before doing it again in the future."

"I don't doubt that Harriet's Occlumency shields are strong. But she will need more if she wishes to not be caught off guard again," Severus said, and for the first time in a while, or forever, James agreed with him.

"Agreed," James said before glancing at Dumbledore. He was still not openly thrusting of the old wizard. Perhaps James would never trust Dumbledore as he once used to. But now, he required help, and Dumbledore was among the only wizards whose knowledge of magic was above the rest. "Professor, is there any way to get rid of that Horcrux without killing Harriet? We have tried to find ways but come empty-handed. We know how difficult it is. But don't you know something? Anything?! You're the greatest wizard of all time! Surely, you know something!"

Dumbledore sighed. He knew that both James and Lily had been furiously trying to find answers about how to save their child. He has also tried to find something to help them. But Dumbledore hasn't been successful at all.

"I am sorry, James. I have been unsuccessful in this. I only know what you know," Dumbledore replied truthfully. "Making a Horcrux is already difficult. Destroying one is not. True, it would've been simple if the Horcrux was in an object; at least, it could be destroyed. It would not be easy, but it's possible. But when it came to a living being—there is only one way to do it, as far as I know."

James hissed, furiously wishing for Dumbledore to be wrong. But he knew it wasn't the case.

"We will find a way," Lily spoke, her voice cold and determinate. She would not sit down and wait to see her daughter die. "Whatever it takes."

"I will help with anything I can," Dumbledore replied. The old wizard truly wanted to help them, to make amends and change. But if he were honest. Dumbledore wasn't sure of how to achieve it. "But first, we should make sure Harriet's health hasn't taken a hit."

Alice and Dorcas nodded before entering the room, where a peaceful yet exhausted Harriet was currently resting. The girl was drenched in sweat. Her breathing was out of rhythm as if she had been running a race for hours. But Harriet was alive.

"I can still feel some magic in the room," Dorcas muttered, surprised at how visceral Harriet's magic could feel. It was the first time she ever felt something like this before.

"It's like the temperature of the room increased. We not even in summer!" Alice added, seeing that the window was already open even with the chilly breeze of the wind. It wasn't enough to remove the heat of the room.

Outside the room, in the hallways. James approached Lily and embraced her tightly, attempting to provide reassurance in the only manner available to him at that moment. Lily's stubbornness matched his own, and she shared his unwavering belief in their ability to help their child. Together, they believed that anything could be accomplished. "It's going to be alright. We pull through this, like before."

"James, I am going to tell Amelia and Frank what happened," Sirius said. "They need to know."

"Tell Amelia that I am sorry, but I am going to take some time off," James replied.

"Don't worry about it, James. Amelia will understand," Sirius replied nonchalantly.

Severus took a deep breath before looking at Lily. "Lily, I will help Dorcas and Alice with the potions. Could I use your potion lab room?"

"Of course, Sev. Thank you," Lily replied, smiling at her friend. "If there is anything you need, please tell me. Or you can call Minnie or Dobby."

"Understood."

As night fell, Fleur found herself nestled close to her beloved Harriet. The soft glow of the bedside lamp illuminated the room, casting a warm and comforting ambience. The faint sound of Harriet's peaceful breathing filled the air, intermingling with the gentle hum of the night. Fleur's grip on Harriet's hand was tender yet firm, providing a sense of solace amidst the uncertainty.

Fleur then sighed, slowly leaving Harriet's side. "Thank you, Rolf, for helping to control our lady's power."

Rolf appeared out of nowhere. He has been hiding all this time in the room, helping to keep his lady's power at bay. What Dumbledore and the rest didn't know was that their magic was utterly useless when dealing with Harriet's other magic. Rolf, being the strongest of all the current guardians in terms of magic, was the only one who could rival their lady's power and subdue it. But it wasn't easy. It truly wasn't, and if Rolf could admit it, he was afraid of how hostile Harriet's magic behaved.

"It's alright!" Rolf replied nervously.

"Did you detect anything strange at all?" Fleur asked, and Rolf shook his head.

"No, I didn't," Rolf replied quickly.

Fleur hummed deeply, losing herself in the possibilities of what could've happened. She didn't doubt that Harriet attacked Voldemort through their link, whatever link that was. I hope it hurts. I hope you're in pain, just like my love. Fleur thought hissingly furiously.

"Am—em—alb—"

Fleur quickly approached Harriet, who seemed to say something.

"My love, I am here," Fleur whispered, gently caressing Harriet's hand. Suddenly, her eyes widened as she noticed that more patches of Harriet's hair were losing their colour, gradually turning white. But what stunned her more was that suddenly, Harriet opened her eyes. But instead of both eyes being of the beautiful emerald shade, one eye was of golden shade and the other one of green.

"Albedo," Harriet whispered, seemingly in a delirious state. Fleur and Rolf were stunned when they heard that name. But that wasn't enough. "Tabula, what were you thinking? Seriously, putting that in your creation."

Harriet's voice seemed to be in a whisper like she was having a conversation with someone, or perhaps with herself. Fleur put a hand on Harriet's forehead, and even she could feel the heat coming out of her. The fever was not normal at all.

"She is burning," Fleur whispered, feeling the heat radiating from Harriet's skin. Harriet was watching her intently, but her eyes seemed distant and unfocused. Clearly, Harriet was having vivid, delirious dreams.

"I changed her settings to she is in love with me. Can you believe it?" Harriet mumbled, and Fleur, just like Rolf, did not know what that meant at all. But it was all they heard as Harriet snored peacefully.

"Gather the rest… Mare," Fleur whispered, surprising Mare, who wasn't used to Fleur using his real name. "I think there is something I discover."

"Yes!" the small boy replied, wondering what the thing the girl had discovered was.

It took two days for Harriet to wake up, and when she did. Harriet had no recollection of what had even happened. It was as if an entire day had vanished from her mind. Harriet knows Voldemort attacked her through their connection, and she was utterly angry, but besides that, she recalls nothing else. Yet, once she woke up, things were different. She felt odd.

At first, Harriet's vision becomes nonexistent. The brightness of the world, even the gentle glow of a lamp, caused her excruciating pain. But when her sight returned, Harriet discovered a new challenge. Everything appeared hazy yet intricately defined, like a watercolour painting brought to life. But how? Alice and Dorcas were astonished to find out that Harriet's magic had caused damage to her sight but also changed it. Harriet's right eye became so impaired that she couldn't even see things right in front of her. However, strangely enough, her left eye, which had a captivating golden shade, had perfect vision. It seemed almost too perfect. Whenever Harriet focused, she could see things with remarkable clarity, even from miles away. The world around her became vivid, filled with vibrant colours, intricate details, and a newfound sense of depth. It was as if a veil had been lifted, revealing a world she had never truly seen before.

Not only could Harriet's eye detect enigmatic auras enveloping the surrounding people, but she also witnessed ethereal objects inexplicably floating amidst the air, like small diamonds, among a myriad of other perplexing manifestations around her.

Nevertheless, the outcome of that was not necessarily in Harriet's favour. The experience was quite tiresome. Her eyes grew fatigued and ached after a short period. So, in easy terms, Harriet's right eye lost 70% of its sight. While her left eye had an inexplicable amount of magic power, surpassing what her body could handle.

"So, I am like Terminator or a robot?" Harriet asked, earning a few chuckles and groans from the people around.

"If I remember, Terminator had a perfect sight," James teased back.

"Funny, James," Lily mumbled. "I should've not taken you to see that movie."

"Here, Harriet, this will help you with your eye irritation," Alice said, giving the girl a small bottle. Harriet nodded, taking her time to pour the cold liquid into her eyes. "And about the tiredness of your eyes, well, we found a very practical way to make sure you get some of your sights back with minor problems."

Harriet then looked at the small box and groaned. She knew what it was. "Glasses? I will look stupid!"

"Hey! I use glasses!" James shot back, quite insulted.

"Exactly!" Harriet replied, annoyed, before putting the round glasses on. Ugh! The worst part is that I can see better with them on, and it's not tiresome! "But what are they the same style as Dad?! Could you find cute ones?!"

"I am this close to grounding you!" James exclaimed dramatically. "This is the Potter style!"

Lily now chuckled. "I think you look adorable. But how do you feel? It's the scar hurting?" Lily asked, watching the new patches of white hair on Harriet.

"It hurts, but not as bad as yesterday," Harriet said.

Lily smiled, but the worry was still visible on her face. "Your friends are here. Poor Fleur hasn't even slept at all."

"Oh," Harriet glanced at her mate, who appeared visibly drained, with dark circles under her eyes. The lines on her face spoke of sleepless nights and long hours. But Harriet wondered if weariness was the sole cause of her exhaustion. "I am sorry, Fleur."

Fleur shook her head as she sat next to Harriet. "Nothing brings more joy than simply knowing you're alright." Fleur then kissed Harriet softly, who enjoyed and reciprocated the gesture. Naturally, James let out a boisterous cough, only to be silenced by Lily and Narcissa, who vehemently reprimanded him.

"We should leave you to rest," Lily said as the rest left the room.

Fleur looked at Harriet, who smiled brightly at her with a goofy smile. "What with the smile?" Fleur asked, amused.

"You're hot," Harriet replied smugly as she brought Fleur to her embrace. "And only mine."

Fleur chuckled before kissing Harriet again. "Only yours."

Both girls burst into laughter while embracing and playfully messing around on the bed, tickling each other and relishing each other's presence. Hopefully, the worst was now behind them.

Voldemort has found himself in a difficult position. One that has forced him to be in pain and agony. The magic power of Harriet, the pure raw force of it, was beyond what he would expect. Again, his arrogance blinded him from the facts laid before him. In his current form, he could not hold himself against Harriet, nor Dumbledore for that matter. His magic was scattered around. However, not all was lost in this failed attack on his part.

Voldemort has learned something important and useful to him.

"Wormtail!" Voldemort hissed, and Peter Pettigrew came rushing.

"My lord! What can I do for you?" Peter asked fearfully.

"We must get Lucius here," Voldemort hissed. "He may be an idiot, but he is a useful idiot that I need."

"Of course! Of course!" Peter replied, either with excitement or fear.

Voldemort had a plan that would unfold in the coming years, aimed at not only restoring his physical form but also regaining his immense power. This was a crucial objective for Voldemort, as he had recognised the potent abilities possessed by the Girl-Who-Lived and desired to obtain them. However, the question remained: How could he accomplish this feat? Voldemort knew that careful preparation would be essential in order to achieve his goal. But he already had a few ideas.

Harriet let out a sigh as she observed her reflection in the mirror. With her glasses and the new patches of white hair, she couldn't help but notice how different she looked now. However, what really caught her attention was the fact that she was growing at such a rapid rate, slowly transforming into a teenager. It was a stark reminder for Harriet that the years were passing by swiftly.

"Truly, these last weeks have been eerily peaceful," Harriet mumbled to herself. "Dear Tom, has been silent. I can only wonder what he is planning now."

Harriet knew that the Dark Lord would not dare to attack her in such a manner again. This was a learning experience for him and for her. But at the same time, Harriet wondered what Voldemort saw in that attack. Maybe he saw nothing more than static and perhaps some nasty visions she sent him. Yet, Harriet would not treat Voldemort like a child. The attack was a message to her. He saw her as her enemy, not a child, which suited Harriet just fine. She wasn't a child, after all. But now, it was to wait and see what he did.

"I have seen nothing out of the ordinary in the Prophet or heard anything strange in the Ministry," Harriet again muttered to herself. Lucius's trial would be in a few days, so she wasn't surprised to not hear much for now. Nevertheless, Harriet was deeply worried about the Horcrux on her scar.

"It hurts," Harriet said, looking at her scar, which seemed irritated. "If that piece of Voldemort becomes so attached to my soul, that could truly cause me problems."

Harriet knew she had to find a way to get rid of that dark, magical tumour. Obviously, she couldn't yet use Yggdrasil's items or spells. They don't work on her, and she has tried multiple things. Truthfully, it felt like a sort of wall that wouldn't allow her to move past it, like the limits of a map in a video game. It was a weird example, but perhaps one that felt perfect.

"Well, I just need to be careful and keep up my defences," Harriet sighed before walking down to the kitchen, where she saw Narcissa utterly shocked and terrified. Lily was doing her best to calm her dear lover, but even she couldn't help but feel aghast about what they read in the Prophet.

"What happened?" Harriet asked before looking at the Daily Prophet.

Lucius Malfoy has escaped!

"What?" Harriet whispered, shocked. "How did they escape?"

"We don't know," Lily replied. "But two aurors are dead. The entire Ministry is in lockdown, and the entire Auror department is being held accountable. Amelia is, well, almost having a mental breakdown right now. She has put every single auror into interrogation with Veritasermun and even magical oaths."

Harriet grimaced, feeling as if Amelia would surely rip apart the entire Auror Department in order to find the mole and traitor. "Now, I know why Dad hasn't arrived here since yesterday."

Lily smiled sadly. "They haven't ruled out the possibility of sleeping agent in the Ministry too or Polyjuice usage. But that is just another can of worms. It's hard to say."

Lily knew that during the war, the usage of the Imperius Curse was popular among the Death Eaters. Lucius's escape did not truly surprise her. In fact, no one was, even when Amelia went above and beyond to make sure only her most trusted Aurors were near Lucius. Yet, it wasn't enough. Truly, a long week awaited the Auror Department, since with two aurors' deaths and the possibility of more of Voldemort's secret agents bitting their time, Lily was quite afraid of what Amelia would do in order to truly clean the entire department.

"He is out there, Lucius," Narcissa mumbled, trembling and anxious. "Lily, what if he wanted to kill me?"

"He won't touch you," Lily declared firmly, bringing Narcissa into her embrace. "We won't let him. Never."

Harriet figured out that Lucius's escape was truly as bad as it sounded, at least not for her. It was the fact that even after all the hard work Amelia had done to clean up the corruption in her department, it was not enough.

She must be pissed off, as heartbroken. Harriet thought, feeling sorry for Amelia. But who would've thought someone would even bother saving Lucius? He must really know something or just know enough. Perhaps he is just a means to an end. Voldemorts must really want him.

Harriet knew that Voldemort was going out of his way to save Lucius. It was for something.

What are you planning to do? Harriet pondered deeply.

In the darkness of a cell, Gilderoy Lockhart was crying, mumbling words that couldn't be heard, as he was put in a position where he was terrified by a terrifying person.

"Ah~ A fun experience it was to be you, my dear Lockhart. However, it is time for me to focus on other crucial matters," a figure with no face spoke while posing in many ways. Lockhart tried to scream, but his gag made it impossible for him to speak.

"Now, I had to free dear Lucius because it is important for dear little Tom Riddle to regain his body. A truly awful thing, yet important," the figure said before taking a deep breath, almost in annoyance. "In order to save my lady, I must help him. Such a little nuisance, truly. But things aren't ever what they seem."

Gilderoy did not know what this thing was talking about, but the only thing he could do was nod.

"I hope she forgives me once she realises why I am doing it. She will understand. After all, it's the only way to get that nasty Horcrux out of her pretty head. It's the only way, my quest."

The figure then metamorphosed into a wise old man, his hair as white as freshly fallen snow and his complexion taking on a distinct hue. He exuded an air of familiarity and arrogance.

"Now, please, stay still. You may be useless now, but that doesn't mean I will discard you."

Lockhart screamed as the mysterious man pulled a strange tool and a wand.

"Now, planting memories is easy, but I've been experimenting with inserting new personalities and even distorting magic inside the core."

Gilderoy's scream would be stifled by the walls and the darkness. No one knew what happened to him, only that he was then thrown into his cell. A different person. But one that would eventually serve a purpose.