Grimmauld Place was colder than Ron remembered, the shadows deeper, the air heavy with the remnants of dark magic. He shivered as they stepped inside, the door creaking ominously behind them. The ancient house seemed to breathe, its walls whispering with memories of the Black family's twisted legacy.
Hermione moved ahead, her wand lit, casting a pale glow that flickered against the dusty walls. "The library should be on the third floor. If there's anything about curses or dark magic, it'll be there."
Ron followed, his eyes darting to every shadow, his grip tight on his wand. "Yeah...
Let's just hope we don't run into any more cursed objects." He glanced warily at a mounted house-elf head, its glassy eyes following him. "This place gives me the creeps."
Her voice was firm, but Ron heard the worry beneath her resolve. He didn't blame her.
The way Harry had looked... pale, haunted, shadows clinging to him like a curse-it was wrong. And the way he talked about Bellatrix's voice... it sent a shiver down Ron's spine.
They climbed the winding staircase, their footsteps echoing through the empty halls.
The house felt alive, like it was watching them, waiting. Ron kept close to Hermione, his wand ready, eyes scanning every corner.
Hermione's eyes gleamed with
determination. "We should look for anything on curses, dark magic, or Legilimency. If Bellatrix left something in Harry's mind, it could be linked to that."
Ron nodded, his eyes sweeping over the rows of books. "Right. I'll check this side, you take that one." He moved to the nearest shelf, his fingers brushing over spines etched with faded runes. Some of the titles were in languages he didn't recognize, their letters twisted and ominous.
Hours passed as they scoured the shelves, dust settling in their hair, fingers stained with ancient ink. Hermione pulled book after book, her brow furrowed, muttering spells to decipher the archaic texts. Ron skimmed through volumes on dark enchantments, his unease growing with every curse described in brutal detail.
It was nearly dusk when Hermione's sharp intake of breath broke the silence. "Ron... I think I found something."
He hurried over, his eyes widening as he saw the book in her hands. Its cover was blackened, the title scorched away, but the pages inside were intact, ink as dark as fresh blood. Hermione's hands trembled as she turned the pages, her eyes flicking over the sinister script.
"It's a collection of Dark Arts rituals... really advanced stuff. There's a chapter on soul magic-binding fragments of consciousness to a victim's mind. It's designed to haunt them, control them.." She looked up, her face pale. "It sounds exactly like what's happening to Harry."
Ron's stomach turned, nausea coiling in his gut. "You mean... she put a piece of herself in his head? Like... like You-Know-Who?"
Hermione's lips pressed into a thin line. "Not exactly. It's not a Horcrux. But it's similar... more like a curse designed to torment, to break his mind from the inside." Her voice wavered. "It says... it feeds on fear, despair... the victim's darkest thoughts."
Ron's blood ran cold. "That's why he keeps hearing her... why he looks so... haunted." He clenched his fists, anger burning in his chest.
"She's still torturing him... even from a distance."
Hermione's eyes darkened, her jaw tightening. "We need to break this curse. But the counter-spell... it's complicated.
Dangerous." She hesitated, her fingers brushing over the jagged script. "It requires facing the source of the fear... confronting the shadow."
Ron's eyes widened. "You mean... Harry has to face her? In his mind?"
Hermione's expression was grim. "Yes. And if he fails... the curse will consume him."
Silence fell, the weight of her words sinking in. Ron's heart pounded, fear clawing at his chest. But beneath it, anger simmered, fierce and protective.
"He's not doing it alone," he said, his voice firm. "We'll be there, every step of the way."
Hermione's eyes softened, gratitude shining through her fear. "I know. But we have to be ready. If we're going to fight Bellatrix in Harry's mind... we'll need every weapon we can find."
Ron's grip tightened on his wand, his resolve hardening. "Then we better get to work.
We're not letting her win."
They stood together in the darkened library, surrounded by shadows and ancient magic, their determination unwavering.
Bellatrix had haunted Harry long enough.
It was time to end this.