36 Harry Gaunt - Chapter 36

Bellatrix waited anxiously outside the classroom on the 3rd floor. She'd escaped Charms a little early to come here, hoping to catch her sister before lunch. Flitwick hadn't minded, and nor had anyone else when she'd left 10 minutes early.

She smiled. It was all because of Harry, he'd impressed both Flitwick and their fellow Slytherins. They didn't object because they knew she was with him, nobody was inclined to offend by denying Bellatrix.

And she didn't mind it one bit as she stepped near the classroom door. The class was packing up now, she could hear them inside scraping chairs and saying goodbye.

She hoped Cissy would be out first. They'd not spoken since yesterday, nor at breakfast where Cissy had all but ignored her in favour of sitting with Lucius.

Click.

The pompous flower. He was just like so many of the Pureblood boys as one stepped out through the door.

He stopped, then looked at her.

Bellatrix gave him that told him to keep walking.

"S-sorry."

He quickly hurried off, followed in his wake by far less attentive sixth-years as they filed out. They chatted happily, paying no mind to Bellatrix as she slipped waited.

Cissy wasn't among them. Bellatrix poked her head inside the classroom. "Cissy?" The room was empty except for the tables and Transfigured things left upon them. McGonagall was by the front cleaning the board. "Professor?"

Bellatrix walked quickly over to her. "Professor, have you seen my sister?"

"Ms Black." McGonagall turned around. "Your sister?"

Bellatrix nodded, looking worried. "Yes, she has Transfiguration today, with you. Was she not here?"

It couldn't be. Cissy loved school.

"She was here at the beginning," admitted McGonagall with a sweep towards her desk. "But it seems she was called away." She sounded disapproving as she searched for something.

A moment later she made an 'ah' sound. "Here." She handed the slip to Bellatrix, who snatched it away and began to read.

"You're welcome." McGonagall tutted. She'd long wondered what Bellatrix was truly like as she waited for the young woman to read it through. Her upbringing was certainly traditional, but the result seemed very different from the likes of Rosier and Parkinson.

"Thank you Professor."

Bellatrix didn't wait as she hurried off with the note crumpled in her hand. She'd read it all, McGonagall didn't doubt it as she disappeared out the door.

Apparently, there mother had come to visit. McGonagall also very disapproving of the rights that family seemed to enjoy.

"I do hope she knows what she's doing." McGonagall sighed as she took her seat. "Gaunt is different too."

But it wasn't any of her business. She had to prepare for her next lesson, and something told her Bellatrix would not be attending.

~~~~~~~

Harry stood alone within the tower that Bellatrix had shown him, something he'd been doing for the last hour as he contemplated certain things. He'd taken the time to fix the blinds; the elves or more likely Peeves having knocked them down. The elves had probably come after, then ruined it even more by sticking them back up at different angles.

Harry found the prospect of the elves confusion quite amusing, especially if he put Dobby in the mix, wonderful elf that he'd been.

"I need to move forward." Harry said aloud, confident no one could hear after warding the entrance.

He walked towards the window. He had to find the Room of Hidden Things. "It must be Dumbledore, he's hidden it."

Or Tom..

"Or maybe the elves." Harry touched his brow, beginning to rub it. He could see the lake down below. "Or Hogwarts. Yeah, maybe Hogwarts…"

It was alive in so many ways. Harry had seen it himself every day throughout his time here, they all did. The stairs moving up and down and left and right. The portraits, the ghosts. Even the Whomping Willow.

"Maybe I should ask Bellatrix." He wondered, even if he was still reluctant to directly involve her. She might know what he was doing now but that didn't mean she was equipped to assist him, at least not with everything.

Tap tap tap tap tap tap.

Harry tapped his finger against the window sill. They had to destroy the Horcruxes, but do it in such a way that Voldemort wouldn't notice his soul being destroyed. And Harry was far from an expert on the subject, he'd only learned of it a day before he'd died and been sent to the past. It had been Severus that had told him, simply that and the one which had been stuck in his forehead.

"Bloody hell."

Harry rubbed a hand through his hair. He couldn't afford to mess this up, he couldn't retrieve the Horcruxes until he was sure the above could be satisfied. "I need books." He said resolutely with a final tap. "He may be Lord Voldemort, but he couldn't have done it without something to work with."

Notes. A Guide. There were books on everything if you knew where to look. "I'll start in the chamber," decided Harry as he turned away. "That's where he did it first."

Harry could try and apparate in, or at least wait until Myrtle was away to go through the bathroom.

But that was for later, it was lunch time now and he was late. Bellatrix was probably already waiting for him as he headed out. "She'd have enjoyed today," he said with a smile down the narrow staircase.

They could have snuck off together. Let Trimble and Snape do the work while she badgered him about their plans.

Harry would admit then, only to himself that he missed her a bit, just a little as he began to approach the bustling great hall. He could hear the noise enter the corridor he was in, which was dark and without windows. It was lit by torched, so many of them were as they ran down the wall.

Someone stepped out from the shadow. "About time you showed up," laughed Lestrange and his brother Rabastan. "Gaunt."

They stood within the corridor in their Slytherin robes, the light from the fires flickering across their faces.

Harry came to a stop. He sighed. "That's Lord Gaunt to you, Mr Lestrange," he corrected, standing proud and tall as they blocked his path. "Now what do you want."

It was clear they were here for something, though their wands were not drawn as the eldest stepped forward. "I just came to tell you, since…" He had curly brown hair, while his brother's was the same only straighter. "You and Bellatrix are so close and all."

He smirked, hoping for more than just a look of mild curiosity.

"We are acquainted, I don't deny it." Harry had nothing to hide as he looked into Lestrange's eyes. "But please, do go on."

There was something there. A wall, a barrier that was plain to see.

Harry withdrew before he touched it.

"Then if it's all the same to you," returned Lestrange loudly. "I should like to impart our upcoming marriage, an arrangement that has long been in the making." He smiled. "We've known each other since we were young."

Unlike you, is what he implied as Harry remained as he was. He could feel Lestrange's malicious intent, along with his brother's which was infinitely worse.

The things they must have done to her.

"What's wrong Gaunt?" laughed Rabastan in a sing song voice from behind. "You heartbroken? Did you think she liked you?" He came up beside his brother with a feverish smile. "She played you for a fool, like a baby."

His laughter echoed, sounding much like a... cackle.

Harry stared at him.

"She-"

His brother shunted him back. "Shut up you idiot," he snapped. "Right in my fucking ear."

Rabastan stumbled away.

"You're both idiots." Harry said as he raised his open hand. "And you won't touch her."

An invisible force gripped around their necks, coiling like a snake before they lifted from the ground with a gurgled gasp. Harry let them hang there, enjoying their struggle and how easy it would be to just squeeze some more…

Finish it.

Harry grit his teeth. He shouldn't, not now as he let out a raging shout, throwing them into the wall with a dreadful snap.

Harry stepped away with a ragged breath. They were whimpering on the floor, especially Rabastan.

Step step step step

Harry walked up to Rabastan. It was him, he was sure of it as he kicked the boy over onto his back.

He looked like Pettigrew. Harry stomped on his face.

"Aa-r-!"

Harry brought his foot up again and smashed it down.

"N-no, please-" Rodolphus shifted beside his brother. His hands were shaking and his eyes filled with pain as he crawled across his brother. "P-please."

He covered him protectively. His brother may be a fool, but he was still his brother.

"So you care about your brother," sniffed Harry as he settled his foot. "Yet you serve a man who would gladly kill him, and you."

It just didn't make sense. Was it all just out of fear?

"H-how do you know that?" Rodolphus let out a cough from the floor. "You cannot know!" He looked up at Harry, the light from the fires showing the lines of his face and that look within his eye.

Harry smiled. He knew what Tom Riddle's looked like.

"Perhaps you have not realised yet," began Harry as Rodolphus nearly choked at the truth. "But it is I, not him, that is Lord of House Gaunt, Heir to Salazar Slytherin." Harry knelt down a little. "Think about it."

Harry got back up and walked away. "Or next time, I won't stop."

Crack.

The corridor rung out with the crack from apparition.

Rodolphus coughed again as dust floated over, the pain in his shoulder becoming too much as he slumped beside his brother. "H-heir…" His eyes blinked shut.

~~~~~~~

Bellatrix walked quietly up the stairs to the Headmaster's office, which had allowed her up unlike the times she'd visited before. It was strange as she came to the door shut firmly closed, the voices inside slipping out through quiet murmurs.

She tried to listen. It sounded like Cissy as a pair of footsteps became louder.

The door swung open. "Cissy?" Bellatrix looked upon her sister as she stepped outside. "What on earth is going on?"

Cissy stopped with a jolt.

"Bring her in Cissy," said Druella, standing alone beside the Headmaster's desk. "Shut the door as well. Wait downstairs for your father to return."

He'd been escorted by Dumbledore to go and retrieve their wayward daughter, which after they'd gone, Cissy admitted might be a difficult task.

"Yes mother." Cissy looked down and waited for Bellatrix to step inside. "I am so sorry Bellatrix." She whispered.

Bellatrix hovered at the threshold. Her sister was on the verge of crying. "Ciss-"

"Come in here, now." Druella snapped.

Cissy gripped the door handle.

"There's no need to shout mother," said Bellatrix as she stepped inside, followed quickly by the door swinging closed.

"Oh there is indeed young lady," returned her mother. "Your father and I have been forced to come here because your-" She hesitated. "-discretions. Now come here."

Druella took a breath. Bellatrix had said nothing.

"You don't deny it then."

"Deny what exactly?" Bellatrix said, hoping beyond hope that she hadn't been seen kissing Harry. "You'll have to say." She affirmed as she faced her mother. "I am at a loss."

They must have been seen doing something, that was the only explanation as Druella quickly became incensed by her daughter's attitude. "I speak of last night," she hissed dangerously. "I speak of you and that muggle."

Bellatrix blinked. "What mugg-"

"Don't your dare deny it!" Druella screeched. She pointed her finger. "You were seen in that car, you took him away back to his muggle squat!"

Druella flicked it away, then turned unable to look upon yet another fallen daughter. At least Andromeda had married a Mudblood, but now this, with a muggle? "You'll be cast out for this Bellatrix," she said solemnly as she turned back around. "But there is a way to set things right, a marriage between you and Heir Lestrange. It's all been arranged, you should be thankful."

Lord Lestrange was more than pleased with the match. And once the muggle was dead, Bellatrix would be happy.

"You cannot be serious." Bellatrix took shallow breaths as she remained in place. "Rodolphus is the very worst of us!" She shouted. "Do you even know what he tried to do to Andromeda?"

"Don't speak to me of Andromeda Bellatrix." Druella came forward, as did Bellatrix. "I speak of you, and your choices that have led to this outcome!" Druella looked into Bellatrix's eyes. "I'd hoped you'd try to form an attachment with Lord Gaunt, but now I see your deception, your lies to distract us from the truth!"

"I HAVE!" Bellatrix whipped her wand out. "You're entirely mistaken! It was Harry that night not some muggle. He drove the car. He took us back because I could not!"

Druella's wand flicked in her hand. "Lies." She seethed. "Gaunt would never."

"You don't know him!" Bellatrix flicked her wand and fired a string of bodily curses. "Nobody does."

Her mother swiped them aside. The two glaring at one another.

"I will marry Harry," stated Bellatrix suddenly. "And if not him, no one."

Druella cast her own set of spells with furious slash, which blistered off of Bellatrix's shield.

"You silly girl!" Druella shouted with another slashed from her wand, sending great fiery colours towards her daughter. "Lord Gaunt may take his merry time choosing a wife, but you and every other Pureblood bride, cannot!"

Bellatrix felt her shield begin to buckle. The colourless layer cracking and falling at the edges. Her mother was much better than her. She needed Harry, but he wasn't here as with a bang the shield collapsed.

Another spell collided with her chest, sending her back towards the bookcase in a tumbling heap.

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