Chapter 13: Madness

Lucius wouldn't dare stop his master from hurting her, she wondered for a moment if Draco would even miss her if she was killed. She looked down as she thought about her place in the world.

Harry returned to Grimmauld Place in a better state than he thought he would. He was expecting some sort of dramatic confrontation between himself and Professor Dumbledore. He expected Molly Weasley to try and drag him to the Burrow so he wouldn't be 'influenced' by the woman in his house. He even expected Tonks or Hermione to get more information out of him, but thankfully none of that happened. With no instruction from Dumbledore that he was supposed to go to either the Burrow or Privet Dr, Harry was free to spend his summer in the house he now owned.

Bella was in the library studying the book she'd found. One of her albums was playing softly. When she noticed him he gave him a sad smile and then motioned him over. Harry stood beside her, his hand resting on her shoulder. At his contact the whispers in her head silenced and she looked back at the book.

"So, how did it go?"

"Quieter than I expected, I think everyone was just excited about their inheritances. However I did meet your sister Andromeda, apparently we've got an open invitation for dinner together one night. I also need you to help me with these.." Harry produced the documents he had taken from the vault, "Narcissa has offered to instruct me in what it means to be a Lord, but I'd like it if you could also talk to me, that way I know that whatever information she gives me will be verified by someone I know I can trust."

Bellatrix felt her cheeks redden slightly at the compliment, "Well, if we're going to see Andi, I'm sure it's because her daughter has told her about us and she wants to investigate us. As the leader of our House, you are going to be under a lot of scrutiny. Leave the papers for me and I'll look at them after we have our lunch. You said Narcissa offered to teach you, knowing her she'll be angling for a way to get into your good graces..."

"I'm sure Draco got his sneakiness from someone."

"Oh it wasn't his father, Lucius is an idiot. He can play the part of a charming and somewhat intelligent person, but when it comes to the line in the sand being drawn, he's a weak and foolish man." Bellatrix thought about it for a moment, "Our mother had plans for each of us, Andi vanished before they could force her into a marriage, Narcissa took hers willingly, I'm the one who fought. That's why I'm like this.."

Harry took her hand, "We're going to find a way to fix this. We have one solution already, that 'true love' spell...we'll find another, and if we don't, then we'll be together. When this is over, when Voldemorte is gone then we'll go someplace where they don't know Bellatrix LeStrange, and it'll just be Harry and Bellatrix Potter-Black."

"You'd do that? You'd give up living in wizarding Britain?"

"Of course I would, these people constantly shift from 'oh Harry, save us from everything!' to 'Harry Potter is insane and should be locked up' it's rather annoying actually."

Bellatrix laughed at that then looked up into Harry's eyes. "Alright then, if I can't find any other solution in this book, we'll do the ritual before you leave for Hogwarts."

Just then, the pair felt a tingle, it was one of the wards. Someone was trying to enter Grimmauld Place, the only people capable of finding the house were members of the Order, or members of the Black family. Bellatrix quickly put back her glamour as Harry went to see who it was.

Narcissa Malfoy stood at the door. She looked much paler than she had at Gringotts. She still had the box of sketchbooks under her arm. "Lord Potter-Black, may I come in?"

"Of course, what's wrong?"

"I will explain once we are both inside.." She said as she came in around him. Harry closed the door, Bellatrix, in her Josephine guise, stood in the archway leading back to the library, an unreadable look in her eyes.

"Alright, you're here, now please, what's wrong?"

Narcissa sank onto a nearby chair, "Rodolphus LeStrange came to find me. Apparently my sister Bellatrix has vanished, taking all of his money. He is desperate to find her, he threatened me. Told me that if he thought I'd had contact with her, he'd kill me. Lucius won't do anything, so it falls upon me to ask you; will you annul my marriage to Lucius and take me back into the Black family? If you do this, I will be your seneschal. I will help you with your affairs as the Lord of Houses Potter and Black. I will do anything you ask, just please, save me."

"What about your son?"

"Draco is just like his father, he might feel saddened if he found me dead, but he wouldn't stand against the Dark Lord."

"Voldemorte. In this house, we call him Voldemorte, or barring that Tom, his real name is Tom Marvolo Riddle Jr." Harry stated, "He's not a boogeyman, he's a powerful dark wizard, but I'm not going to treat him like just saying his name will cause lightning to strike me."

"Will you do it?" Narcissa grabbed his arm, "Will you take me back into the Black family?"

"Can I have a few moments? This is a lot of information.."

When Narcissa nodded, Harry walked into the library, he looked to Bellatrix, "If I do this, there's no way that she won't find out who you are. Do you feel comfortable with her knowing the truth?"

"No, but she is my sister, so if you wish it, I will abide. We could ask her to swear a magical oath, like I did when I swore not to harm you." Harry nodded, taking her hand and leading Bellatrix back into the hall. Narcissa rose when he came back with a strangely familiar young witch.

"Alright, Narcissa, I'll do this. But first, I need you to do something for me, I need you to give me a wizards oath that you will not reveal anything you are about to see." Narcissa, not having much of a choice, agreed.

Once the spell was cast Bellatrix dropped her glamour, "Hello Cissy."