Categories > Books > Harry Potter > Harry Potter and the Betrayal of the Phoenix
Chapter 6: Summer of Changes
The rest of the Summer; a visit with Sirius; Narcissa makes an observation; and has a conversation. Harry pays a visit to Azkaban
?Blocked
Summer of Changes Harry Potter and the Betrayal of the //Phoenix
By Red Jacobson
Chapter 6: Summer of Changes
DISCLAIMER: None of the Characters you recognize belong to me. They are all property of J.K. Rowling and Scholastic Books, I don't own them, if I did, and I would certainly be making a lot more money than I am right now. So please don't sue me; I'm poor. sigh
DEDICATION: This story is dedicated to Chaz (Old Wolf) Hager and Jason W. Thompson, for extreme story assistance. Thanks guys, this story wouldn't work as well as it does (if it even works, which I'll leave to my gentle readers GRIN) without your help.
AUTHORS NOTE: The title of this story is courtesy of Bad Voodoo X, but the content is strictly my responsibility. This story is un-beta'd, and it quite possibly will not end up in the Library of Congress as one of the Great Works of American Literature, but, so what? I write for fun.
ADDITIONAL AUTHORS NOTE: I'd like to thank my reviewers on Adult Fan Fiction.Net, who have provided me with a lot of thought provoking insight into this story; and, I just wish I had the story space to touch on all the ideas you've brought forth. Heh, if I did, the story would be GoF length, and I'm not feeling that ambitious yet! Although, I may do an expanded version of the story later, sort of a Directors Cut, as it were. GRIN
AUTHORS WARNING: I write stories intended for an adult audience, which means that the characters will be taking their clothes off and doing nasty things that our current President and Congress would not approve of. The characters will finally be getting naked in this chapter! Wahoo!
In other words; DANGER: SMUT ALERT!!!! If you feel that your immortal soul would be imperiled if you read graphic descriptions of teenagers having sex, then move along, this story isn't for you! The rest of you, enjoy!
FEEDBACK: Has anybody ever said no? But, please, if you have criticism, please be as specific as you can so I can address the situation in the story if needed.
AN INVITATION: You are cordially invited (as long as you are over 18 and include an age statement) to join my Yahoo Group, Phoenix_Betrayed, where I will be posting each chapter at least a day before I post to other groups and AFF.Net
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Phoenix_Betrayed/
The morning of the first of August dawned bright and clear; the sunlight streaming through the bedroom window woke Harry and Hermione, who stretched, looked at each other, and grinned as they remembered the previous evening.
"Let's get cleaned up; Neville will be here later this morning, and we still need to straighten up in here."
"Okay, Harry, just give me a minute; I'm still a little sore from last night. But, damn; that was fun! I don't think I would enjoy the Dom/sub stuff too often, but, having another girl definitely made the night even better."
"I have to agree; it was fun; and, if you want to bring another girl in once in a while, I'm good with that."
"How about two girls?" Hermione asked with a grin. "Because the Patil Sisters have expressed a definite interest in seeing what I'm always grinning about. And that was even before we went all the way!"
_______________
August 2nd, the Burrow
Harry woke up, hearing Neville moaning in his sleep, calling out for his parents. Understanding a little of what his friend was going through, Harry didn't hesitate, but used Legilimency to slip into Neville's dream.
________________________
Neville's Nightmare
Looking around, Harry found himself in what was once a comfortable home. It wasn't comfortable now, there were signs of spell damage and shattered furniture all over the room. The surroundings ceased to register when he saw Neville cowering as the Cruciatus Curse hit him over and over. He was screaming in pain, but, Harry was pleased to see, still trying to fight against it. Looking past Neville he could understand why. There were an older man and woman lying on the floor behind him; they could only be Frank and Alice Longbottom, the family resemblance was striking. Unfortunately, he could see from his vantage point that the Longbottoms were well past being helped, they were staring, glassy eyed and drooling at the ceiling, not even being aware of the sacrifice their son was making to protect them.
Seeing enough, Harry acted; "Hey Nev? You are aware that this is only a nightmare, aren't you? Bellatrix, that is who it is, right? Isn't here casting at you. She's sitting in a cell in Azkaban right now, probably next to the cell that Peter is rotting in."
Neville looked up, confusion on his face, as the spell faltered against him.
"Harry? What are you doing here?"
"I heard you cry out, and having experienced enough nightmares in my day, decided to help you out. The first thing you have to realize, Nev, is that you have the power here, reach out and take her wand! She can't stop you; she can't do anything you don't want her to do! Try it, you'll see!"
Realization flooded Neville's face, and he reached for Bellatrix's wand, and pulled it from her unresisting fingers. Snapping it in two, he tossed the pieces away, and pulled his own wand.
Grinning, he looks at Harry and says, "Thanks Harry, that's another thing I owe you for, now, do you want to hang around? I'm gonna make her hurt for what she did to me!"
"Nah, I need to get some more sleep, I'll talk to you in the morning."
As Harry faded away, he heard Neville casting a flame curse at her.
______________
The Next Morning
Neville was pensive as he sat down to breakfast. Harry looked over at him, asking: "How do you feel this morning Nev? Did it help any?"
"A little, but I really need to find out why she did it; what the hell did she hope to accomplish by torturing us? Her Master was gone, but they still broke into our house and did what they did!" Neville's voice was cracking as tears rolled down his face. Harry and Hermione both reached out to Neville and put their arms around him.
Hermione looked up at Harry over Neville's shaking shoulders and raised her eyebrows in a question. Harry leaned over and said, "Tell you later."
Turning his attention back to Neville, Harry rubbed his back and talked soothingly to him.
All the while, Harry was thinking. 'I think I need to help you get some answers, my friend! It's time you are blooded, and it will be a lot easier if it were somebody you already hate,' he mused, as he turned back to his breakfast.
__________________
A little later that afternoon, as Neville and Katie, Ron and Susan, and Ginny and Luna were swimming in the lake, Harry sat Hermione down in the shadow of a tree and Harry told her about Neville's nightmare, and how he helped him.
"Okay, but what are you planning to do about it?" At Harry's surprised look, she smirked.
"Oh, come on Harry! I know you too well, you are planning something! I'm willing to help, especially since Bellatrix is certainly not an innocent!"
Taking a deep breath, she continued; "Look, I know that your family isn't exactly what you portray to outsiders, but I've seen the way you act at school, and how you are here. It's like there's a mask you and Ron and the others wear at school, and it drops a little when you are here. I decided early in our first year that I was going to stand by you, no matter what, and I'm not going to change my mind."
Harry looked at her seriously, but was jubilant inside; 'This is working better than I expected, the darkness inside her was greater than I guessed.'
"I realize that you are very protective of those you consider family, like me and Neville, and even Luna, and you are willing to do what some people would consider horrible things to protect us."
She reached out and grabbed his hand, "I understand completely, because I feel the same way. I didn't have any friends before I got to Hogwarts, you and Neville were my first friends, and I'll do whatever I have to do to help and protect you!"
She chuckled, "I told Professor McGonagall before first year that I would try things Dr King's way at first, but I think it's time to follow Malcolm X's example. Nothing I've seen convinces me that society will be willing to change without it being forced."
Gripping her wand, she said, "Harry, I pledge on my magic, that as long as our goals are the same, I will support you in any and every way possible!"
The glow from the oath surrounded the two of them, and it was bright enough to draw the attention of the others out on the lake. As they looked up, Harry waved them off, and standing, he took Hermione's hand and led her back toward to the Burrow.
_________________
Lying on the wooden raft, Susan, Ron, Neville, and Katie watched the two of them leave, hand in hand. Susan turned to the others and asked; "So, what do you guys think, are they or aren't they?"
Katie and Neville didn't even get to open their mouths before Ron laughed, and said, "They definitely are! A couple of nights ago, I guess it was shortly after they came back from celebrating Harry's birthday; the two of them got really worked up, and I guess they forgot the silencing charms in Harry's room. I heard her begging Harry to bugger her again! From the sounds of it, he must have done a good job of it too!"
Susan looked at him, her eyes narrowed speculatively, and said; "Hey, that's something we haven't gotten to yet! Wait 'till I get you home!"
Ron grinned in anticipation as she reached down and squeezed his cock as she spoke.
Katie leaned forward and said, "You'll love it, Suze! Just make sure you are stretched out first, otherwise, it feels like a log up is being shoved up there, and, can I just say, 'Ouch!'?" She and Neville laughed, and Katie said; "But, it worked out okay; Hermione loaned me her book, and we got it all figured out for the next time."
"Book? What book?" Susan asked, interested.
"It's one of the ones that her mother sent her, it's called "The Joy of Sex" and it's got lots of good ideas. In fact;" she added, "I think I'll suggested Hermione loan it to Ginny and Luna, it looks like Helga's Gift hit them hard!"
The others looked back and saw Luna and Ginny kissing, and Ginny had one of her hands inside Luna's top.
Ron grinned, "Not surprising, they've been close since the cradle. I'll let my folks know, if they don't know about it already; so that can answer any questions."
With that, he jumped back into the water, splashing the others, who quickly joined in, and the fun started again.
_______________________
12 Grimmauld Place, A few days later
Harry leaned back on the couch, wiping tears of laughter from his eyes, as Remus and Sirius howled with laughter, describing a prank they had pulled on the Slytherins during their 2nd year.
Remus said, when he could breathe again; "Wait! Padfoot, tell him about the time Snivilus was found with a goat in his bed, and he was wearing McGonagall's knickers!"
Harry's jaw dropped, and Sirius smirked, but before he could speak, he was interrupted when Narcissa walked into the room, carrying a newspaper in her hands. "Sirius? I'm sorry to interrupt; but this is something I think you need to see."
Sirius took the paper, looked at the headline and shut his eyes, briefly, before wiping his hands across them, murmuring, "Goodbye Peter" as he set the paper down.
Remus and Harry both crowded around him, and could see the headline:
/Peter Pettigrew, Death Eater, Dies in Azkaban Prison!/
Harry sat quietly as Sirius and Remus wept for their lost brother. Although he was quiet, Harry's mind was racing since he had seen in the last line of the article that there would be a burial on the island the next afternoon. 'I need to be there; otherwise I won't have enough knowledge to make a proper portkey! And, this gives me the perfect opportunity. Now, how do I convince them? Ah! That will work!'
Looking up at Sirius, Harry said; "I know this will sound weird, but I think I need to go to the burial. I just need to see for myself that the monster who betrayed my parents is really dead. Will one of you go with me?"
Sirius paled, and shook his head, "I'm sorry Harry, but I can't. I'm never going back to that place, even for a brief visit! I still have nightmares about my time there!"
Harry nodded in understanding; 'Well, he reacted the way I expected. Now, if Remus doesn't let me down....'
The werewolf looked at Harry sadly; "I'll be honest, Harry, I'd prefer never to have to set foot on that island again; but, you are right. I think you need to see Peter with your own eyes, and, as long as Arthur says its okay, I'll take you to the island."
'Nice to know I can predict their reactions', Harry thought, 'that will come in handy if we are ever at odds.'
___________________
From the Diary of Narcissa Black
The Daily Prophet announced Pettigrew's death today; and I was the one to bring Sirius and Remus the news. They reacted about the way I expected, but young Harry's reaction was interesting. For a Gryffindor, he is definitely displaying Slytherin tendencies. He said the proper things, and even sounded sincere, but if you looked at his eyes, he was obviously thinking. It's amusing, in a way, to see how blind Sirius and Remus are; they are so grateful to Harry for getting Sirius out of prison, that they accept his explanations and excuses at face value, when looking at it from a distance, it's obvious that he is scheming.
The thing that concerns me; will his scheming hurt the Family? I need more information; and, although I'm loathe to do it; a few drops in his Butterbeer will make him open up to me before he knows what he is doing. If he plans harm to the Family, intentionally or otherwise, I'll act. But, if they aren't harmful to us; I would be willing to help him out. And, while I'm the first to admit, I don't have enough information to know what he is after, just yet, I still think it would be useful to befriend the young man. I think he could use an introduction to Machiavelli, but I would need additional time with him to help him understand the lessons he taught.
Of course, this is assuming that I can support him in his schemes.
I'll talk to Harry tomorrow after he gets back from the prison.
N.B.
________________________
The Next Afternoon
Harry was quiet on the boat ride back, as was Remus, each lost in their own thoughts, Remus remembering his friend, who had gone so badly wrong; and Harry, going over all the details of the island in his mind, making sure he had them memorized.
When they arrived at 12 Grimmauld, Remus walked off to find Sirius; while Narcissa invited Harry to sit and have a glass of Butterbeer. Harry was curious, because he had never really had any contact with Narcissa, but he was thirsty and Butterbeer always went down well. He took a drink and watched as Narcissa moved gracefully around the room toward her own seat. The curiosity turned to concern and alertness when he noticed her silently casting spells on the sitting room door. He was reaching for his wand, when she sat down and smiled; "Relax Harry, I'm not going to harm you; I just wanted to have a private chat with you. I told Sirius that you could use someone to teach you how to get along in 'Polite' Society; and, honestly, it's not something that you would get at home. I'm sure that Molly and Arthur are very nice people and good parents, but they don't have the background to teach you the nuances of social interaction. The other Weasleys won't need the education, but, you, as the famous "Boy Who Lived", will be expected to maneuver your way through many situations, not just ones where you can claim molestation and have an angry mob do your work for you."
Harry blinked, and then surprised himself by chuckling, "Caught that did you? Congratulations, you are more observant than 98 percent of the people I know, including Albus Dumbledore. Of course, you were Slytherin; you know the value in observation better than most. So, the question is, what do you want? Obviously you think you know more than you saw, and honestly, I'm too tired to play polite games with you. So, let's get down to cases; and we can go from there, okay?"
"Fair enough, but these 'polite games' as you call it, will be very useful in a few years. I don't know exactly what you're after, but if it's any sort of power, being able to work among the Purebloods will be imperative. I can teach you how to speak to them, get their support, and more importantly, their protection behind you. I'm assuming you are smart enough to learn from the mistakes Voldemort made the last time, correct?"
Harry smiled, "Not that I'm agreeing or disagreeing with anything you have said, I'm impressed that you can call Voldemort by name, not many can. But, just for grins and giggles, why don't you tell me what mistakes Tom made the last time, in your opinion anyway." With that, he sat back and took another sip of his drink.
"Well, the big mistake he made, he announced himself with that silly Dark Mark over his victims' homes, and actually, the whole Mass-Murder thing really isn't a bright idea. The Reign of Terror has never been successful, either in our world, or in the Muggle one. Also, he bought into the Pureblood Supremacy line and ignored a lot of things that the Muggle world can offer. Any witch or wizard who desires power, whether in public or behind the scenes, needs to make sure he or she doesn't ignore anybody; you never can tell where a useful idea may come from."
"I can agree with that;" Harry said. "One of the smartest Witches I know is my girlfriend, and she is Muggleborn."
Narcissa nodded, "Sirius told me that she was instrumental in helping you free him. So I owe you my thanks, since your freeing Sirius granted me my own freedom. Now, I just have one last question to ask you, it's obvious that you have long term plans; what are they?"
"Simply put; to turn the Wizarding World upside down and inside out! The Pureblood Supremacy idiocy has got to be stopped. I also intend to destroy Voldemort before he has a chance to come back. And in a few years, get my girlfriend elected Minister of Magic. Oh, and, just to keep myself busy; I plan to prevent any future Dark Lords or Ladies from making a nuisance of themselves." He paused; as what he had been saying filtered into his mind; a shocked look crossed his face, as if he couldn't believe what he had just said.
"What the Hell did you feed me? There is no way in the world that I would have told you anything like I have been!"
"There are lots of potions to lower resistance and compel truthful answers, and I was a top student in Professor Slughorns Potions Class, second only to Severus himself. I do apologize for feeding it to you, but time is limited, and I needed to be sure that you were not planning to harm the Black Family. It was also important that we come to an understanding. I swear on my magic that I will not use such a potion on you again without your permission. I also swear that I will not use; or permit to be used by another, the information you have provided me, without your express permission." Her wand glowed and Harry nodded.
"I am not happy about this, Narcissa, but I can understand your reasoning. I appreciate the desire to protect your family; I would do anything for mine. Understand this though, if you ever cross me again, you'll find that there are curses that aren't unforgivable that can cause you just as much pain. Do we understand each other?" He glowered at her, waiting her response. She gulped and nodded, and Harry smiled at her, "Alright then, getting back to your original reason for talking with me, I agree that knowing the ins and outs of the so-called "Polite Society" would be an invaluable asset. I'm willing to meet with you on a weekly basis for your offered tutoring. I'm sure that Sirius can get you authorized to visit the school on a Sunday afternoon; if not, well, there are ways around that. By the way, I will be bringing my girlfriend along; this is not up for negotiation. The plans I've got require her to be able to swim with the pureblood sharks and thrive just as much as me."
"Sensible. Now, before you go back home, I have something you need to read. The author was a muggle who lived several centuries ago, and it is the best guide for scheming and holding loyalty that has ever been written."
Reaching into a pocket of her robes, she pulled out a copy of "The Prince" by Machiavelli and handed it to him. Harry glanced at it before putting it away.
"Well, I think we have spent enough time on a first session, I'm going to remove the charms before your godfather or Remus gets suspicious."
____________________
From the Diary of Narcissa Black
I had a most enlightening conversation with Harry this afternoon. The young man has definitely got plans for the future. I'm very pleased his plans are not damaging to the Family. I've offered, and he agreed, to weekly meetings so I can teach him about the nuances of pureblood society. I just need to make arrangements with Sirius to get access to Hogwarts on a weekly basis. Now, what sort of reason can I give Sirius? I can tell Arthur the truth, he hides it well, but he's as devious as any Slytherin I've ever met. But Sirius and Remus are too open and trusting, just like the old fool of a Headmaster.
But that's enough time wasted on things that can't be changed. I need to concentrate on a story to supply Sirius if I am going to aid young Harry. It's times like this that I'm glad the magical oath I had to swear was so limited. I have no problem renunciating Lucius' nonsense, but it doesn't stop me from having ambitions. Hmmm; an idea; Sirius wanted me to run his household. That knowledge; as well as knowing how to move in Pureblood Society are very important skills for any young wizard. There is no way Sirius could object to my taking his godson under my wing.
___________________________
The Burrow, Later that Evening; Arthur's Workshop
"Alright Harry; I think it's time we talked about your plans. There was no real reason for you to go to Azkaban today, and it's obvious to me that you have a reason for going there but one that you didn't tell Sirius or Remus. So, what is it? You know that the family will support you, but if your plans will bring unwanted attention to us, we need to be able to protect ourselves."
"You're right; I did have a reason for going to Azkaban. I need your help in forming a portkey that will take me there, and let me bring someone back with me."
"Okay, that is an answer that doesn't tell me anything. I'm not the old fool at Hogwarts; and I'm not really in the mood for playing games right now. Just tell me what you are doing, and what you need."
"You spoil my fun!" Harry mock pouted, "I was just practicing something that was in the book that Narcissa gave me."
"And why would Narcissa give you a book?" Arthur asked.
"Well, she noticed something yesterday, and we had a nice long talk today. It was a pleasure to converse with an actual Slytherin for a change, and not one of the Hufflepuffs in a bad mood that seem to fill the house currently. Anyway, she offered to help me, and even swore a magical oath to me. So, I'll be spending a few hours a week with her, 'officially' so she can tutor me in polite manners. Unofficially, she will be working with Hermione and I on who's who in Wizarding Society, and what leverage can be gained on them.
"Didn't we discuss maintaining your cover just a few weeks ago, Harry? I'd hate to think that you had forgotten already." The tone of quiet menace was unmistakable, and Harry quickly continued.
"No, I haven't forgotten, but she slipped some sort of subtle potion into the Butterbeer I drank, and before I realized it, she had cast silencing charms on the walls and door, and started laying out what she had noticed. All I did was confirm some of her observations. But she wasn't even aware of some of my more, shall we say, unpleasant doings; just the harmless stuff like what happened to Lockhart. I also had to give her a general idea of my goals; she forced the issue because she was concerned that whatever I was going to do, that it not harm the Black Family. I did not discuss anything about our Family, so our secrets are safe. It was after she determined that I was not going to cause any grief to the Black name, she swore her oath and volunteered to help me."
"Damn it! I knew we should have taught you those detection charms, especially since that's the same way you got Snape in your first year! I can't change the past, but from now on; I want you to be on your guard when anybody outside our family gives you something to eat or drink! I'll teach you the charms you need to know, and I never want to hear of you falling victim to something that simplistic again. Do you understand? Good! Now, tell me what you are planning." It wasn't a request.
"I'm planning to take Bellatrix LeStrange from Azkaban, and keep her prisoner. This is the catalyst to bring Neville completely to my side. He is almost all the way there, but something like this will ensure his loyalty; and that is only a small part of my over all plan. My plans are fairly simple, but also, very long term; I'm thinking at least 15 years before they are completed. I'm going to build a network of students who are fanatically loyal to me, in all years and all houses, and after graduation, will maneuver them into positions of influence, both in the Ministry and Wizengamot; as well as in Gringotts and the Daily Prophet and Quibbler, plus various other positions. When the time comes, they will be slowly moved into the top positions, most probably over a 2 year period. Well, except for Gringotts, the Goblins wouldn't accept a non-goblin in charge, and it's a fight not really worth the trouble."
"Agreed; and when you start putting your people together, let me know. There are several people who I can introduce you to through the club, not just purebloods; there are those in the muggle government who are aware of the Magical World, and they can be useful to you as well. Now, what about after you have this control? What then?" Arthur prodded.
"Then, I'm going to break the back of the pureblood bigots, and dedicate my life to preventing another Voldemort or Grindenwald from arising. I'll admit it, I'm interested in achieving power, but as I told Hermione, power is a means to achieving a goal, not a goal in itself. The goal is nothing less than the restructuring of Wizarding Society."
"You are ambitious, I'll give you that. But, what about the family? Where do we fit in?"
"You and Molly will be given places of honor among my advisers, and I'm planning on having Ron standing at my right hand, with Neville at my left. By this time, Susan will be ready to take over the DMLE; I'm planning on getting Amelia to retire in Susan's favor. This will bring the Aurors, and more importantly, the Unspeakables, under my control."
"And where is Hermione in all this? I seriously doubt she would be content to do what Molly does, would she?"
"Hell no!" Harry laughed, "Hermione will be right beside me, that is when she isn't in her office as Minister of Magic."
"And the Malfoys? Lucius and Draco certainly won't be willing to go along with whatever you have in mind."
"Well, I'll admit I'm not too worried about either of them. You see, Lucius and Draco will both be very busy being dead by this point. Lucius will die the night that I take Bella, and, as for Draco, well, it's unfortunate, but I seriously doubt that he will see the upcoming spring season. He has crossed us too many times, and honestly, he's too stupid to learn from his mistakes. I expect him to push Hermione too far, and that will be the end of him.
At Arthur's raised eyebrow, Harry said; "You know it's inevitable that she take a life, and, if the first one is a piece of bigoted slime like Malfoy, the step will be easier to take."
"I realize that Hermione will need to be able to kill, but I'm curious as to the fact that you seem to be planning on a potentially dangerous confrontation between her and Malfoy..."
"Not necessarily planning on it, but the little wanker has been an annoyance since first year, and I expect him to try something. The only planning I'm doing; is making sure that I'm prepared when the time comes. And that Hermione is the one to walk away."
"And how do you think that Hermione will react to her first kill?" Arthur asked, then smirked, "If it's anything like the way Molly did, you better have some Stamina Potion available, she really tried to wear me out!"
"Ugh! I didn't need to know that, thanks!" Harry grimaced, "And, I don't see her having any problem with killing the little turd. It's been a subtle process, but I've been encouraging the darkness inside her since early on in our first year. She definitely isn't the goody two shoes she was then. She started to change when she went along with my killing Snape, and her morals are definitely changing. Could you see a "Light" girl begging her boyfriend to bugger her, just so he did everything with her first? And at 14 yet? You can't, can you? Hermione is extremely intelligent, and doesn't care what anybody else may think, except for me. I've been using some of the spells from the book you gave me for my birthday before first year."
"And, now who is giving out too much information?" Arthur grinned. "Okay, I can see you've planned this out. Tomorrow, we can go get the supplies you'll need for your Azkaban expedition when I get home from work."
___________________
Goyle Manor
August 25, 199-/ /
I really think that the puppet is outliving his usefulness. It's becoming more trouble than it's worth to keep him from getting killed, or at least, thrown into Azkaban. I was summoned to his home this afternoon, and had to watch as he amused himself by casting curses at his only House-elf, Dobby I think he said its name was. Then we went to Diagon Alley to purchase our school supplies. Of course, I had to listen to his whines about how he didn't have the money to buy the things he really deserved, since Potter and Granger had caused him so much trouble. He is getting dangerously unstable on the subject of the two of them, and it's only a matter of time before one of them kills him.
The only problem with that happening is what the hell would I do with Crabbe? He is too stupid to blow his nose without directions, but he could still be useful, just have to figure something out. Anyway, we were getting ready to head down Knockturn Alley, to pick up a few things that aren't readily available in the rest of the Alley, and he saw Potter, Granger and the rest of their group. If I wasn't so busy keeping the puppet out of trouble, I would have been amused at the way the Weasley girl and Lovegood couldn't keep their hands off each other. Gotta love Helga's gift!
I happened to turn back to the puppet in time to see him pulling his wand and start to curse them, which would have done nothing but cause problems, so I had a clumsy moment, and knocked his wand down so the spell went into the dirt. The Potter group didn't even realize what had happened.
One thing has definitely changed between Potter and Granger; it was obvious that they were a lot closer than they had been before the school term ended. I guess I'll have to point Parkinson toward Granger instead of toward Potter. The same result will be reached, but Potter would probably react better to finding two girls in bed than Granger would at finding Potter in bed with Parkinson.
You know, talking about this stuff is giving me an itch to scratch, I think a trip back to Knockturn wouldn't be out of order.
More Later
G.G.
___________________________
August 30th; Azkaban Prison
Bellatrix LeStrange was shivering in her cell, the filthy rags just barely covering her, once beautiful body. The Dementors were constantly at her, gnawing at her tenuous grip on sanity. She had no idea how long she had been there, time didn't matter when everything was pain. She sometimes heard a voice that wasn't hers screaming in the night, and it sounded vaguely familiar, but then the Dementors came back, and it went away.
She looked up when the sound of walking feet stopped outside her cell. It took a second for what she was seeing to fight its way through the clouds in her mind. "You're dead!" she gasped, her eyes opening wide. James Potter was standing there, and she had seen him die!
"Am I? It's possible, but, you will be too, if you stay here much longer. Now, get ready, I'll be distracting the Dementors, but you need to move!"
"Rodolphus?"
"Your Husband will be meeting you later, he has separate mission"
As the figure walked away, she pulled herself to her feet, and looked around, seeing if anything survived her time there. She raised her head as she hear a man's voice cry out, and suddenly stop; before the fog lifted and she blinked, wondering where she was, and what had happened.
She was lost in thought, and didn't even hear the second scream, but did hear the footsteps coming back to her door. The cell was thrown open, and she heard the man gasp; "What the hell?"
________________
/Daily Prophet: September 1st Edition/
Death and Escape on //Azkaban/ //Island//! Bellatrix LeStrange Escapes, Her Husband Rodolphus LeStrange, and Lucius Malfoy Dead in their cells. Aurors searching the countryside! Dementors Tracking Death Eaters Aura!/
Continued in Chapter 7 - Third Year
By Red Jacobson
Chapter 6: Summer of Changes
DISCLAIMER: None of the Characters you recognize belong to me. They are all property of J.K. Rowling and Scholastic Books, I don't own them, if I did, and I would certainly be making a lot more money than I am right now. So please don't sue me; I'm poor. sigh
DEDICATION: This story is dedicated to Chaz (Old Wolf) Hager and Jason W. Thompson, for extreme story assistance. Thanks guys, this story wouldn't work as well as it does (if it even works, which I'll leave to my gentle readers GRIN) without your help.
AUTHORS NOTE: The title of this story is courtesy of Bad Voodoo X, but the content is strictly my responsibility. This story is un-beta'd, and it quite possibly will not end up in the Library of Congress as one of the Great Works of American Literature, but, so what? I write for fun.
ADDITIONAL AUTHORS NOTE: I'd like to thank my reviewers on Adult Fan Fiction.Net, who have provided me with a lot of thought provoking insight into this story; and, I just wish I had the story space to touch on all the ideas you've brought forth. Heh, if I did, the story would be GoF length, and I'm not feeling that ambitious yet! Although, I may do an expanded version of the story later, sort of a Directors Cut, as it were. GRIN
AUTHORS WARNING: I write stories intended for an adult audience, which means that the characters will be taking their clothes off and doing nasty things that our current President and Congress would not approve of. The characters will finally be getting naked in this chapter! Wahoo!
In other words; DANGER: SMUT ALERT!!!! If you feel that your immortal soul would be imperiled if you read graphic descriptions of teenagers having sex, then move along, this story isn't for you! The rest of you, enjoy!
FEEDBACK: Has anybody ever said no? But, please, if you have criticism, please be as specific as you can so I can address the situation in the story if needed.
AN INVITATION: You are cordially invited (as long as you are over 18 and include an age statement) to join my Yahoo Group, Phoenix_Betrayed, where I will be posting each chapter at least a day before I post to other groups and AFF.Net
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Phoenix_Betrayed/
The morning of the first of August dawned bright and clear; the sunlight streaming through the bedroom window woke Harry and Hermione, who stretched, looked at each other, and grinned as they remembered the previous evening.
"Let's get cleaned up; Neville will be here later this morning, and we still need to straighten up in here."
"Okay, Harry, just give me a minute; I'm still a little sore from last night. But, damn; that was fun! I don't think I would enjoy the Dom/sub stuff too often, but, having another girl definitely made the night even better."
"I have to agree; it was fun; and, if you want to bring another girl in once in a while, I'm good with that."
"How about two girls?" Hermione asked with a grin. "Because the Patil Sisters have expressed a definite interest in seeing what I'm always grinning about. And that was even before we went all the way!"
_______________
August 2nd, the Burrow
Harry woke up, hearing Neville moaning in his sleep, calling out for his parents. Understanding a little of what his friend was going through, Harry didn't hesitate, but used Legilimency to slip into Neville's dream.
________________________
Neville's Nightmare
Looking around, Harry found himself in what was once a comfortable home. It wasn't comfortable now, there were signs of spell damage and shattered furniture all over the room. The surroundings ceased to register when he saw Neville cowering as the Cruciatus Curse hit him over and over. He was screaming in pain, but, Harry was pleased to see, still trying to fight against it. Looking past Neville he could understand why. There were an older man and woman lying on the floor behind him; they could only be Frank and Alice Longbottom, the family resemblance was striking. Unfortunately, he could see from his vantage point that the Longbottoms were well past being helped, they were staring, glassy eyed and drooling at the ceiling, not even being aware of the sacrifice their son was making to protect them.
Seeing enough, Harry acted; "Hey Nev? You are aware that this is only a nightmare, aren't you? Bellatrix, that is who it is, right? Isn't here casting at you. She's sitting in a cell in Azkaban right now, probably next to the cell that Peter is rotting in."
Neville looked up, confusion on his face, as the spell faltered against him.
"Harry? What are you doing here?"
"I heard you cry out, and having experienced enough nightmares in my day, decided to help you out. The first thing you have to realize, Nev, is that you have the power here, reach out and take her wand! She can't stop you; she can't do anything you don't want her to do! Try it, you'll see!"
Realization flooded Neville's face, and he reached for Bellatrix's wand, and pulled it from her unresisting fingers. Snapping it in two, he tossed the pieces away, and pulled his own wand.
Grinning, he looks at Harry and says, "Thanks Harry, that's another thing I owe you for, now, do you want to hang around? I'm gonna make her hurt for what she did to me!"
"Nah, I need to get some more sleep, I'll talk to you in the morning."
As Harry faded away, he heard Neville casting a flame curse at her.
______________
The Next Morning
Neville was pensive as he sat down to breakfast. Harry looked over at him, asking: "How do you feel this morning Nev? Did it help any?"
"A little, but I really need to find out why she did it; what the hell did she hope to accomplish by torturing us? Her Master was gone, but they still broke into our house and did what they did!" Neville's voice was cracking as tears rolled down his face. Harry and Hermione both reached out to Neville and put their arms around him.
Hermione looked up at Harry over Neville's shaking shoulders and raised her eyebrows in a question. Harry leaned over and said, "Tell you later."
Turning his attention back to Neville, Harry rubbed his back and talked soothingly to him.
All the while, Harry was thinking. 'I think I need to help you get some answers, my friend! It's time you are blooded, and it will be a lot easier if it were somebody you already hate,' he mused, as he turned back to his breakfast.
__________________
A little later that afternoon, as Neville and Katie, Ron and Susan, and Ginny and Luna were swimming in the lake, Harry sat Hermione down in the shadow of a tree and Harry told her about Neville's nightmare, and how he helped him.
"Okay, but what are you planning to do about it?" At Harry's surprised look, she smirked.
"Oh, come on Harry! I know you too well, you are planning something! I'm willing to help, especially since Bellatrix is certainly not an innocent!"
Taking a deep breath, she continued; "Look, I know that your family isn't exactly what you portray to outsiders, but I've seen the way you act at school, and how you are here. It's like there's a mask you and Ron and the others wear at school, and it drops a little when you are here. I decided early in our first year that I was going to stand by you, no matter what, and I'm not going to change my mind."
Harry looked at her seriously, but was jubilant inside; 'This is working better than I expected, the darkness inside her was greater than I guessed.'
"I realize that you are very protective of those you consider family, like me and Neville, and even Luna, and you are willing to do what some people would consider horrible things to protect us."
She reached out and grabbed his hand, "I understand completely, because I feel the same way. I didn't have any friends before I got to Hogwarts, you and Neville were my first friends, and I'll do whatever I have to do to help and protect you!"
She chuckled, "I told Professor McGonagall before first year that I would try things Dr King's way at first, but I think it's time to follow Malcolm X's example. Nothing I've seen convinces me that society will be willing to change without it being forced."
Gripping her wand, she said, "Harry, I pledge on my magic, that as long as our goals are the same, I will support you in any and every way possible!"
The glow from the oath surrounded the two of them, and it was bright enough to draw the attention of the others out on the lake. As they looked up, Harry waved them off, and standing, he took Hermione's hand and led her back toward to the Burrow.
_________________
Lying on the wooden raft, Susan, Ron, Neville, and Katie watched the two of them leave, hand in hand. Susan turned to the others and asked; "So, what do you guys think, are they or aren't they?"
Katie and Neville didn't even get to open their mouths before Ron laughed, and said, "They definitely are! A couple of nights ago, I guess it was shortly after they came back from celebrating Harry's birthday; the two of them got really worked up, and I guess they forgot the silencing charms in Harry's room. I heard her begging Harry to bugger her again! From the sounds of it, he must have done a good job of it too!"
Susan looked at him, her eyes narrowed speculatively, and said; "Hey, that's something we haven't gotten to yet! Wait 'till I get you home!"
Ron grinned in anticipation as she reached down and squeezed his cock as she spoke.
Katie leaned forward and said, "You'll love it, Suze! Just make sure you are stretched out first, otherwise, it feels like a log up is being shoved up there, and, can I just say, 'Ouch!'?" She and Neville laughed, and Katie said; "But, it worked out okay; Hermione loaned me her book, and we got it all figured out for the next time."
"Book? What book?" Susan asked, interested.
"It's one of the ones that her mother sent her, it's called "The Joy of Sex" and it's got lots of good ideas. In fact;" she added, "I think I'll suggested Hermione loan it to Ginny and Luna, it looks like Helga's Gift hit them hard!"
The others looked back and saw Luna and Ginny kissing, and Ginny had one of her hands inside Luna's top.
Ron grinned, "Not surprising, they've been close since the cradle. I'll let my folks know, if they don't know about it already; so that can answer any questions."
With that, he jumped back into the water, splashing the others, who quickly joined in, and the fun started again.
_______________________
12 Grimmauld Place, A few days later
Harry leaned back on the couch, wiping tears of laughter from his eyes, as Remus and Sirius howled with laughter, describing a prank they had pulled on the Slytherins during their 2nd year.
Remus said, when he could breathe again; "Wait! Padfoot, tell him about the time Snivilus was found with a goat in his bed, and he was wearing McGonagall's knickers!"
Harry's jaw dropped, and Sirius smirked, but before he could speak, he was interrupted when Narcissa walked into the room, carrying a newspaper in her hands. "Sirius? I'm sorry to interrupt; but this is something I think you need to see."
Sirius took the paper, looked at the headline and shut his eyes, briefly, before wiping his hands across them, murmuring, "Goodbye Peter" as he set the paper down.
Remus and Harry both crowded around him, and could see the headline:
/Peter Pettigrew, Death Eater, Dies in Azkaban Prison!/
Harry sat quietly as Sirius and Remus wept for their lost brother. Although he was quiet, Harry's mind was racing since he had seen in the last line of the article that there would be a burial on the island the next afternoon. 'I need to be there; otherwise I won't have enough knowledge to make a proper portkey! And, this gives me the perfect opportunity. Now, how do I convince them? Ah! That will work!'
Looking up at Sirius, Harry said; "I know this will sound weird, but I think I need to go to the burial. I just need to see for myself that the monster who betrayed my parents is really dead. Will one of you go with me?"
Sirius paled, and shook his head, "I'm sorry Harry, but I can't. I'm never going back to that place, even for a brief visit! I still have nightmares about my time there!"
Harry nodded in understanding; 'Well, he reacted the way I expected. Now, if Remus doesn't let me down....'
The werewolf looked at Harry sadly; "I'll be honest, Harry, I'd prefer never to have to set foot on that island again; but, you are right. I think you need to see Peter with your own eyes, and, as long as Arthur says its okay, I'll take you to the island."
'Nice to know I can predict their reactions', Harry thought, 'that will come in handy if we are ever at odds.'
___________________
From the Diary of Narcissa Black
The Daily Prophet announced Pettigrew's death today; and I was the one to bring Sirius and Remus the news. They reacted about the way I expected, but young Harry's reaction was interesting. For a Gryffindor, he is definitely displaying Slytherin tendencies. He said the proper things, and even sounded sincere, but if you looked at his eyes, he was obviously thinking. It's amusing, in a way, to see how blind Sirius and Remus are; they are so grateful to Harry for getting Sirius out of prison, that they accept his explanations and excuses at face value, when looking at it from a distance, it's obvious that he is scheming.
The thing that concerns me; will his scheming hurt the Family? I need more information; and, although I'm loathe to do it; a few drops in his Butterbeer will make him open up to me before he knows what he is doing. If he plans harm to the Family, intentionally or otherwise, I'll act. But, if they aren't harmful to us; I would be willing to help him out. And, while I'm the first to admit, I don't have enough information to know what he is after, just yet, I still think it would be useful to befriend the young man. I think he could use an introduction to Machiavelli, but I would need additional time with him to help him understand the lessons he taught.
Of course, this is assuming that I can support him in his schemes.
I'll talk to Harry tomorrow after he gets back from the prison.
N.B.
________________________
The Next Afternoon
Harry was quiet on the boat ride back, as was Remus, each lost in their own thoughts, Remus remembering his friend, who had gone so badly wrong; and Harry, going over all the details of the island in his mind, making sure he had them memorized.
When they arrived at 12 Grimmauld, Remus walked off to find Sirius; while Narcissa invited Harry to sit and have a glass of Butterbeer. Harry was curious, because he had never really had any contact with Narcissa, but he was thirsty and Butterbeer always went down well. He took a drink and watched as Narcissa moved gracefully around the room toward her own seat. The curiosity turned to concern and alertness when he noticed her silently casting spells on the sitting room door. He was reaching for his wand, when she sat down and smiled; "Relax Harry, I'm not going to harm you; I just wanted to have a private chat with you. I told Sirius that you could use someone to teach you how to get along in 'Polite' Society; and, honestly, it's not something that you would get at home. I'm sure that Molly and Arthur are very nice people and good parents, but they don't have the background to teach you the nuances of social interaction. The other Weasleys won't need the education, but, you, as the famous "Boy Who Lived", will be expected to maneuver your way through many situations, not just ones where you can claim molestation and have an angry mob do your work for you."
Harry blinked, and then surprised himself by chuckling, "Caught that did you? Congratulations, you are more observant than 98 percent of the people I know, including Albus Dumbledore. Of course, you were Slytherin; you know the value in observation better than most. So, the question is, what do you want? Obviously you think you know more than you saw, and honestly, I'm too tired to play polite games with you. So, let's get down to cases; and we can go from there, okay?"
"Fair enough, but these 'polite games' as you call it, will be very useful in a few years. I don't know exactly what you're after, but if it's any sort of power, being able to work among the Purebloods will be imperative. I can teach you how to speak to them, get their support, and more importantly, their protection behind you. I'm assuming you are smart enough to learn from the mistakes Voldemort made the last time, correct?"
Harry smiled, "Not that I'm agreeing or disagreeing with anything you have said, I'm impressed that you can call Voldemort by name, not many can. But, just for grins and giggles, why don't you tell me what mistakes Tom made the last time, in your opinion anyway." With that, he sat back and took another sip of his drink.
"Well, the big mistake he made, he announced himself with that silly Dark Mark over his victims' homes, and actually, the whole Mass-Murder thing really isn't a bright idea. The Reign of Terror has never been successful, either in our world, or in the Muggle one. Also, he bought into the Pureblood Supremacy line and ignored a lot of things that the Muggle world can offer. Any witch or wizard who desires power, whether in public or behind the scenes, needs to make sure he or she doesn't ignore anybody; you never can tell where a useful idea may come from."
"I can agree with that;" Harry said. "One of the smartest Witches I know is my girlfriend, and she is Muggleborn."
Narcissa nodded, "Sirius told me that she was instrumental in helping you free him. So I owe you my thanks, since your freeing Sirius granted me my own freedom. Now, I just have one last question to ask you, it's obvious that you have long term plans; what are they?"
"Simply put; to turn the Wizarding World upside down and inside out! The Pureblood Supremacy idiocy has got to be stopped. I also intend to destroy Voldemort before he has a chance to come back. And in a few years, get my girlfriend elected Minister of Magic. Oh, and, just to keep myself busy; I plan to prevent any future Dark Lords or Ladies from making a nuisance of themselves." He paused; as what he had been saying filtered into his mind; a shocked look crossed his face, as if he couldn't believe what he had just said.
"What the Hell did you feed me? There is no way in the world that I would have told you anything like I have been!"
"There are lots of potions to lower resistance and compel truthful answers, and I was a top student in Professor Slughorns Potions Class, second only to Severus himself. I do apologize for feeding it to you, but time is limited, and I needed to be sure that you were not planning to harm the Black Family. It was also important that we come to an understanding. I swear on my magic that I will not use such a potion on you again without your permission. I also swear that I will not use; or permit to be used by another, the information you have provided me, without your express permission." Her wand glowed and Harry nodded.
"I am not happy about this, Narcissa, but I can understand your reasoning. I appreciate the desire to protect your family; I would do anything for mine. Understand this though, if you ever cross me again, you'll find that there are curses that aren't unforgivable that can cause you just as much pain. Do we understand each other?" He glowered at her, waiting her response. She gulped and nodded, and Harry smiled at her, "Alright then, getting back to your original reason for talking with me, I agree that knowing the ins and outs of the so-called "Polite Society" would be an invaluable asset. I'm willing to meet with you on a weekly basis for your offered tutoring. I'm sure that Sirius can get you authorized to visit the school on a Sunday afternoon; if not, well, there are ways around that. By the way, I will be bringing my girlfriend along; this is not up for negotiation. The plans I've got require her to be able to swim with the pureblood sharks and thrive just as much as me."
"Sensible. Now, before you go back home, I have something you need to read. The author was a muggle who lived several centuries ago, and it is the best guide for scheming and holding loyalty that has ever been written."
Reaching into a pocket of her robes, she pulled out a copy of "The Prince" by Machiavelli and handed it to him. Harry glanced at it before putting it away.
"Well, I think we have spent enough time on a first session, I'm going to remove the charms before your godfather or Remus gets suspicious."
____________________
From the Diary of Narcissa Black
I had a most enlightening conversation with Harry this afternoon. The young man has definitely got plans for the future. I'm very pleased his plans are not damaging to the Family. I've offered, and he agreed, to weekly meetings so I can teach him about the nuances of pureblood society. I just need to make arrangements with Sirius to get access to Hogwarts on a weekly basis. Now, what sort of reason can I give Sirius? I can tell Arthur the truth, he hides it well, but he's as devious as any Slytherin I've ever met. But Sirius and Remus are too open and trusting, just like the old fool of a Headmaster.
But that's enough time wasted on things that can't be changed. I need to concentrate on a story to supply Sirius if I am going to aid young Harry. It's times like this that I'm glad the magical oath I had to swear was so limited. I have no problem renunciating Lucius' nonsense, but it doesn't stop me from having ambitions. Hmmm; an idea; Sirius wanted me to run his household. That knowledge; as well as knowing how to move in Pureblood Society are very important skills for any young wizard. There is no way Sirius could object to my taking his godson under my wing.
___________________________
The Burrow, Later that Evening; Arthur's Workshop
"Alright Harry; I think it's time we talked about your plans. There was no real reason for you to go to Azkaban today, and it's obvious to me that you have a reason for going there but one that you didn't tell Sirius or Remus. So, what is it? You know that the family will support you, but if your plans will bring unwanted attention to us, we need to be able to protect ourselves."
"You're right; I did have a reason for going to Azkaban. I need your help in forming a portkey that will take me there, and let me bring someone back with me."
"Okay, that is an answer that doesn't tell me anything. I'm not the old fool at Hogwarts; and I'm not really in the mood for playing games right now. Just tell me what you are doing, and what you need."
"You spoil my fun!" Harry mock pouted, "I was just practicing something that was in the book that Narcissa gave me."
"And why would Narcissa give you a book?" Arthur asked.
"Well, she noticed something yesterday, and we had a nice long talk today. It was a pleasure to converse with an actual Slytherin for a change, and not one of the Hufflepuffs in a bad mood that seem to fill the house currently. Anyway, she offered to help me, and even swore a magical oath to me. So, I'll be spending a few hours a week with her, 'officially' so she can tutor me in polite manners. Unofficially, she will be working with Hermione and I on who's who in Wizarding Society, and what leverage can be gained on them.
"Didn't we discuss maintaining your cover just a few weeks ago, Harry? I'd hate to think that you had forgotten already." The tone of quiet menace was unmistakable, and Harry quickly continued.
"No, I haven't forgotten, but she slipped some sort of subtle potion into the Butterbeer I drank, and before I realized it, she had cast silencing charms on the walls and door, and started laying out what she had noticed. All I did was confirm some of her observations. But she wasn't even aware of some of my more, shall we say, unpleasant doings; just the harmless stuff like what happened to Lockhart. I also had to give her a general idea of my goals; she forced the issue because she was concerned that whatever I was going to do, that it not harm the Black Family. I did not discuss anything about our Family, so our secrets are safe. It was after she determined that I was not going to cause any grief to the Black name, she swore her oath and volunteered to help me."
"Damn it! I knew we should have taught you those detection charms, especially since that's the same way you got Snape in your first year! I can't change the past, but from now on; I want you to be on your guard when anybody outside our family gives you something to eat or drink! I'll teach you the charms you need to know, and I never want to hear of you falling victim to something that simplistic again. Do you understand? Good! Now, tell me what you are planning." It wasn't a request.
"I'm planning to take Bellatrix LeStrange from Azkaban, and keep her prisoner. This is the catalyst to bring Neville completely to my side. He is almost all the way there, but something like this will ensure his loyalty; and that is only a small part of my over all plan. My plans are fairly simple, but also, very long term; I'm thinking at least 15 years before they are completed. I'm going to build a network of students who are fanatically loyal to me, in all years and all houses, and after graduation, will maneuver them into positions of influence, both in the Ministry and Wizengamot; as well as in Gringotts and the Daily Prophet and Quibbler, plus various other positions. When the time comes, they will be slowly moved into the top positions, most probably over a 2 year period. Well, except for Gringotts, the Goblins wouldn't accept a non-goblin in charge, and it's a fight not really worth the trouble."
"Agreed; and when you start putting your people together, let me know. There are several people who I can introduce you to through the club, not just purebloods; there are those in the muggle government who are aware of the Magical World, and they can be useful to you as well. Now, what about after you have this control? What then?" Arthur prodded.
"Then, I'm going to break the back of the pureblood bigots, and dedicate my life to preventing another Voldemort or Grindenwald from arising. I'll admit it, I'm interested in achieving power, but as I told Hermione, power is a means to achieving a goal, not a goal in itself. The goal is nothing less than the restructuring of Wizarding Society."
"You are ambitious, I'll give you that. But, what about the family? Where do we fit in?"
"You and Molly will be given places of honor among my advisers, and I'm planning on having Ron standing at my right hand, with Neville at my left. By this time, Susan will be ready to take over the DMLE; I'm planning on getting Amelia to retire in Susan's favor. This will bring the Aurors, and more importantly, the Unspeakables, under my control."
"And where is Hermione in all this? I seriously doubt she would be content to do what Molly does, would she?"
"Hell no!" Harry laughed, "Hermione will be right beside me, that is when she isn't in her office as Minister of Magic."
"And the Malfoys? Lucius and Draco certainly won't be willing to go along with whatever you have in mind."
"Well, I'll admit I'm not too worried about either of them. You see, Lucius and Draco will both be very busy being dead by this point. Lucius will die the night that I take Bella, and, as for Draco, well, it's unfortunate, but I seriously doubt that he will see the upcoming spring season. He has crossed us too many times, and honestly, he's too stupid to learn from his mistakes. I expect him to push Hermione too far, and that will be the end of him.
At Arthur's raised eyebrow, Harry said; "You know it's inevitable that she take a life, and, if the first one is a piece of bigoted slime like Malfoy, the step will be easier to take."
"I realize that Hermione will need to be able to kill, but I'm curious as to the fact that you seem to be planning on a potentially dangerous confrontation between her and Malfoy..."
"Not necessarily planning on it, but the little wanker has been an annoyance since first year, and I expect him to try something. The only planning I'm doing; is making sure that I'm prepared when the time comes. And that Hermione is the one to walk away."
"And how do you think that Hermione will react to her first kill?" Arthur asked, then smirked, "If it's anything like the way Molly did, you better have some Stamina Potion available, she really tried to wear me out!"
"Ugh! I didn't need to know that, thanks!" Harry grimaced, "And, I don't see her having any problem with killing the little turd. It's been a subtle process, but I've been encouraging the darkness inside her since early on in our first year. She definitely isn't the goody two shoes she was then. She started to change when she went along with my killing Snape, and her morals are definitely changing. Could you see a "Light" girl begging her boyfriend to bugger her, just so he did everything with her first? And at 14 yet? You can't, can you? Hermione is extremely intelligent, and doesn't care what anybody else may think, except for me. I've been using some of the spells from the book you gave me for my birthday before first year."
"And, now who is giving out too much information?" Arthur grinned. "Okay, I can see you've planned this out. Tomorrow, we can go get the supplies you'll need for your Azkaban expedition when I get home from work."
___________________
Goyle Manor
August 25, 199-/ /
I really think that the puppet is outliving his usefulness. It's becoming more trouble than it's worth to keep him from getting killed, or at least, thrown into Azkaban. I was summoned to his home this afternoon, and had to watch as he amused himself by casting curses at his only House-elf, Dobby I think he said its name was. Then we went to Diagon Alley to purchase our school supplies. Of course, I had to listen to his whines about how he didn't have the money to buy the things he really deserved, since Potter and Granger had caused him so much trouble. He is getting dangerously unstable on the subject of the two of them, and it's only a matter of time before one of them kills him.
The only problem with that happening is what the hell would I do with Crabbe? He is too stupid to blow his nose without directions, but he could still be useful, just have to figure something out. Anyway, we were getting ready to head down Knockturn Alley, to pick up a few things that aren't readily available in the rest of the Alley, and he saw Potter, Granger and the rest of their group. If I wasn't so busy keeping the puppet out of trouble, I would have been amused at the way the Weasley girl and Lovegood couldn't keep their hands off each other. Gotta love Helga's gift!
I happened to turn back to the puppet in time to see him pulling his wand and start to curse them, which would have done nothing but cause problems, so I had a clumsy moment, and knocked his wand down so the spell went into the dirt. The Potter group didn't even realize what had happened.
One thing has definitely changed between Potter and Granger; it was obvious that they were a lot closer than they had been before the school term ended. I guess I'll have to point Parkinson toward Granger instead of toward Potter. The same result will be reached, but Potter would probably react better to finding two girls in bed than Granger would at finding Potter in bed with Parkinson.
You know, talking about this stuff is giving me an itch to scratch, I think a trip back to Knockturn wouldn't be out of order.
More Later
G.G.
___________________________
August 30th; Azkaban Prison
Bellatrix LeStrange was shivering in her cell, the filthy rags just barely covering her, once beautiful body. The Dementors were constantly at her, gnawing at her tenuous grip on sanity. She had no idea how long she had been there, time didn't matter when everything was pain. She sometimes heard a voice that wasn't hers screaming in the night, and it sounded vaguely familiar, but then the Dementors came back, and it went away.
She looked up when the sound of walking feet stopped outside her cell. It took a second for what she was seeing to fight its way through the clouds in her mind. "You're dead!" she gasped, her eyes opening wide. James Potter was standing there, and she had seen him die!
"Am I? It's possible, but, you will be too, if you stay here much longer. Now, get ready, I'll be distracting the Dementors, but you need to move!"
"Rodolphus?"
"Your Husband will be meeting you later, he has separate mission"
As the figure walked away, she pulled herself to her feet, and looked around, seeing if anything survived her time there. She raised her head as she hear a man's voice cry out, and suddenly stop; before the fog lifted and she blinked, wondering where she was, and what had happened.
She was lost in thought, and didn't even hear the second scream, but did hear the footsteps coming back to her door. The cell was thrown open, and she heard the man gasp; "What the hell?"
________________
/Daily Prophet: September 1st Edition/
Death and Escape on //Azkaban/ //Island//! Bellatrix LeStrange Escapes, Her Husband Rodolphus LeStrange, and Lucius Malfoy Dead in their cells. Aurors searching the countryside! Dementors Tracking Death Eaters Aura!/
Continued in Chapter 7 - Third Year
Sign up to rate and review this story