Magical Origins
Author Notes: Hello everyone, thanks for waiting. Sorry real life has been hectic. I'll be returning to finish this story, not sure how many chapters are left, but I'm guessing around ten chapters. I already have the ending planned out, which will surprise many of you. Also working on a couple new stories, and looking to return to Dark Heir and finish it up. Enjoy, and Happy New Years! By the way, does anyone knew a good wiki (Something like Fandom) i could use so I can properly keep track of my characters and stories? I've been using OneNotes and Excel, but it's all over the place, so i feel a wiki would do much better for me.
Year 7: Blood in the Water
The Dark Castle
No one trusted Bellatrix now that she is living with them. Bellatrix was still very much a prisoner, but she didn't have shackles or bound to a cell. Her daughter, who has never had an education, started being tutored by her estranged family in magic.
Delphini took some time to accept others were helping her.
To Bellatrix's delight, they treated her as a witch instead of a slave or an object.
"Why did you leave her with the Rowles?" Andy asks her.
"I need to place her somewhere where she would be safe. I didn't think much of it at the time."
"You should have given her to me! Or Cissy, at least!"
"I know."
Bellatrix knew her sisters' were the better and more obvious choice. They would have raised her as if they were her own daughter. Draco may have his problems, but he still turns out better. Nymphadora also turns out remarkable, with a strong personality and character.
Bellatrix couldn't hide her shock when Tonks appeared as her daughter and stood beside her. She would have had difficulty telling them apart without Tonks's taste in witches' robes.
Bellatrix could also tell that Delphi had developed strong feelings for Potter. Olivia Wynter said it was natural after strong feelings would be developed towards one's savior. It has been strange reconnecting with her younger sister after so long.
Hogwarts, Dungeon
"What are you doing here, Potter?" Draco says as he nearly jumps out of his skin.
Harry had suddenly materialized in front of him. Harry's ability to come and go is still legendary, and Draco still hasn't gotten to his ability to appear so silently.
"I had to speak with you personally," said Harry.
"Rodolphus is dead. Voldemort has learned of Bellatrix's escape," Draco whispers softly.
"You don't have to fear being overheard. No one is around," said Harry.
Draco half wonders how he knew that, as the Carrows were known to lurk around every corner like Filch.
"Does Voldemort suspect you had a hand in Bellatrix's escape?" asks Harry.
"You know full well he doesn't!" Draco snaps angrily.
He knows Potter is a Legilimency caster and a powerful one at that.
"Why did you want me to save your aunt and cousin?"
"I pity my cousin. I couldn't do anything for her! Even when…"
"She's the Voldemort's daughter."
Draco looks around, worrying, fearing someone would be coming.
"Right, the name has been jinxed," mutters Harry.
"They'll know someone at Hogwarts spoke it, but this place is unplottable, so no one can come to this location. You are certain she's not devoted to her father's cause?"
"You already know she's not. She's never been treated like a witch or a person, for that matter. I understand that Euphemia Rowle raised her because she was paid to care for her. But she was treated like a house elf or a slave instead of being raised as a witch. She didn't deserve what happened to her, and thought you could show her the other side to life that she doesn't know about," said Draco.
Harry couldn't help but feel some pity towards Delphi. It sounds like she was raised similarly to how Harry was raised. Perhaps he could help her.
"Do you know what they have planned for Hogwarts?" asks Harry.
"I don't. I think the Dark Lord suspects a spy is within his circle."
"Where is Wormtail?"
"Don't know. I'm sure he's staying in my family's manor."
Is Voldemort keeping an eye on the Malfoys'? Or is he there for another reason?
"Astoria has given birth to a son."
Draco looks at Harry in surprise. Astoria has gone into hiding, mostly because of Daphne's relationship with Harry. It was no secret within Hogwarts that Daphne was a close friend of Harry, so the Dark Lord and his followers would be looking into her family to lure Potter into a trap. Daphne's parents fled the country, while Daphne and Astoria remained hidden within the country.
Though they did appear in France once in a while.
The French government took Harry's words about Voldemort's return seriously. They began beefing up their internal security to ensure the Death Eaters couldn't infiltrate their Ministry as easily as the British.
"You need to be careful. Weasley is boasting about acquiring your family wealth."
"The Goblins have chosen a side?"
"Not-Officially. There are rumors of another Goblin Rebellion rising."
A third front.
"Try to keep your head down. We won't be in touch as much as before. If you need to keep in touch with me, you can wear this," Harry said, holding a dragon fang necklace.
"A Protean Charm?"
"Good, you know your spellwork. Granger is very crafty, but she has a mouth."
Draco flinches.
"What?"
"It's just… hard to believe you and Morris got close. There was a time when you hated each other's guts."
Harry chuckles.
"It is strange," admits Harry.
"But it also saved me as much as it saved her. She would be a raging firestorm if I hadn't been in her life. Burning everyone around her to a crisp if I didn't… cool her off."
Draco lets out a small chuckle.
A noise could be heard from above.
"I better go."
Harry throws his invisibility cloak over himself as Draco turns and walks away.
Unplottable Castle, Unknown
Voldemort didn't trust his followers, even when they were devoted to him and lick his feet. It meant he kept his grand plans to himself while moving his followers around like pawns.
The Aurors had formed an underground resistance against the Death Eaters.
It wouldn't be long until Voldemort moved against the muggle world.
Harry wonders why Bellatrix lost favor with Voldemort. Bellatrix wasn't exactly sane, to begin with, but neither is Voldemort.
Voldemort believed himself to be clever, powerful, and destined for greatness. Never realizing he's been nothing but a pawn to his own deception.
Harry never sought to be great himself. He always sought to find happiness and the power to protect that happiness.
Much of Bellatrix's madness came from Dark Magic corrupting her mind. Harry helped cleanse the Dark Magic from her body and spirit, but the damage to her mind remains unknown.
Harry placed a magic restraint collar on her neck to ensure she wouldn't attack or go crazy against his family. Bellatrix knew and agreed. Mostly to repay the life debt she owed Harry.
Harry walks up to Bellatrix, looking at the mainland on the cliff.
"What are you thinking about?" Harry asks the older witch.
"Life. You've been so kind, despite being enemies yesterday," said Bellatrix.
"Riddle trusts no one, not even those who proclaim they are his closest friends, and they alone understand him. He likes to operate alone and sees everyone else as tools to be used at his expense. Do you honestly believe he trusts you? You're only deluding yourself into something that isn't there."
"How do you know about the Dark Lord?" asks Bellatrix.
"I've studied him. It does help that I was once inside his head."
Bellatrix said nothing as she remembered her Dark Master mentioning that Potter's mind may be connected to his own, and they shared the same dreams.
Yes, someone who had great insight into the Dark Lord's mind is something she's long wanted. To earn his trust and be his confidant. She never was and never has been. Even when the Dark Lord trusted her with assignments and tasks, he did keep her at arm's length. Recently he's been mocking her for her little sister's marriage to that mudblood Ted Tonks.
"You ask me to take you to Gringotts. Why?"
"Before the Dark Lord's first fall, he entrusted me with a goblet for safekeeping. I kept it inside my husband's family's fault, knowing the Goblins would never allow anyone into the vault, and he paid extra for additional security measures."
Yes, Gringotts is one of the most impenetrable places in Briton.
Only a fool would dare attempt to rob Gringotts.
Bellatrix had fallen out with the Death Eaters, so there was a risk if discovered, she would be captured.
"We need to plan this carefully. Getting into Gringotts is easy. Getting out… that's another matter entirely."
"It's not impossible."
"Your marriage was never void nor terminated by Rodolphus Lestrange, and he's dead along with his brother. Meaning his family's wealth, property, and assets are now yours. It's possible the Death Eaters left that open to lure you out, hoping you'll reclaim his family's lineage."
Even though the Goblet may hold some value. Harry is certain it was Helga Hufflepuff's Goblet that Voldemort turned into a Horcrux.
"You want to break into Gringotts? Because Bella left something inside the Lestrange's vault the Dark Lord entrusted to her."
"Breaking in isn't the issue. Getting out is the problem. Regardless, I think Bellatrix is right. We have to try and see. If we can acquire the Goblet, we can bait the Dark Lord into a trap."
"But his Horcruxes are gone, so there is no need to take such risks," said Lily.
"Horcruxes?" repeats Delphi.
"You're telling me the secret to the Dark Lord's immortality has been Horcruxes?" said Bellatrix.
"You didn't know?" Sirius scuffs at his cousin.
"Here, I thought he would have entrusted you with that information."
Bellatrix says nothing to Sirius, mockery nor baiting her to lash out at him. Once again, she found herself knowing less about the Dark Lord than his greatest enemies.
Harry shakes his head.
"Remember the one thing that Voldemort never got over. He is very possible and tries to take things that don't belong to him because he feels he deserves the object. The more remarkable these objects are, the more he wants them… because it makes him feel special and unique. He believes he alone deserves the greatest, for he is the greatest. He destroys anyone who threatens anything that makes him feel… less."
The door opens, and Edward Mogan walks in alongside his mother, Isabella.
"We got a problem."
They look at the Magic Independent. A wizarding newspaper that stayed away from Voldemort's influence, unlike the Daily Prophet.
"London on Fire!"
Death Eaters, aided by the Ministry of Magic, launched an unprovoked attack against the British Government. The Aurors, supported by Muggle Ministry, were forced to retreat as much of London had been destroyed as the Death Eaters attempted to seize control of the Muggle Ministry.
"What is Voldemort's Endgame?" Lily asks out loud.
War with the Muggles at this point and time made no sense.
"We'll begin making plans to break into Gringotts. It should get Riddle's attention… and shows Bellatrix is no longer loyal to the Dark Lord."
"You know things are going to be easy moving forward…" said Sirius.
Harry did know that.
Even still, Harry never imagined the day Bellatrix Lestrange would side with them. She was always unstable and a bit… psychotic. Even though Bellatrix finally broke ties with the Dark Lord and her mind and body were free from the dark magic influencing her, that didn't mean she was truly an ally.
For her hatred of muggleborns still linger in the depth of her heart.