Chapter 19

All canon characters belong to JKR.

Thanks as always to June for her help.

Chapter 19

Severus and Lucius were on the floor, shivering from the after-effects of the Cruciatus Curses and Slicing Hexes they had endured at Bella’s hand. At the other side of the cell, Harry stood several feet from Bellatrix. His hand was steady, yet his body trembled as his mind flashed back to that day on the battlefield, when he ended Voldemort’s reign.

“And so, this is all I have to deal with?” Bellatrix sneered, then looked at the three men. “Two traitors, and a little boy? I’m disappointed in you, Lucius. I thought that you of all people would have understood what I was trying to do. Befriending a traitor,” she glared at Severus, “and a murderer,” she looked at Harry. “I can barely stand being in the same room as them.”

Severus was coughing, “You have lost, Bellatrix, just as the Dark Lord lost. Your beliefs are no longer tolerated by our society. You are among the minority in our world. You and your kind are the hunted.”

Harry stilled his trembling body and approached Bellatrix, then stopped as she suddenly turned to him.

“No, you will not kill me,” she smiled, “Go ahead, and turn me in to the authorities. I will only escape again.” She laughed, and Harry only gripped his wand tighter.

“You won’t be going to Azkaban today. I won’t allow for you to go on poisoning the world with your sick beliefs,” Harry narrowed his eyes.

“You don’t have it in you, you sniveling little boy!” Bellatrix laughed again. “You can’t kill me — your pure nature won’t let you!” she yelled. “Have you forgotten what I told you so many years ago? Surely you remember, hmm? That night when I killed your precious godfather, you tried to cast an Unforgivable at me but you failed. You have to want it. You have to enjoy causing pain to cast it! And you, you pathetic child, do not have that much pure evil and hate inside of you!”

“Avada Kedavra!” Harry yelled.

A sudden burst of green light came shooting out of his wand, and Bellatrix Lestrange was gone. Harry’s Killing Curse had so much power that her body disintegrated.

Harry stood motionless, save for his hand, which was shaking. He really had not intended to kill her; he had thought to simply stun her long enough for the Aurors to come and take her back to her prison. He had never killed another human being before. During the final battle, he threw many spells and hexes at his enemies, yet the only one to die by his hand was Voldemort. But to Harry, Voldemort was someone he never considered as human.

Severus and Lucius looked at him silently. Harry turned to them, “I…I couldn’t stop myself. She…killed Sirius in front of my eyes. I know she had a hand in killing my parents, and she almost killed you. I’ll go to Azkaban.” He whispered as his eyes flowed with tears, and he bowed his head.

“I saw nothing,” said Lucius.

Harry looked at him and felt his body relax.

“And I have been unconscious during this entire ordeal,” said Severus with a raspy tired voice.

Lucius helped Severus to his feet, supporting him. The dark-haired man smiled and turned to Harry.

“Good thing you left your career as an Auror behind, Harry. It seems as though you have let Bella escape,” said Lucius as he held Severus against him.

Harry stared at both men. When he turned, he saw several Aurors, including Ron and Tonks, now entering the room. Remus had stayed behind at the Malfoy Estate, having decided it was best to wait there in case Bellatrix chose to return and notify Lucius she was ready for him to assist her.

“Are you three all right? Where’s Lestrange?” asked Ron breathlessly.

“She has escaped, Mr. Weasley. She heard your stealthy approaches and Disapparated from that spot.” Lucius pointed to the corner. “Harry, help me get Severus out of here.”

Harry looked at Ron.

“Is that what happened, Harry?” asked Ron as he put his hand on his friend’s shoulder.

Harry gazed at the spot where Bellatrix Lestrange had stood only moments before, then turned back to Ron. “Yes, Ron. That’s what happened.”

Ron nodded and smiled, as he walked past him. He knew all about his friend, which meant he knew full well what Harry had done with Bellatrix Lestrange.

As the three men climbed the stairs, they remembered there was still one more assailant on the loose.

“We aren’t finished. Pettigrew is still somewhere about,” said Harry. The trio hurried to the outside of the house, where Lucius and Harry helped Severus sit down on one of the steps.

“Severus, you need medical attention; you’re still bleeding,” Lucius said. “I don’t want to move you too much. Bella took a lot out of you. Draco will have taken the children to Hogwarts as well. I’ll go and bring Madam Pomfrey. You stay here and rest.”

Severus nodded, and then grabbed Lucius’ arm. “Hermione — tell Hermione I’m all right.”

Lucius smiled and nodded, then Apparated.

Harry sat next to Severus, and both men were silent for a moment.

“I can’t believe he got away again,” said Harry, as he lowered his head and ran his hands through his unruly hair.

“I have never known anyone with such fortune,” Severus sighed heavily. “The man is forever slipping from our grasp.”

“Don’t be too sure about that,” said Osiris, as he approached with Crookshanks.

Harry and Severus turned, only to see Crookshanks’ face and paws covered with blood.

“Crooks, what happened?” asked Severus, clearly worried.

“Let’s just say you won’t be hearing from one Peter Pettigrew anymore,” said Osiris, as he dropped a small silver paw next to Harry’s feet. It was the only thing left of Peter Pettigrew. At that moment Crookshanks let out a belch loud enough to shake the leaves around him, “Manners, Crooks!.”

“Oh, dear. I’m sorry, I forgot I where I was for a moment.”

Severus and Harry looked at each other, as Crookshanks licked the blood off his paws. Severus felt the corners of his mouth twitching madly; being too weak to hold back, he laughed.

“Crooks,” Harry’s eyebrows shot up, “did you… eat Pettigrew?” he asked.

Crookshanks stopped licking his paws, and looked at Harry. “Not only did I eat him, but in a few hours I will be fertilizing Professor Sprout’s Mandrakes with him.”

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Just a few more chapters left to this story. I hope you enjoyed this. I'll have more tomorrow.