When Harry arrived back at the fortress, he was surprised to see Hermione chatting with Bella as if the two were the best of friends. Both of them were smiling, though his wife seemed to be positively beaming as they welcomed him home.
"What's going on?" Harry asked in confusion as the two women led him to the reception room.
"We have guests," Bella told him cryptically.
"Queen Xerina?"
"No, no, this doesn't have anything to do with the war council we're holding later today. This is something more personal." Bella grinned as she pushed open the large double doors with a flourish.
Harry's jaw dropped as he caught sight of Hermione's parents, flanked on one side by a full complement of Ice soldiers and by a number of Hogwarts students from Potter's Legion on the other. "W-what're they doing here?" he stammered in confusion, even as Hermione rushed forward to meet her parents. Bella dragged Harry along at a more leisurely pace as she explained.
"Well, I kind of figured it'd be best if she owled them and let them know she was fine. She was kidnapped by Voldemort, you know. They were pretty worried, you know." Bella's eyes glittered dangerously. "It appears that our dear Professor Dumbledore failed to inform them that Hermione had gone missing. Naturally, when they heard the full story from the letter she sent them, they were very insistent on coming to see her."
"Oh." Harry blinked as he digested his wife's explanation. It made sense, he thought, when something she'd said caught his attention. "Wait. You said Dumbledore hasn't told them she was kidnapped? Or that Voldemort placed a memory charm on her?"
Bella shook her head. "He didn't, that's what makes me mad. These are children's lives he's playing with, and then he doesn't even have the regard for them to let their parents know when they're in danger."
"If I'd known before, I wouldn't have let Bert have all the fun," Harry growled.
"Oh?" Bella arched an elegant eyebrow. "I take it that things went pretty well, then?"
Harry nodded. "The highlight was probably when Bert started tearing pieces out of the old man when he found out Dumbledore had stuck me in prison on virtually no evidence. That reminds me, I need to bring something up at the meeting. Turns out there's something else Dumbledore hasn't told me."
"What else is new?" Bella snorted in disdain.
"Only that it involves me, a prophecy, some kind of magic weapon against Voldemort, and the reason Dumbledore was so quick to leave me to rot in a cell in Azkaban."
"Oh." It was Bella's turn to frown. "Well, Queen Xerina should be arriving in a few minutes. Count Trazkaban and Neville are already here. Snape, Lupin, and Moody aren't."
"They're most likely at the Order meeting Dumbledore no doubt called for the instant he figured out he'd screwed up big time," Harry finished with a chuckle. "We'll fill them in later.
"Harry! Oh Harry, thank you so much for letting them come!" Hermione had dragged her parents over to where the two had been standing on the sidelines, causing the young Lord to raise an eyebrow.
"But - I didn't do anything?"
Bella elbowed him in the ribs, causing him to wince, and hissed into his ear. "You're letting them into the castle, that's something."
"But I didn't even know about this until-"
"Just go with it already, Potter!" Bella refrained from stepping on her husband's foot when understanding dawned in his eyes, and he shook his head with a grin.
"You're devious, Bella. Absolutely devious."
"Of course," she replied with a smirk. "Someone's got to be the brains of this family, after all." She glanced over as Harry shook the Grangers' hands. Maybe this'll help them all along. I can tell her parents had no idea what's going on in the wizarding world, and from what it looks like, he just made some instant allies, she concluded with a satisfied smirk as she watched Mr. Granger give Harry a hearty pat on the back while Hermione's mother hugged him tightly.
"Thank you, thank you so much for keeping our daughter safe," Bella caught as she took a few steps closer, and carefully hid a smile. If Hermione was aware that this was a set up, she showed no signs of it as she moved to stand next to the former Death Eater.
"Thanks," the brunette murmured quietly. "For letting them know."
"Don't thank me, thank Harry."
"Thank you both." Hermione glanced up at her. "Without you, I doubt Harry would've been willing to let me stay. I can't tell you how much I owe you for speaking out for me, for convincing him to let me stay. I can't accept his forgiveness until I can forgive myself, and that's going to be a long time from now… but at least I know that I'm doing something now to mend the bridges."
Bella shrugged. "He needs you," she explained slowly, as if choosing her words carefully. "You're the first family he's ever had, and while he doesn't want to admit it, he at least needs some closure to find his peace."
The two women remained silent for a while, watching as Harry talked to Hermione's parents briefly, before turning back to them, with a sly grin on his face. "Can you imagine, they almost called the police. I can just see them stopping Dumbledore and taking him in for questioning."
Bella blinked, not quite understanding, while Hermione giggled. "He's got an insanity defense down, if I ever saw one," she managed, while Harry elaborated for his wife's benefit.
"The police are the muggle equivalent of Auror's." His voice deepened as he mimicked an officer. "All points, be advised to be on the lookout for a suspected kidnapper. The suspect is tall, aged one-hundred fifty to one-hundred sixty, long white hair and floor-length beard. All points, be advised the suspect is armed with a foot-long stick of wood and extremely barmy. He may resist arrest by attempting to turn you all into squirrels."
The women giggled, while Mr. Granger smirked at Harry. "I take it you don't really care much for Professor Dumbledore, then?" he asked.
Harry shook his head. "Not after all he's done. The man's a manipulative old bastard. If you knew some of the things he did-"
"Like supporting the decision to convict you?"
"How'd you know?" Harry blinked in surprise.
"Hermione explained a good deal of the situation to us when she wrote. She had to." The older man growled. "If I could get my hands on the man… and that incompetent twit of a Minister…" He broke off as his wife laid a calming hand on his arm.
"I have good news for you, then," Harry grinned. "Minister Fudge has officially been voted out of office. Last I heard, he took the few people loyal to him, and ran with his tail tucked between his legs. I daresay the new Minister is a bit more responsible," he told Hermione's parents with a mischievous smile.
Mr. Granger chuckled. "Why do I get the feeling you had your hand in that?"
"Who, me?" Harry clasped his hands behind his back and smiled back innocently. "I do believe such an action would be considered illegal in certain circles. Manipulation of elections, and somesuch nonsense."
"And you'd never do anything illegal, of course."
"Of course. Then again, illegal depends on your point of view," Harry replied cheekily.
"Excuse me, milord," Tess's voice interrupted them, and Harry glanced up to see her flanked by Neville and Count Trazkaban.
"What is it?"
"Her majesty Queen Xerina has arrived, and is awaiting you in the conference room," the young woman told him. "I was about to take you to them."
Harry nodded and excused himself from the Grangers. "That's all right, I can find my way. Would you please show the Grangers to the guest room?"
"Of course," Tess nodded, and the two exchanged parties as Harry led his allies out of the room. He'd barely stepped outside the door when he heard Hermione call out to him.
"Wait up!" The brunette girl ran to catch up with them. "I'm coming, too. You might need an extra pair of eyes."
Harry eyed her critically for a moment, before nodded. "All right. We could use your help. Are your parents all right with that?"
Hermione nodded. "Yes, I told them I was going to help you."
When they reached the conference room - which was really just one of the dining rooms of the castle remodeled into something more suitable for a council of war - Queen Xerina was already waiting for them, flanked by a tall, thinly-built ice man wearing elaborate silver armor. The shoulder-guards were trimmed in gold, and a crest that Harry didn't recognize was etched into one, while a number and a Phoenix were etched into the other. The Queen stood when Harry entered the room, bowing to him, prompting the heir of the North to return the gesture.
"Queen Xerina," Harry began, "it's good to see you again."
"The pleasure is mine," the Queen replied as they all sat down. "Allow me to introduce General Rotan. He is the commander I have chosen for the seven combat regiments that will begin arriving tomorrow. I have the utmost faith in his loyalty and skills. You will find him an able leader on the battlefield, I think."
"Milord." The General snapped off a quick salute towards Harry.
"Thank you for coming so quickly," Harry nodded towards Xerina and her officer. "Please, no formalities are necessary in this room. While I do realize we need to keep up appereances outside, in here we have a war to plan, and we're all equals fighting on the same side. Now, could you give me a quick overview of where we are in terms of troop deployment?"
Rotan answered for Xerina as the ice general leaned forward to unroll a piece of parchment. "Currently, we have managed to muster seven combat-ready regiments, for a total of three thousand five hundred troops, including assault squads, magic support units, and healers. They have begun packing up their equipment from our garrisons and are beginning to move here, after we have finished moving the support and logistics personnel." He glanced at Harry as he handed him the parchment. "Listed there are the combat troops and support personnel. We assumed that Nair'i'caix does not have the infrastructure or personnel in place to sustain such a large force, even for just a few days until they are moved out."
Harry glanced over the paper and nodded. "That was a good idea. I apologize that I had to call upon you on such short notice, but we need to act fast, before Voldemort has a chance to strike first. The sooner the war is over, the less collateral damage there will be."
"Of course," Rotan leaned back. "I was informed by my Queen that you had a preliminary strategy in mind?"
"Yes. Count, if you would?" Harry looked to his side, and Hiscophney conjured up a map of Great Britain, highlighting the locations of wizarding villages.
"These are the targets," Hiscophney explained. "We suspect Voldemort is going to hit one of the least guarded villages within the next few days in retaliation. We're guessing he will be going after a civilian target of no strategic importance to ensure minimal resistance and maximize potential casualties. That excludes major targets in wizarding London, Yorkshire, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Oxford, Cardiff, Liverpool, and Bristol." The corresponding locations faded to a dull grey, leaving about a dozen other locations highlighted in vivid red.
Rotan nodded in agreement. "It would fit his profile. He wants revenge, and to instill fear once again, but without suffering too many losses. Do you want us to deploy troops to these locations and intercept him?"
"No." Harry shook his head. "We will be taking the first strike from him, and then force him into taking action towards a target of our choice. If we can lure him into a trap, then we can finish him. The Ministry estimates that at this time, Voldemort has a force of several hundred Death Eaters, a few dozen giants and trolls, and an undisclosed number of Vampires and Werewolves at his disposal. That is why I asked for your assistance, General." Harry smiled grimly. "We force him into an open, all-out attack, and take him out on a battlefield of our choosing."
Rotan frowned, and the disapproving expressions on the other faces in the room didn't escape the aged general, either. "I don't like this plan, milord. Voldemort's forces are strong, and we could potentially match them in combat, but what about Voldemort himself? Would it not be best to isolate him from his troops and destroy him individually?"
"You can't." Harry looked around the table. "No offense to you or your soldiers, but none of you can defeat Voldemort."
"Then who will? I find it absurd to believe that just because he's a powerful wizard, he can't be defeated. He's just human - throw enough at him, and he will fall," Hiscophney disagreed.
\"I think it's about time you heard something that Professor Dumbledore deemed important enough to keep from me for the last few years," Harry took a deep, shuddering breath, and recounted Sybil Trelawney's prophecy for the second time that day.
When he was done, Bella was holding his hand in hers. Neville had already known, while Hiscophney, Xerina, and Rotan all stared incredulously. It was Xerina who spoke up after a long moment of silence.
"You can't seriously believe in that! You can't hope to face Voldemort alone and come out victorious - and just because some third-rate seer thinks she had a vision doesn't mean that you're the only one capable of stopping him. This is nonsense!"
"There's more," Harry added quietly.
"More?"
"According to Dumbledore, shortly before I was thrown into Azkaban, there was a second prophecy made. One that states that North's heir shall be taken to his dominion, where his heritage will manifest itself. The long forgotten power will wake, and Ice's armies will flock to him. Traitors will quail before the betrayed, and will be reckoned with. Voldemort's fate will be decided by he who holds the Black Rod. I have a good idea of what that means, at least."
The shock in Neville's and Bella's eyes was obvious as they connected the dots. Hiscophney and Xerina took a while longer. "So, he threw you away when he thought that you were no longer useful, eh?" Rotan growled angrily.
"Wizards," Hiscophney sneered as he shook his head in disgust. "That one seems clear to me. In connection with the first one, maybe the power you have that Voldemort knows now is your heritage of Polairix. If that were the case, then that would not necessarily mean that you will be the one to destroy him, merely that you are instrumental in his destruction. If your heritage truly is the power spoken of in the prophecy, then it might very well be that you destroy Voldemort simply by bringing the full might of our forces to bear on him."
"There's something else," Xerina chimed in, exchanging a meaningful look with Hiscophney. "The Black Rod mentioned, I think it may hold the key to defeating Voldemort. Killing his physical body most likely would not be the end of him - after all, he has already survived the killing curse once, though as a spirit only. If we were to charge in and destroy his mortal form without further knowledge of what measures he has taken to guard his spirit from passing on, we may well just be delaying him."
Hiscophney frowned. "Don't tell me you believe in the legends? They're folktales, no one has seen the Rod of Dominion for a millennia and a half, and even then, stories about it are sketchy at best."
"No one has seen an heir of Polairix in centuries, either," Xerina shot back, "yet here we are, united by the heir of the North."
"The seat of government and a mythical item of indescribable power are two completely different things!"
"The Rod exists!"
"Prove it!"
Harry blinked in confusion as the two rulers stared each other down, before realizing that he had to defuse the situation. He leaned forward in between the two, and cleared his throat, but they ignored him in favor of their staring contest. Across the table, Neville caught Harry's eye and mimicked placing two fingers in his mouth. Getting the hint, Harry took a deep breath and let out an ear-piercing whistle that startled everyone at the table, even the ones that had been expecting it. Hiscophney and Xerina practically jumped out of their chairs, then looked down in embarrassment at having been caught up in their bickering. Harry could see Rotan smirking appreciatively from the corner of his eye as the aging general placed a calming hand on his queen's arm.
"I believe Lord Polairix wishes to speak, milady," he told her with barely disguised mirth.
"Yes, um," Harry glanced at his two allies who seemed to have such a different opinion about something he had no idea of, "would you mind explaining the whole thing? This whole Rod of Dominion story and what it's got to do with Voldemort?"
Xerina and Hiscophney shared a glance before the Count shrugged and gestured for her to take the lead. "Legends tell that sometime during the reign of the House of Polairix, before this fortress was built, the seat of the North was on a different island, the location of which has been long lost. About fifteen hundred years ago, the reigning Lord Polairix was involved in a number of wars with neighboring kingdoms, as they aided the Ice folk against a number of dark creatures that had sought to invade our lands. Our historians only have sketchy records of that time, at best, mainly because the invasion succeeded, and vampires, ghouls, and evil spirits drove us out of our home."
"So what happened?" Neville asked before Harry could.
"Lord Polairix brought his armies to our aid, and they drove the dark armies away," Xerina told them. "But they did not stop there, taking the fight to their own areas, laying siege to their forts. It was then that it was discovered that a dark wizard was behind the army of darkness that had swarmed across the lands. It is rumoured that this same dark wizard gave Alaric the First the might he needed to invade and plunder Rome. When Lord Polairix and his army destroyed him, they thought that had been the end of the war, and it was. We had peace for another two hundred years. And then he returned."
"Returned?" Harry questioned, a note of alarm creeping into his tone. This was starting to sound much too familiar for his taste.
The queen of the Ice people nodded. "It started with small things, random deaths here and there, unsolved murders, and uprisings of dark creatures. And then we found ourselves besieged by a dark army once more. When our soldiers returned from the battlefield, most were shaken deeply, telling stories of the undead walking amongst the living, and the unnaturalness that surrounded the area. The few that had survived their encounter with the enemy general claimed that the dark wizard from two hundred years hence had returned, only that this time he claimed to be immortal, stripped of the weakness of his flesh, and reeking of the stench of death. Deep wounds seemed to trouble him none, and even when our most powerful magic destroyed his corporeal body, he would simply move to another body and inhabit it."
Harry frowned and shared a concerned look with his wife. Bella shrugged and shook her head. "I've never heard of Voldemort being able to shrug off injuries that easily."
"He can't," Hiscophney interjected. "At least, not yet. During out battle, I managed to hit him with a few spells, and so did Harry. He definitely felt them, though they were not enough to take him down."
"It's the 'yet' that worries me, though," Harry admitted. "We all know Voldemort is looking for immortality, and this guy from the Ice people's legends sounds rather like what he's after."
"That is why I suggested that the Rod of Dominion may hold the key to destroying Voldemort." Xerina frowned at the dubious look Hiscophney was sending her. "The heir of Polairix at the time was a talented mage and artificer - he was an excellent duelist, but according to legend, he had absolutely no grasp on tactics. He left the fighting decisions to his generals, but insisted that only he face the dark wizard in combat. After weeks of constant fighting, he had crafted a unique artifact that would allow him to completely sever the magic that contains a soul. No one knows how it was done, but when he arrived on the battlefield with the Rod of Dominion, he was able to destroy the dark wizard and his soul so completely that nothing remained. Deeming the Rod too dangerous to fall into the wrong hands, it was secluded away, as no one, not even its creator, could find a way to destroy it."
"So, it's still out there?" Understanding dawned on Harry. He had been worried about how to defeat Voldemort, especially if his spirit was immortal, but if there existed a weapon that could destroy him in spirit form, then suddenly, he stood a chance again.
"According to some," Hiscophney grumbled. The sorcerer looked highly skeptical. "Milord, we cannot afford to waste time by going off on a treasure hunt. Voldemort will eventually make his move, and we have to prepare our armies to meet him."
"I disagree-" Xerina began, only to be cut off by her general's hand on her shoulder.
Rotan shook his head as he explained. "My queen, while it is true that the Rod of Dominion may be the key to destroying Voldemort, its location is unknown, and so are its defenses. It isn't even known if it still exists, and placing all of our hopes on something so vague is not a good idea."
"But we can't outright dismiss it, either," Hermione spoke up for the first time since the meeting had started. "If we did, and it later turned out that it was real and could have turned the tide, we'll be in big trouble. Or even worse, if Voldemort finds out about it and gets his hands on it-"
"That'd be just… bad," Neville finished. "You're right."
The seven people in the room lapsed into silence as they tried to come up with a working plan. Finally, it was Bella who made the decision. "Okay, how about this - Harry, you, Hiscophney, and General Rotan take care of the troops. Harry knows Voldemort best, and Hiscophney and Rotan need to be there to command their troops. Xerina and I will work on researching the Rod's location and existence."
"I can help, too," Hermione added, and Bella nodded at her.
Neville raised a hand. "I can have a few people from Potter's Legion go through the Hogwarts library and see if they can find anything. It's unlikely, but who knows, maybe we can find something."
"That's a good idea, actually," Bella agreed.
"Is there anything else you want us to do?"
Harry picked that point to join his wife. "No, Neville. This is going to be all-out war pretty soon, and as good as you and the others are, you're just students, and I'm not going to willingly place you in harm's way. Tell the others to lay low, help out where they can, but warn them not to take unnecessary risks. I'll have to arrange emergency portkeys for all of you so you can come here in case of an emergency."
"What about the Order?"
"The Order is not important. I've got the go-ahead from the Minister of Magic, and the Aurors are going to be on our side in this. I don't think Dumbledore is going to get in our way, especially since he finally got it into his skull that we're on the same side in this," Harry grumbled at the mention of the headmaster. "As for Snape, Moony, and Tonks, could you please inform Snape about what we discussed here, and have him replay it to the others?"
Neville nodded enthusiastically. "Consider it done."
Harry was doing his best to be silent as he entered the bedroom he shared with his wife, but he needn't have bothered. The instant Bella saw his form silhouetted against the light outside, she called for light, causing them both to blink away the sudden brightness. Harry looked weary, Bella though, though a full day of planning and discussing battle tactics would probably do that. She also noticed something else - there was now a confident square in his shoulders that she hadn't really realized was missing, though she really should have. After all, despite all his power and skill, despite his riches and his heritage, Harry was just… Harry. He wasn't a trained wizard, nor a trained duelist, but merely a teenager, who had, through some fluke of fate, ended up with the job of killing the most powerful dark wizard in centuries, or be killed.
Wow, if I put it that way, it really does sound hopeless, she thought with a wry grin as she waved off Harry's apologies for waking her, patting the spot next to her on the bed. She hadn't really thought about it much, but the thought simply occurred to her - how did Harry feel about the burden on his shoulders? How did someone who hadn't even finished his schooling deal with something like this? She had seen the hope that had sparked in his eyes when Xerina had informed them that the Rod would very likely be able to kill Voldemort, and realized that his duel with the dark wizard had shaken him more than he'd let on.
Harry slid into bed next to her, and she slipped her arms around his waist immediately, pulling him close and relishing his warmth. He waved his hand and the light turned off, but they didn't go to sleep. She could feel the tension slowly drain from him, but as always, a part of it lingered. She had a good feeling that he needed to talk about it, and this was as good a time as any to start.
"You're bothered by something," she said, and it wasn't a question.
"I am?"
"Yes, you are." Bella nodded into the crook of her husband's neck.
"I think I'd know if I were," Harry chuckled, though to her, it sounded only half-hearted.
"No, actually, I don't think you would."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Harry turned around in her embrace so they were face to face. "Are you calling me dense?" he asked with a smirk.
"Maybe just a bit slow on the uptake," Bella replied cheekily, with a matching grin. Her mirthful expression vanished quickly, however, to be replaced by a serious one. "Honestly, you have this thing about just pushing everything away. You've said 'I'm fine' so often even when you weren't that you're starting to believe it, yourself. It can't work forever, Harry," she whispered.
"I'm-"
"You're not fine. Maybe you believe that you are, for now, but you're not. You're just pushing everything that's bothering you out of your mind, and eventually, it's going to come back with a vengeance, and it's going to be ugly."
Harry smiled wryly. "Can't be any worse that it'd be if I let it all out right now."
"Oh, but you're wrong. It'll be much, much worse." Bella didn't notice as a tear slid down her cheek. "Take it from someone with too many regrets. I spent years in Voldemort's service, pushing the things out of my mind that bothered me, and where did that leave me when I was left in Azkaban with nothing but time to think about them? Nearly insane."
"I thought that was the Dementors?"
She shook her head. "They were only part of it. They made me relive the memories, but I was the one who kept thinking about them. Eventually, the wall I'd stuffed all of my baggage behind got pried open, and look where it got me."
"You turned out fine," Harry protested, only to be silenced when Bella placed a finger on his lips, a haunted look in her eyes.
"I'm not," she whispered quietly. "I probably won't ever be. I've got so much guilt to deal with I don't even know where to start. I did horrible things while I served the dark lord, and I can't ever make up for them - and I'll live with that for the rest of my life."
Harry gently removed her hand from his lips and kissed her knuckles. "You'll be fine," he told her, "Neville even forgave you, and you're already making up for what you did back then. Sometimes, it's the thought that counts. Before you can accept anyone else's forgiveness, you'll have to forgive yourself, first. And I'll be there for you, I'll make sure you do, because I love you, Bella. I need you. Our child needs you." Harry placed a hand on her stomach and smiled at her, his eyes lighting up in joy as if the situation had only just now fully settled in his mind.
"I'll be there, I promise." Bella swallowed hard. She had been meaning to be the one to make Harry talk, but somehow, the topic had changed to her. She grasped his hand and joined them on her stomach as she allowed herself a smile, as well. She was going to be a mother. A few years ago - even just a few months ago she wouldn't ever have dreamed of becoming a mother, much less being able to be one, with the situation she was in. But now… she had a husband who loved her, a child to care for, and people whose forgiveness she so desperately wanted to accept, but couldn't until she'd completed her repentance. "The potion is almost ready, you know," she told him.
"It is?"
Bella nodded. "I talked to Neville after we left you three in the room to discuss matters. He'll be coming over for the procedure, and we both agreed it'd be best if the first thing his parents see is their son instead of someone they hate." She couldn't really hold back the strangled sob that escaped her throat as she thought about the Longbottoms. Never really had she been bothered by other people's hatred for her. She used to relish it, in fact, feeding off their hate and fear of her, but that now seemed like a lifetime away.
"I'm sure they'll forgive you," Harry encouraged her. "Neville did, after all."
They drifted into silence for a while, both of them lost in thought, when Bella asked something that utterly surprised Harry. "How do you feel about this? About having a child? It must be hard on you, you're almost one, yourself."
He didn't quite know how to answer that, and the fearful tone in her voice told him he would have to pick his answer very carefully, but fortunately, she seemed content to give him time to choose his words properly. "I'm happy," he finally said. "You're right, I'm still kind of young, and I really didn't expect for this to happen until a few years from now, but it doesn't really matter. Whether we get started with our family now or five years from now, I'll love you and our child just as much. It'll be pretty awkward to have someone call me 'dad' who's only sixteen years younger than me, but hey, we're wizards. We live so long, a few years here or there don't really make much of a dent in anything."
He almost feared he'd given her the wrong impression when Bella threw her arms around his neck and gave him a long, loving, passionate kiss. When they pulled apart for air, he smirked. "I guess I should answer your questions about parenthood more often, if this is the reply I can expect."
"Oh you," Bella swatted his arm playfully, tears glistening in her eyes. "Thank you, for everything."
"No, Bella… thank you . You've made my life complete. You've given me happiness, and you've guided me. But from now on, you're not leaving the fortress."
She was about to open her mouth and argue with him when a thought occurred to her and she snapped her jaw shut. "I understand," she said. And she did. While she hated standing on the sidelines and waiting in safety while Harry went into danger, she knew that if Voldemort ever got his hands on her again, she was dead. Most likely, many of her former comrades would love nothing better than to kill her and take her head on a pike to give to Voldemort as a gift. As unlikely as that was to happen, considering her skills, she was now responsible not only for her own safety, but also that of her child, and just thinking of what Death Eaters would do to her unborn son or daughter made her shudder.
"I was somehow expecting you to put up more of a fight," Harry chuckled.
"I was about to," she admitted. "But I know the dark lord, and what he's capable of. If he ever manages to get a hold of me, then…"
"It won't happen," Harry promised her, "I'm not going to let him touch you, or our child."
Bella nodded in gratitude. Knowing what Voldemort was capable of, and his considerable resources, laying a trap for her to lure out Harry was a very valid concern, and she wasn't about to risk her husband or her child just because she felt useless. And that wasn't even the case - she would be helping Hermione with her research on the Rod of Dominion, she was actually helping, which made the frustration a little easier to deal with.
She wrapped her arms around Harry, pulling him close. "I just don't want to lose you."
"You won't. Especially not now, not since we have a chance of taking out Voldemort for good." Harry pressed a kiss into her hair. "You were right, you know," he told her after a minute.
"About?"
"Something bothering me. I just realized it. I was afraid. Afraid that I couldn't defeat Voldemort." Harry sighed and began stroking Bella's hair, more to calm himself down. "When I fought him, everything started out fine. I was holding my ground after you teaching and training me in dueling, and we even managed to get in a few small shots here and there. But when he got mad…"
Bella could feel him shudder, and she knew why. While she had never seen Voldemort duel at full strength - mainly because Dumbledore was the only one with the power and experience to force Voldemort to that level - she knew that he had earned his reputation as the most powerful dark wizard in centuries. Simply the fact that Harry had survived so many encounters with him and lived to tell the tale spoke volume of his courage and strength. "It's all right, Harry. It's all right to feel scared."
"He was so… so good . Too good. Too fast, too strong… I couldn't do anything except duck and hide. I couldn't put up shields, I couldn't get in a counter-attack." Harry sighed. "How was I going to defeat that? I've been asking myself that ever since I got back from fighting him. Now, I'm hoping that with this Rod, we actually have a chance of ending this for good. If only I can figure out a way to get in one good shot at him, this'll all be over."
She could see where this was going, and she didn't really like it. Sometimes, Harry had a tendency to be self-sacrificing to the extreme, and she had a feeling that it was rearing its ugly head right now. "Don't even start," she told him quietly. "Don't even start thinking about doing something reckless just to get an opening. I can't lose you… you have to promise me, promise me that you'll always come back home," she pleaded.
Harry's deep chuckle did little to reassure her as he replied. "I will. I promise. I won't try something stupid unless it's a very last resort, and even then, I'll think twice about it." He could hear Bella let out a relieved sigh, and continued. "Do you know why?"
"No." She shook her head.
"Because of you. I've got someone to come back to. I won't ever leave you two, whatever happens. I swear it on my magic."
The two fell asleep soon after, content in the knowledge that the other was going to be there for them, and neither noticed as Harry's sleeping form began to glow, his magic drifting around him in soft tendrils that reached for Bella and intertwined with hers.
Voldemort was furious. He had spent the day consolidating his forces and planning a major attack to calm the Death Eaters that had begun to question his ability. Of course, most of them had ended up writing in pain on the ground before him, but even their screams did nothing to ease his mind. Then, to make matters worse, he had gotten reports that much of the funding from his senior Death Eaters had been cut off, with Gringotts revoking their access and handing over control of a number of vaults to the Ministry.
And as if that wasn't enough, he'd had to deal with the former Minister's ugly face and whining all day long. Voldemort shook his head in disgust. How Fudge had ever been elected was something that eluded him. He had in fact planned to assassinate the Minister as the first step to his takeover, but when he realized how incompetent Fudge really was, he'd left him be. But now that Fudge had joined him, all Voldemort ever heard from the man's mouth was "I". It was as if he thought the world revolved around him, and it was enough to make him want to torture Fudge into insanity, put him under the Imperius curse, and order him to break his own bones one by one. Unfortunately, since a good number of the people Fudge had brought with him had information on government activities, he needed them, so Fudge was to be left alive… for now.
"Milord!" Rookwood's voice came from the door, snapping the dark lord's attention back to the present.
Putting on a glare that would suitably scare whoever had dared to intrude on him, he raised his wand and hissed at his Death Eater. "What do you want? Answer me, before you find out just how much I've been displeased today!"
Rookwood slowed down as he approached Voldemort, dropping to one knee when he was a few yards away. "We have a gift for you. Bring her in," he called over his shoulder, and Voldemort's eyes widened in surprise as two other Death Eaters dragged in a woman that was struggling to kick them off, but they held on firm, knowing that if they let her go, they probably would be dead and in pain faster than they could say "Crucio."
"We found her at one of the properties that was seized by the government. We assume she was looking for something, but she wouldn't reply," Rookwood explained as he stood and backed away. The two other Death Eaters pushed the woman forward, where she landed on her hands and knees in front of Voldemort.
"Well done," he announced as an idea began to form in his mind. Maybe something useful would come out of this day, after all. "You may leave me now."
The three Death Eaters bowed and left the room, leaving Voldemort to stare at the woman at his feet who was glaring back at him hatefully. Finally, a smirk spread over his snake-like visage, and he raised his wand, causing her to back away in fear.
"Don't worry, this isn't going to hurt… Incompertus Decretum !"