Harry Potter - Truth Unearthed Chapter 6
Chapter 6
Siobhan entered their private quarters after escorting Hermione to her common room. She found her wife deep in thoughts on the sofa with her hands clasped in her lap staring into the fire. It was clear that Minerva hadn't heard her enter and Siobhan didn't have to ask what was causing this introspective mood. She walked to the sofa and took a seat on the coffee table in front of her wife. Siobhan took both of Minerva's hands in her own and kissed the knuckles.
“I love you”, the Daywalker whispered, looking deeply into her wife's teal green eyes.
“I love you too.” Minerva leaned in and kissed Siobhan passionately. When she stretched to deepen the kiss she felt a sudden surge of pain from her back that made her retract. She looked apologetically at her wife, feeling immensely old. Shiobhan cupped her cheek in a gentle palm, begging her to look into her eyes.
“None of this. You should still be in hospital. This was a very close call, Minerva. Far too close for my liking. You could have died. Why don't we go to bed and I use some of the ointment Poppy gave me to help ease the pain?”
“Sounds wonderful, my love.” Minerva covered the hand on her cheek with her own and kissed the warm palm.
***
“Have you completely lost your mind, Mione?” Harry yelled at his best friend. “It’s your bloody fault that lunatic killer could escape.”
“Harry, I’m sorry.” Hermione mumbled. She knew he would by angry that Bellatrix escaped.
“Sorry, you are sorry? How convenient. For someone who is supposed to be the brightest witch of her age you did something very dumb.”
“I already said I am sorry. What else do you want?”
“I want her dead. Just like Sirius and my parents. Someone like her doesn’t deserve to live.”
“Harry…”
Hermione took a step towards him to console her friend but he shrugged off her hand before he stomped off. The young Gryffindor sighed as she watched her friend storm off when she heard a familiar voice behind her.
“Give him some time! He will come around.”
“I know, Professor”, Hermione sighed again. “But wouldn’t it help if he knew the truth?”
Minerva shook her head at her young charge. She gestured at a bench nearby and they took a seat next to each other.
“He can’t, Hermione”, McGonagall shook her head sadly. “The incident at the Ministry proves that he and Voldemort are connected and he has access to Potter’s mind. If he finds out about Bellatrix there will be nothing we can do to save her or her family.”
“You are right. So you are trying to save her?”
“I promised you and I am known to keep my promises. Now why don’t you tell me why it is so important for you to be present at our meeting tonight?”
Hermione rubbed her forehead in frustration, wishing she knew herself. She just had to. She couldn’t put a finger on the why exactly, she simply did.
“To make sure she is all right, I don’t know, Professor. And before you tell me she won’t be, your wife already mentioned it last night.”
“My dear, although, I promised you that I will try and save Bella’s life, you have to keep in mind that I might not be able to”, Minerva reminded her gently. “She plays a very dangerous game. Don’t get me wrong, Bellatrix is a very resourceful woman but she is under constant scrutiny. Voldemort’s punishment for her failure at the Ministry and getting herself caught will be very severe.”
“I know.” Hermione said with a small voice.
“Tell me, Hermione, why do you care?” McGonagall was intrigued.
The brunette lifted her head and looked into the gentle green eyes of her mentor. Finding no judgement there only curiosity.
“I don’t know… I…There was something in her eyes when Sirius died. She was the last person where I expected to find it.”
“What did you see?”
“Grief, sadness, regret, guilt. It happened so fast, I wasn’t even sure it was there. But the more I think about it the more I am convinced it was.”
“It probably was”, McGonagall agreed. “Bellatrix wasn't always that raving lunatic; there was always an underlying anger and a trace of rage in her but never like what she became after she joined Voldemort.”
“What was she like as a student, Professor?” Hermione was eager to learn more about the most feared Death Eater.
“A curious girl, keen to learn but she mostly kept to herself. And like I said she was angry at everybody and the world in general. The only ones who were allowed near were her sisters. I always suspected, giving the way pureblood families treat their children, that Bella was more of a mother to her sisters than her own mother.”
Minerva sighed heavily when she thought about everything Bella had allowed her to see. Nobody should ever be forced to experience what she had to endure. She now understood the motivation behind the dark witch’s actions.
“Walk with me!”
McGonagall used her cane to get up and together they walked slowly through the court yard down to the lake. Minerva had debated how much she should share with her student but given the circumstances she decided her cub deserved to know the truth.
“Despite her protestations, I know for certain that Madam Lestrange has kept a small piece of her humanity before she was sent to Azkaban. Otherwise I highly doubt that she would have survived her ordeal and come to us.”
“What makes you so sure, Professor?”
“Mainly the fact that it was Bellatrix who saved me from her husband's tender treatment during the first war. Other than that, everything she showed me.”
“You don't have to tell me, Professor”, Hermione told her. “It was meant for you alone, to proof her loyalty. I will know eventually, or not. She trusted you with this knowledge, let's keep it this way.”
“Bella gave me permission to share it if necessary.”
“Oh.” The young Gryffindor was surprised. There was one thing though she wanted to know after all. “May I ask why she joined Voldemort beside the obvious reason of pureblood supremacy? And if there was any at all.”
“There was”, McGonagall nodded in confirmation, a sad expression stole over her classical features. “She made a deal with her father. Bella could convince him not to pursue Andromeda after she married Teddy Tonks. But most of all she promised him to join Voldemort if Narcissa didn't have to marry Lucius Malfoy.”
“I always thought the Malfoys were the perfect couple.” Hermione remembered Mrs Malfoy from the Quidditch World Cup, where the older witch acted as arrogant and patronizing like her husband. Hermione had thought her cold and unfeeling.
“Narcissa does what is expected of her and just like her sister she is a formidable witch who has buried her true feelings so deep it makes you wonder sometimes if she has any at all.”
“So, Draco's mother never loved his father?”
“No. The Narcissa I knew was head over heels in love with another woman.”
“Isn't it ironic?” Hermione asked ruefully. “Draco's mom loves a woman while he makes crude jokes about you, your wife and Professor Trelawney.”
“Thank goodness he doesn't know how near he is to the truth.” Minerva thought of her friend and the years Sibyl had spent alone because for her there was never anybody else but Narcissa Black.
“You mean... Professor Trelawney and Draco's mom... they are...”
“Things are rarely what they seem at Hogwarts, Ms Granger”, McGonagall reminded her kindly. “You, of all people, should know that.”
“I know, Professor. It's just a bit unexpected.”
“Well, I suppose it is. I will meet you at midnight, Ms Granger. Make sure you are alone.”
“Thank you.” Hermione was flustered by the sudden change of topic.
“You deserve it.” McGonagall patted her shoulder before she returned to the castle, leaving a bewildered and thoughtful young woman behind.
***
“Finally, you lot”, Bellatrix sneered at her former Professors. “I don't have all night. And what the bloody hell is she doing here?” She pointed her wand menacingly at Hermione who felt slightly hurt.
“Bella”, McGonagall growled warningly as she stepped towards the dark witch. “If it weren't for Ms Granger you wouldn't be here now, in case you have forgotten.”
“Yeah, whatever”, the Death Eater mumbled with a pout. “Can we move on now?”
“What is it you think you can do for us, Madame Lestrange?” Dumbledore asked with a raised eyebrow.
“No, no, no. First I want your word that my sister and my nephew will be save, then and only then we will talk about what I can do for you.” Bellatrix crossed her arms over her chest looking challengingly at the Headmaster.
“Why should we trust you?” Dumbledore insisted.
“You have my word”, Minerva interrupted forcefully, having enough of this.
“Minerva!” Albus was outraged.
“I trust her, Albus. Or do you question my judgement?”
“Of course not, but...”
“No, but, Bellatrix has my word that when this is over I will make sure Narcissa and Draco will be save.”
“Thank you.” Bella smiled defiantly at the most powerful wizard next to her Dark Lord. McGonagall's word was enough for her and better than his as far as she was concerned.
“You too.” She mumbled in Hermione's direction, who nodded in acknowledgement.
Bella peered intently at the impressive raven on McGonagall's shoulder, wondering when her former Professor acquired such an unusual pet. She cocked her head and gasped when the raven's eyes suddenly flashed red before it spread its wings and in mid-flight transformed into the Daywalker.
***
“Daywalker”, the Death Eater greeted respectfully.
Even she wasn't stupid enough to get on the woman's bad side. She was fully aware what she was capable off, having been witness to her power and rage after her wife had been captured by Voldemort's followers. But this was only one side of the woman who stood next to McGonagall with a hand protectively on the small of her back. She had been also witness to a gentler, softer side to this powerful being once, when she was a student at Hogwarts. Bella never told anyone about this encounter near the Black Lake when she sneaked away to meet Susanna.
From her hiding place she had watched when McGonagall arrived at the Lake, her hair lose, flowing down her back and then she saw the wolf stepping out of the bushes and pounding towards the witch. Half way towards to Minerva the wolf had turned into the magnificent woman who now stood before her. Tall, dark, powerful, with the beast lurking behind her pale eyes.
Bella remembered how she had been floored by the display back then when the Daywalker had swept her Professor off her feet to sweep her around before she put her back on her feet and kiss her with an equal amount of passion and tenderness she had never thought possible in someone as strong as the vampire. She was witness to their love and affection for each other just now. It was always there, communicated even through the smallest of touches.
“It is I who is indebted to you”, Siobhan offered her hand to Bellatrix who took it reluctantly. “You have my word as well.”
Bella nodded in acceptance before she told them what she knew about Voldemort's next steps to tighten his reign over the Wizarding World.
“Lucius, that coward, offered Draco as a pawn to get into the Dark Lord's good graces again”, she spat with disdain for her sister's husband. Not mentioning what he done to her sister, which she tried to prevent as much as she could.
“What is Draco's task?” Dumbledore asked with tread.
“He has to kill you.” Bella answered calmly.
“I will make sure it won't come to that”, Dumbledore assured her. “Welcome at the side of the light, Madame Lestrange.” Her turned on his heels and returned to the castle.
“That went well.” Sarcasm was dripping from every word as Bella watched him leave.
Minerva stepped forward to put a hand on the Death Eater's shoulder and patted it affectionately.
“Please be careful, Bella.”
“I'll try, Professor.” She cursed herself for suddenly feeling teary at the kindness.
“See that you do! Now if you excuse us but I have to get back into bed. I am not a young woman anymore and due to Dolores Umbridge's curtsy I still need more rest than usual.”
Minerva took her wife's arm and together they followed the path Dumbledore had taken shortly before them.
Bella watched them until they disappeared in the dark before she looked at young woman who remained behind.
“So, uhm... why are you here?” Bella rubbed the back of her neck embarrassedly.
Hermione shrugged her shoulders before she answered. “I wanted to see if you are all right. Did he hurt you badly?”
“The Dark Lord?”
Hermione nodded in confirmation.
“It could have been worse”, Bellatrix tried to play it down and sighed in defeat when she saw the scrutinizing gaze.
With a sigh she took off the Glamour Charm she put on before she had come here. Hermione gasped at sight, knowing full well that the rest of her body was probably as bad as her face. After being beaten by the Order and having suffered Voldemort's punishment Hermione wondered how she could even stand upright.
“I am sorry”, the young witch whispered, reaching out her hand but afraid to hurt her further.
Bella merely shrugged, “It's not your fault and it's not as if I didn't know what would happen. Don't worry, after more than a decade in Azkaban this is nothing.”
“May I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
“You were disdainful towards the Headmaster but you are always full of respect for Professor McGonagall. Why?”
“Because, believe it or not, I do respect her. McGonagall is strict and stern but always fair, to everybody. Underneath her cold exterior she is kind and has a big heart. Oh, don't look so shocked, even someone like me can recognize that.”
Before Hermione could ask another question Bella hissed in pain and clutched her left forearm.
“I have to go”, Bella whispered apologetically before she apparated in a black cloud.