The fire was roaring invitingly, but Harry couldn't find any comfort in the flames right now. It was nearing ten at night, and he was seriously wondering whatever madness had driven him to reply in affirmative to Voldemort's invitation. He was about to step into the home of one of the most powerful dark wizards of all time. What was he thinking ? A hand on his arm stilled his trembling form.
"You sure you want to do this, Harry?" Bellatrix asked softly.
"Too late to back out now," he chuckled mirthlessly. "Guess I'll find out if he's made me, or not."
"And possibly get killed." Bellatrix countered.
"I suppose."
"Keep in mind, he did chase us through the forest. I still say you should leave the spying to me," she continued, "he's marked you for interest, but chances are he wasn't following me specifically. Only reason he was, probably, because I was with you. I told you there's another meeting tonight at midnight. I could go there and find out what's going on."
Harry shook his head. "No, it's too dangerous. I told you before. Your father and uncle are going to have my head on a silver platter if I let anything happen to you."
"And this dark lord isn't?" Bellatrix's grip tightened. "Look, despite the fact that my uncle's getting himself involved now, somehow I have this feeling in my gut that no matter what anyone else does, you're the key to this, so I'll be damned if I just let you run off and get yourself killed!"
"Yeah, too bad we can't just shove a nuke through the floo and be done with it," Harry muttered.
"What was that?"
"Nothing." Harry waved her off.
Bellatrix finally let go of his arm and moved to stand in front of him. Fists stemmed into her hips, she glared at him defiantly as she blocked the way to the fireplace. "So you're just going to waltz in there, and what? Have tea with a dark lord?"
"Something like that."
"Look," she sighed in exhasperation, "why don't you just tell my uncle, and we can figure out-"
"No," Harry shook his head vehemently. "I'm not involving your uncle in this."
"If this is some kind of macho thing, Ashworth…"
"It's not."
Bellatrix raised an eyebrow skeptically. "Really," she deadpanned. "So you spend however long in your time fighting this guy, being hunted by him, and then you're captured and tortured and whatnot and marked for death. And you tell me you're fine with just accepting an invitation to tea that probably is a trap ? He's probably suspicious of you already!"
"And if I don't go, he will be suspicious." Harry sighed. "Look, I don't expect you to understand, but I know him better than anyone else, even Dumbledore. I spent five years of my life fighting against him, watching friends die because of him. I know him. That's why I've got to go now. If I can get into his inner circle, I can destroy him and his bid for power before it even starts."
She stared at him in disbelief. " What ? That is your plan ?" she shrieked.
"Part of it. Let's just call it a recent addition, since he did invite me." Harry crossed his arms belligerently.
"Your plan's stupid," she told him bluntly.
"And you have a better idea?"
"Damn right I do," she replied haughtily. "One that doesn't involve you getting yourself killed for nothing."
Harry rolled his eyes. "Would you stop talking like I'm dead already?" he asked in annoyance.
"Then would you care to tell me what makes you think he isn't going to kill you outright after he chased us halfway across England the last time we saw him, because someone who shall remain unnamed conveniently forgot that he shares some kind of weird psychic bond?"
"I didn't forget," Harry corrected. "There was no other way. He was going to be there, and it couldn't be avoided. I am counting on the fact that certain future events haven't happened yet, which means he will be unaware of the significance of said bond."
"Oh, and he's just going to be curious and ask you what that's all about?"
"Perhaps I can convince him I was trying to probe his occlumency shields. The sensation is pretty close to it." At Bellatrix's pointed glare, he continued. "I know him. He's curious, especially if I'm not an enemy. He's also arrogant, as long as he thinks he's got the situation in hand, he won't kill me."
"And if he doesn't fall for it? You told me yourself he's a powerful legilimens, and I'm sure he's capable of breaking through your shields, as well. Especially if he's as curious as you say he is. Why bother asking you when he can get what he wants this way, and without having to figure out whether you're lying to him or not?"
Harry shook his head belligerently. "He likes toying with people. Unless you're a threat to him, he'll have his fun messing with you first before he kills you."
"And you know him that well." It wasn't a question, and Harry almost cringed at her accusatory tone.
"Yes, I do."
Bellatrix sighed. "Tell me, Ashworth, are you willing to bet your life on that? Do you even have a backup plan in case things go sour?"
"I'll make a break for the floo, and get out."
"Ashworth, you're an idiot."
"Miss Black-"
"Don't 'Miss Black' me! You think I can't see right through you? Well, news flash, I can read you like an open book, Ashworth," Bellatrix's voice rose in pitch and volume, and Harry was glad he'd put a silencing charm around his quarters once more - a habit he'd gotten into thanks to Moody's constant drilling on constant vigilance.
"Really?" Harry shot back acerbically, irritated at her sudden questioning of his motives and her arrogance at presuming to know what he was thinking. Who does she think she is, he thought angrily.
"Yes, really," Bellatrix said flatly. "You think I can't tell you hate this guy's guts? You think I can't tell how much you're just itching to prove yourself, to get back at him for whatever shit he put you through in your time?"
"Yes, I hate him," Harry hissed angrily, "yes, I would kill him given the chance, and I would do so gladly. He's a dangerous madman, and if he's allowed to live, he'll cause everyone unimaginable pain and suffering!"
"He'll cause you unimaginable pain and suffering," Bellatrix replied quietly.
Harry opened his mouth to respond, but realized he couldn't. She was right, and he knew it, as much as he wanted to deny it. He wanted revenge on Voldemort, he wanted him dead, but not for such lofty goals as saving the wizarding world, or preventing all the bloodshed Voldemort would cause. It was part of the reason, certainly, but as he'd told Orion, he wanted vengeance . He wanted Voldemort to die for all he'd done to him.
Seeing the realization flash across his eyes, Bellatrix's tone softened considerably. "Look, I don't know exactly what happened to you in that future of yours, but I can imagine it wasn't pretty. I'm sure you lost friends, maybe even family. And you want revenge for that, it's understandable. But I'm not going to let you throw your life away on some stupid plan because you think it'll get you one step closer to killing him, your life be damned, you understand?"
"Despite what you may think, I'm not suicidal," Harry muttered in annoyance.
"Could've fooled me."
"Look," Harry sighed, as he set himself to explain himself to his erstwhile partner, something he found himself doing surprisingly often lately. "I'm not planning on getting myself killed, as much as you might think so. Yes, I want to get back at him for what he's done… will do. Yes, I hate him. But I didn't fight against him as long and hard as I did just so I can die when all's said and done. You're asking me to trust you, and I do. But that goes both ways. I know things about him that no one else aside from him knows. I know his deepest, darkest secrets, his strengths and his weaknesses. I know his arrogance and his powers, his cunning and his tactics. I've duelled him often enough to know how he fights and how frighteningly powerful he truly is."
Bellatrix was silent for a long moment. "You've fought him before?"
"I have," Harry confirmed without pride.
"I hope you know what you're doing, Ashworth, because I'm not going to be there to pick up the pieces all the time."
"I do. Trust me." The clock chimed, and Harry stepped around her, noting that she made no move to intercept him. "I'll see you tomorrow."
"You just make sure you do."
"Don't worry, I will." He tossed a pinch of floo powder into the fireplace. "Gaunt Estate."
As he stepped through the flames, he turned to look over his shoulder. "And Bellatrix… stay out of trouble."
In a flash of green flames, he was gone.
....
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