Harmony Bond (Completed)

Chapter 20: A Veela Cleansing

The next couple of weeks proceeded with boring normality as the Potters schedule of classes, defense training, homework and Quidditch continued. As March dawned and the month continued, more snow melted off and a bit of the chill started to receded, making practices more enjoyable.

The normality was broken on the evening of March 8th when Harry was sitting in the library with most of his friends after dinner. Suddenly his scar was on fire and his head felt like it was being ripped open. Hermione cried out briefly, feeling his pain and all his friends stood around him, shielding him. As Madam Pince came hurrying over to confront them about the noise, a fierce look from both Blaise and Ginny stopped her in her tracks. Harry felt Hermione and tried to put up a shield to block her from the pain. She did the same from her side, but it didn't block everything. She saw flashes of the images that Harry was seeing. The Dark Lord was angry and a man lay on the floor, writhing under the cruciatus. Then the cold voice of Voldemort could be heard.

'Rodolphus, you disappoint me. I put that cup in yours and Bella's keeping. Retrieving it should have been simple.'

Voldemort stopped the curse and the man looked up, blood dribbling from a corner of his mouth.

'My lord…I...I'm s…orry. I sent m…my nephew, with my signature…authorizing his access of the vault, but…but the goblins refused to recognize the autho…rization since I'm a fugitive.'

'You fool! You shouldn't have trusted those animals with something so valuable. You should have foreseen this. When I take my rightful place, I will rid this world of them! Now, I think you should be taught a lesson. Perhaps that little village you adore so much that fills your childhood memories would be good for some practice.'

Voldemort began laughing and images invaded Harry's mind of a village that he knew would be the next target. He clung to any detail and Hermione dropped a bit of her barrier, fighting the pain that Harry was feeling and trying to remember everything. Finally, Voldemort's emotions settled and Harry was able to break the connection. He had bitten his lip and blood was dripped down his chin. Hermione wrapped her arms around him while Neville handed him a handkerchief. Harry was weak and hurting, so Hermione took control.

"Ron, we need to go see the headmaster. We'll explain later. Can you please gather our books and take them to the common room. We'll be back in a bit."

Ron nodded and everyone made way as Hermione finished cleaning Harry up and supported him as they hobbled out of the library. His head was still throbbing and she was trying to help him dull the pain. They arrived at the headmaster's office a couple minutes later and the door swung open. Hermione figured the gargoyle must have warned him. Dumbledore took one look at them and stepped forward, looking concerned. Hermione answered before he could ask.

"Headmaster, Harry had another vision. He's gotten quite good at blocking Voldemort, but he's tired and Voldemort was very angry. I saw some of it, but he put up a barrier to protect me. Voldemort had Rodolphus Lestrange under the cruciatus. He was angry that Rodolphus couldn't get a cup from the Lestrange vault. The cup must be very important with how angry he was. Anyway, he's going to take revenge by going after a village. I only saw a flash of it."

Harry nodded and forced himself to sit in an offered chair and tell what he saw.

"…the village…summer…it's a place Lestrange went in summer. He likes it a lot. Voldemort…saw it in his mind. He has to cross water to it…maybe island. Coast with trees and cliffs. I tried to…to see the name. Something B. Wait…black…something Black. The Blacks? Sorry, that's all I have. But he's attacking soon."