Damaged Raven

chapter 17

"Harry! Delphi!" Bella brought the two into a crushing hug "Oh I missed you!"

"Really?" Harry drawled as he felt what he was sure was his ribs being crushed

"Oh look at you two!" Bellatrix cooed as she let go and looked between them "oh Delphi, your hair is brilliant, and you've become so cute!"

"Thank you mother" Delphi let out a small smile, as she was currently between embarrassed at the attention and happy her mother loved her so much

"And you Harry" Bellatrix looked him over "you're looking so handsome!"

"Are you drunk?" Harry blinked

"No, you've really gotten quite handsome" She replied

"Are you referring to just the one half of my face?" Harry pointed to the side of his face without the burn mark, it was the least damaged part of his face after all

"No, you're become really handsome" Bellatrix insisted "you have a nice 'hurt but strong' look on you"

"Okay, how lovely, we'll continue this conversation never, now what happened with Dumbledore? And how did you get all these parents to agree to marching down Hogwarts?"

"Oh I didn't" Bellatrix grinned "I just came here myself and met them outside, apparently we all had the same idea."

"And how did it go?" Delphi asked

"Brilliant. We all each spent a few minutes trying to break the headmaster's ear drums with our voices. Then after the old goat apologised for a few minutes and most of them pretty much told him that if a thing like this happened again then it would be the last time it happened."

"No hexing? No cursing? No spell fire?" Harry asked, a little disappointed

"No" Bellatrix sighed, also disappointed "it was close a few times...I got hopeful once or twice...but no"

"That's a shame, anyway I..."

"Lestrange" A voice called, the three turned to see an old woman wearing a green dress, holding a red handbag and had a weird hat with a vulture on top of it. Neville was standing next to her and both seemed to be glaring at Bellatrix "what exactly are you doing with Mr Potter?"

"Dowager Longbottom" Bellatrix said, doing her best to keep her voice normal "Mr Potter is a friend of my daughters"

"You're her daughter?!" Neville turned to Delphi with shock, as far as the rest of the school was concerned, Delphi was Delphi Riddle, the happy and cheery Ravenclaw, not a single student beyond those she told had learnt her mother's identity.

"Yeah" Delphi crossed her arms and nodded, not the least bit embarrassed or ashamed

"That's not a problem, is it Longbottom?" Harry took a step forward and everything from his voice to his face and body language was a warning and Neville had barely realised when he took a step back

"Ah, Mr Potter" Lady Longbottom, Neville's grandmother, looked towards him "oh, you poor soul" she tutted and her hand reached out and gently cupped the burnt part of his face "poor child" she added, quite sadly.

"Get...your hand...off of my face" Harry's voice was slow and dangerous, he as rather pissed off that this woman was touching him without permission and was treating him like a bloody puppy

"Poor child" She said once more before removing her hand "my dear, you may not know this but Neville's parents were great friends with your parents. Perhaps you and he can be friends someday"

"Okay, I'll think about it" Harry shrugged, hoping it would satisfy the old lady

"We'll have to work on your manners dear, you'll also have to learn proper etiquette " Lady Longbottom smiled "don't worry, we have plenty of time for that, I will be glad to teach you"