Shattered Images

Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I do not own any aspect of Harry Potter – one can only dream

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Almost two months later found Harry walking around back of Riddle Manor, enjoying the cool October day. He loved his home in the fall time, when the great forest surrounding the grounds seemed to burst into flames of color and the air turned crisp.

Harry had been supremely busy the past few weeks, training with Bella, Lucius, and Rabastan to bring his combat skills up to par and adding extra planning time in with his father as well. That was not to say he didn't love every minute of it; Harry held a special affection for each one of the adults in his life who helped raise him. Bella especially loved to argue with him over everything, claiming it was to strengthen his mind, but Harry was inclined to think it was more her wanting to spend time with him. Not that he minded, she was as close to a mother he had, and he loved her in quite the same way.

Lucius and Rabastan too held important roles in his life, and though he rarely left the manor except for assignments, Harry had grown close to the whole Malfoy family over the years. Harry knew his pseudo-family was less than sane at times, and certainly he grew up with a slight lack in morals, but he wouldn't trade them for anything. Especially a light family.

Arsinoe slithered over the leaves, no doubt hunting for mice, breaking Harry from his thoughts. She had grown a significant amount from when he first got her; she was now well over two feet long, though slender enough to coil around his arm without disturbance. Harry loved the elegant serpent, and she got along marvelously with Nagini, luckily because snakes could often be rather territorial. Arsinoe was a black mamba and would likely grow to be over eight feet long, much like her sister-friend, Nagini. She, of course, grew slower than regular black mambas because of her magically lengthened life span.

"Are you almost ready to go back inside?" Harry hissed out to his familiar.

"Yes, master. I shall be done in just a moment."

Nodding, Harry began the trek back to the front door, fixing his mask to his face as he went. He still wore a mask, as his father thought it unlikely that the Order had told anyone of their discovery, and he had no inclination to make his heritage well known just yet.

Arsinoe caught up with the dark-haired boy and slithered up his leg to coil about his arm and neck. She sighed in contentment at the heat from Harry's body.

"Did you satisfy your hunger?"

"Yes, master, I found half a dozen lovely mice. I could have saved you one, you need only have asked."

Harry rolled his eyes at her, "I don't eat mice, Arsinoe. But thank you nonetheless," he brushed his fingers over her dark scales.

She sighed and muttered something about silly humans and their eating habits, just as Harry reached the manor's entryway.

The two low-rank death eaters guarding the door bowed to the masked boy as he passed, not sparing them so much as a glance. Harry walked confidently to the portrait which led to his quarters. Hissing his password, he stepped through and stepped into his room.

After extending his arm to allow Arsinoe onto the chair in front of the hearth, he went to sit at his desk. A letter penned on thick, creamy paper sat on the desk, awaiting to be read and replied to. Slitting the top with his paperknife, Harry unfolded the letter from his friend.