“Does anyone else smell that?” Hermione asked as she sat down at the dining room table for a nice dinner with the every single one of the Weasley’s, Izzy and Will, Harry and Trisha, and Draco and his mother Narcissa.
Isabella raised an eyebrow and looked at her friend from across the table. “Smell what? I smell food... good food.”
“Come over here and get a whiff... it’s not food and it’s not good,” Hermione said, her nose wrinkled a little.
Isabella stood up, her hand on Will’s shoulder for support as her shoe heel caught in the thick carpeting, avoiding near disaster. “What?” she asked at all the faces struggling not to giggle. “I never said I was graceful,” she added with a grin.
By the time she had made it to the other side of the table, Ron was already up and sniffing around the air duct in the room. “It’s coming from over here,” he said. “It smells like...”
“Kreacher!” Izzy announced, joining Ron at his side. “I bet that vial little bastard left something in the vent before he kicked the can... of course we haven’t used the dining room for years....” she said, reaching up and pulling at the vent.
“You sure we want to open that now? Right before we eat? I don’t know about you, Iz, but I’m not ready to lose my appetite,” Ron said, his hand on her shoulder. “I’ll just mask the smell and then we can deal with it later.” With a flick of his wand the smell was temporarily gone and the two of them returned to their seats.
“Before we start eating this delicious meal, by the way Dobby, thank you, I would like to say a few things,” Arthur Weasley said, the murmurs in the room quieting down. “I would first like to make a toast to family. I feel very blessed that all my children are happy and settled and most of all alive,” he glanced at all his children seated around the table, pausing to give Percy a small smile. “And I feel blessed that Harry, Hermione, Will and Isabella are here today too, because Molly and I love you like you’re our own,” he saw the tears well up in Hermione and Isabella’s eyes. “Lastly, to our new found friends Draco and Narcissa. If you had asked me a few short years ago if I’d be sitting at a dinner table with both of you I would have said you were mad, but things change. So here’s to family and friendship,” he raised his glass and everyone else followed suit.
“I wanted to congratulate you, Mr. Weasley,” Draco spoke up after they had all had a sip from their glasses. “My father always said you’d become Minister of Magic over his dead body... I guess we never knew how serious he was.”
Isabella nearly spat her wine out of her nose at Draco’s comment, turning red from not laughing. Narcissa shot her son a nasty look and he raised his hands. “What? It’s true!.”
“Oh, I know Draco, believe me I know,” Narcissa commented. She raised her glass. “To you Arthur. We’ve never had a better Minister.” Again everyone raised their glass in another toast.
Finally they were able to dig into their feast of Cornish game hens, fresh vegetables from Molly’s garden, fresh bread that Bill and Fleur had baked earlier that afternoon, and roasted potatoes. For dessert Hermione and Isabella had baked a chocolate cake and made white chocolate mousse. Of course both were covered in flour by the end of it.
After everyone had finished eating and had had their fill of dessert, Dobby came and cleared the table with a snap of his fingers. Isabella let her eyes settle on Trisha, who’s belly had miraculously started growing the very next day after Isabella had pointed out that at four months along there should be some sort of a bump forming.
“I’m going to check that vent now,” Isabella announced after all their food had settled in their stomachs and everyone seemed to be relaxed and happy. She stood up, a hand on her full stomach, a sort of sleepy haziness had washed over her.
“You want a hand?” Ron offered, starting to stand up, but sat back down when he heard the reply of no.
Isabella was half listening to the conversations going on around her: Mr. Weasley, Percy, and Charlie discussing politics; Ron, Harry and Bill discussing Quidditch; Fred, George, and Will discussing women; Mrs.Weasley, Hermione, Fleur, Narcissa, and Trisha discussing babies and clothes; and Draco sitting silently and observing, throwing his two cents into Fred, George and Will’s conversation when he deemed it necessary.
She grabbed her wand that was sitting on top of a cabinet in the dining room and stood in front of the vent. She was feeling far too lazy to do any manual labor. With a quick, nonchalant flick of her wand the vent cover flew off and landing on the hard wood floor with a soft thud.
A puff of black soot came spilling out into the dining room, leaving a dark cloud hanging out over the room. Out of the black haze came a cloaked figure. Isabella was silent, her mouth hanging open as the body flew horizontally towards her, stopping before knocking into her, suspended in air. Slowly the body was stood up right, the hem of the cloak still a good two feet off the floor and the cloak fell away from the body. A blood curdling scream filled the room as the corpse of Celia Riddle hung in front of Isabella. Isabella screamed again, and as she did so the corpse turned into black butterflies that disappeared into thin air.
The whole room was silent except for the bone shattering sob that escaped Isabella’s body. Draco was the first one up and out of his seat. He ran over to her and wrapped his arms around her as tight as he could without crushing her. The rest of the room sat in stunned silence, faces white, mouths gaping open in shock.
“Shhh... it’s ok now, it’s ok,” Draco tried his best to sooth her, but nothing he did seemed to calm her down. She shook like a leaf and sobbed harder than he had ever heard anyone sob before. He glanced over to Will, silently begging for help.
William pulled his own shaking body out of his chair and made his way over to his sister and took her in his arms. “Izzy, it wasn’t real... it was an illusion... magic....” he didn’t know who he was trying to convince: himself or his sister. She wasn’t calming down though, so he glanced at Harry for help.
Harry lifted his head and let his eyes meet Will’s. He was just as stunned as everyone. Everyone was still stunned. Ron’s arms were around Hermione, as were Bill’s around Fleur. Narcissa’s hand was over her mouth. The only noise in the room was Isabella’s muffled sobs.
Harry slowly nodded at Will and pushed his chair back. He felt Trisha’s hand on his arm, trying to stop him from getting up. He shot her a look that clearly said “not now” without using any words at all. He rose from his seat and swiftly walked over to the Black siblings. Will pushed his sister gently into Harry’s open arms and stepped back. When he turned he was greeted by Mrs.Weasley’s waiting arms. He went to them and closed his eyes, feeling very vulnerable and weak. He hated that he wasn’t able to help his sister.
As soon as Isabella felt Harry’s arms around her she calmed down. She felt safe again, nothing would hurt her ever again when she was with him. He stroked her hair, and he felt her rapidly beating heart against his own chest slowing down as she became calmer. Her whole body ached from sobbing and she felt drained, but as she clung onto Harry everything seemed to hurt less.
“I’ll take you to your room,” Harry whispered, knowing the last thing Izzy needed was a bunch of people flocking around her, making sure she was ok. She was the type of person who liked to be left alone, or just be with him when she was upset. “I’ll be back in awhile,” he told Trisha, who looked furious.
“Can’t someone else look after her?” Trisha asked, sounding nasty, forgetting she was in a room full of people who still thought she was a sweet, nice girl, at least some of them still thought that.
Harry narrowed his eyes at her. “This isn’t about you, Trisha,” he said, trying to sound calm. “Just one friend taking care of another,” he glanced at Hermione, silently telling her to keep Trisha occupied, so he was free to look after Izzy.
“No one does it like Harry,” a little voice spoke up. “You’ve taken him from me already, you’re going to marry him, you’re having his child. You have my life, you win, you have everything I want. Don’t take this from me,” Izzy said, her voice sounding hoarse.
Draco sat in his chair, looking as though he had been punched in the gut. She still wanted that git Potter and not him. How could he make someone fall in love with him? And how did he let that horrible woman, Trisha, convince him to break Isabella’s heart further. On the other hand if he tried harder he could make Isabella forget she ever knew Harry Potter. Draco Malfoy always got what he wanted. So he’d let her go tonight and in the morning he’d finally get what he wanted.
With no one else saying anything, even Trisha didn’t have a reply to what Isabella had said, Harry apparated with her into her room. He sat her down on the bed and closed the door behind them, locking it to ensure ultimate privacy. He turned back to her, shoulders hunched forward, head hung as she read a note that had been lying on her pillow. He assumed it was an old one from her father, bringing her some form of comfort.
“What is this?” Isabella asked, panic rising in her voice. “What the hell is this?” she repeated, thrusting the letter at Harry. “Look.”
He walked towards her, his heart thumping in his chest as he took the letter from her. His mouth went dry as cotton and his stomach dropped, a sick feeling washing over him. He glanced down at Izzy before continuing taking in the words on the parchment.
Isabella,
How did you like my little surprise in the dining room? I did it just for you. Consider this your final warning, your time is almost up. You escaped death twice before and it wont happen again. A new war is on this horizon, a new Dark Lord is about to up rise, and your days are number my sweet, icy daughter. Let my memory haunt you in your sleep and know that wherever you go I’m watching, waiting and counting down the moments until darkness rises again.
“Now do you believe me?” Isabella asked Harry, taking the letter back from him. “Really believe me,” she stood up in front of him.
He nodded. “I’m sorry. I just saw, we all saw.... she was dead.... how?” his sentence was fragmented. “Do you really think she’s building up another army? Ready to take over as the new Dark Lord?” he asked her.
“I don’t know. It would be so like her... trying to recapture her father’s glory, avenge his death. You know there are people out there who still believe in his ideals,” she sat back down on the bed, her mind racing a mile a minute.
He sat down beside her, still feeling a little sick to his stomach. “Are you okay?” he asked her, studying her face for any sign of emotion. There was none. She had fallen back into Ice Queen mode. He fully expected her answer to be yes, she was fine.
Instead Isabella shook her head. “No... far from it,” she answered honestly. She turned her head, looking at Harry.
He reached out for her, fully intending to pull her in for a hug. Instead his lips somehow met hers and he was kissing her, hungrily. Without hesitation her body responded, kissing him back, her hands on his chest, then slowly wrapped her arms around the back of his neck. His hands found her sides, and he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her to him. She was pressed into him, so close he could feel her rapid heart beat.
A hard knock at the bedroom door jarred both of them from their deep sleeps. Isabella sat up first, the sheet falling from her naked breasts. The knock was harder this time. “Izzy, come on, let me in,” Will’s voice called from the outside.
“Thank Merlin,” she whispered, grabbing the sheet and wrapping it around herself. Leaving Harry searching for his boxers or anything to cover himself with. She opened the door just enough to let Will in.
“Are you two mad?” he hissed, looking at his sister wrapped in a sheet and Harry with a pillow in his lap. “I don’t believe it....” he shook his head.
“We didn’t mean for it to happen,” Harry replied, shifting uncomfortably on the bed. This was way worse than the time he and Isabella were busted in the middle of having sex at Lupin’s house when Izzy was staying with him.
“But you don’t regret it. The tension is so obvious between you two, even Mrs. Weasley is noticing it. She asked me about it earlier.... for the love of Merlin this has to stop!” Will sounded exasperated. “You’re getting married, Harry, you have a child on the way, Trisha was right, it’s time for someone else to comfort her for once.”
Isabella looked at her brother, feeling like a knife had been stabbed in her chest. He hated Trisha. He of all people should want to see that woman go down in flames and see his sister happy again.
“You two have got to stop being alone together, it’s no good for either of you,” Will sighed, knowing his words were going to hurt Isabella, but he also knew the rational side of her was going to understand where he was coming from and that he was right. “What do you plan on doing? Having an affair for the rest of your lives?”
“I don’t think we thought about it,” Isabella replied, skillfully putting her clothes back on under the wrapped sheet. She tossed the sheet to Harry. She grabbed the letter off her bedside table and handed it to Will. “See, I was right, she’s back, and the even worse news.... we’re about to enter a new war,” she spoke quickly and left the room, announcing she was going to go for a walk. Alone.
When Isabella returned from her walk an hour and a half later she was ready to march in the door and agree with William. Her and Harry did have to stop seeing it each other, it was time they moved on once and for all and to consider what had happened earlier that night was their final goodbye. Instead of being greeted by her adopted family and friends she was greeted by darkness and absolute silence.
“Hello?” She called out as she stepped down the hallway, her wand at the ready. “Where is everyone?” she asked. It was far too early for everyone to be in bed.
She walked to the living room and was met by more darkness, but in the darkness she could make out the figures of her house guests tied up by magical blue glowing ropes. She ran into the room to help her friends, not sure who to go first, but heading to Will first.
He stared at her, and then suddenly found his voice. “Izzy, no! It’s a trap! Run!” he sputtered out.
She was about to open her mouth to ask him a series of questions but a powerful jinx threw her against the wall hard. She scrambled to her feet and grabbed her wand, her reflexes almost cat like and just as quick as one. She stood up straight, wand at the ready, facing her attacker.
“You!” she hissed when she saw Celia Riddle standing before her, very much alive dresses in purple and black robes.
“Yes it’s me, dearest daughter,” Celia cackled a little. “I’ve come to finish you once and for all. Up in the attic was only a taste of what I have in store for you. And now all your friends can watch when you beg me to end your pathetic life.”
“And you expect me to just stand here and let you torture and then kill me? You are insane. I will fight back and I will win. Killed you once, Mother, I can do it again,” Isabella replied to her mothers words, the two of them circling the room, ready for the other ones attack.
“And you failed. I’m still here aren’t I?” she smiled, a deranged look in her eyes. Without any warning she sent a jet of red light from her wand in Izzy’s direction, and just as quickly Izzy fired one back, sending the first stream of light into the wall.
“You think you can out smart me old woman?” Izzy asked, standing in the center of the room. She quickly cast a blasting charm in the direction of the other woman that hit her in the middle of her chest, sending her flying backwards into the wall. She then cast Petrificus Totalus, running back to Will to break the ropes.
“You’re too rusty, Isabella, a weak little spell like that wont hold me back!” Celia screamed, breaking free from the spell. Before Izzy could move she felt excruciating pain wash over her as Celia screamed. “Crucio!!”
Isabella fell to the ground on her hands and knees, but she would not scream. She would not give Celia the satisfaction of hearing how much pain she was causing her only daughter. The curse seemed to intensify as the moments grew longer, but still she would not give in. With a shaking hand she started to reach for her wand, determined to fight through this, to not give in. She got her fingers on her wand when she heard someone run into the room.
“Stupefy!” A male voice yelled and the pain was gone, the curse had been broken. She heard Celia scream and then the sound as she Disapparated. The ropes on Celia’s hostages disappeared as well and she glanced at Will, who’s mouth was gaping open as he stared across the room to the door way.
She stood up slowly, raising her head to look at her savior. Her mouth didn’t hang open like the rest of the room’s or like her brothers. Instead she smiled and ran towards the man.
“Dad! I knew it! I knew you were alive!” her voice was strained not only from the pain she had endured, but from happiness. Sirius Black was very much alive and he opened his arms for his daughter, hugging her tight.
House of Leaves by elegantlytwisted
Chapter Notes: This is dedicated to my brilliant friend Claire! Long live the tortis!