Our Corrupted Souls

Part XVIII: Confrontations & Schemes.

"All human actions have one or more of these seven causes: chance, nature, compulsions, habit, reason, desire, pleasure. "

                     ~ Aristoteles.

It was clear, Harry knew it when he looked past Bellatrix to the man shivering in the far out corner, the Cretaceous Curse had affected his mind. His eyes darted back to the duo with a mission in mind, one he had not yet made out. For a while, the three stood in silence, Harry idle with the two dark wizards preparing for a curse - until Rodolphus stepped back in, the tip of his wand against Harry's nape. His fist clenched the top of his hood, but the boy would not allow his identity to be revealed. In a swift move, just as the man attempted to lower his hood, he stepped into the Realm of Death, took eight steps forward and slipped back to Life's Realm to appear besides Bellatrix, wand at hand.

Rodolphus' breath hitched, but the fear in him did not project to his wife. No, the woman's smile simply became wider, a slight crackle escaping her lips. "Well, little thief knows how to play," her voice was whispery, the same as Death, with a slight taunt seeped into it. "Care for introductions? After all, you did just interrupt a very important, discussion." Harry simply lifted his empty palm, making a move for the wand Bellatrix held. She understood this, and by knowing she was at a disadvantage, handed the wand to him. He muttered two quick expelliarmus to the other Lestranges, holding their wands in his hand.

"What, too scared to speak?"

Harry did not reply, knowing exactly the reaction Bellatrix had of him. He muttered another charm, this one to knock out both wizards. The woman gasped upon seeing her husband fall, this time with a rather perplexed look. She did not expect for the small knack of worry that washed over until he was already on the floor. Knowing one could not perform two spells at once, she muttered a quick chant for her wand to be brought back and fired a stinging hex, which Harry easily dodged. "You stole my cup!" She shrieked, firing a nasty dark curse that opened a void to anything it caught. "THIEF!" At the last shout, Harry managed to send a dehydration charm - mild enough for her to feel weak in the knees. The witch attempted to use a blasting curse that landed in the fireplace. Harry took the opportunity to place a clump of leaves on Frank's body, as he dodged hex after hex, he whispered the activation word for his portkey, guaranteeing Frank's return to his home.

"I took what was mine," he answered, as if his voice was something forbidden; so soft, one would have thought it was an act of the imagination. The sound of his voice perplexed the witch. A moment of hesitation was what it took for Harry to conjure a binding of ropes around her. Bellatrix collapsed, but her magic was not yet gone, for her wand still played around her fingers, arms brought to her back.

With distaste, but yet with that familiar smirk, the woman spoke. "So little thief can talk, care to show your face...? Or are you too much of a coward to?"

"Perhaps. Although, now your ears are familiar with my voice. Surely, if we meet again, you'll know who I am." Harry took a couple of steps closer to Bellatrix until he was close to her. His small finger graced her temple as he pushed past her overgrown bangs, which were neatly brought to the side to match her messy bun. "But that is not important. This is though," Harry, who met eye-to-eye with her now, leaned closer to whisper in her ear. As if the following words would be lost in the wind. "If you dare to even look at the Longbottoms-" He briefly snapped his wrist in a swirling motion. The ropes around Bellatrix's petite body tightened until her breathing became labored. "I will make sure the wolves tear you limb from limb."