Harry Potter and the Ritual of Love's Memory

Chapter 2

Voldemort's red eyes flashed with malice. He backhanded his servant, who tumbled to the ground. Bellatrix was engulfed in the Cruciatus before she knew what happened, and her screams echoed through the tunnels.

"You fool! Don't you realize that's exactly what she wanted? Now we cannot extract any details about what they've been doing nor what they've accomplished! Your impudence has robbed me of crucial information!" The intensity of the curse grew, casting odd shadows on the cavern walls.

"I'm sorry... My Lord..." panted Bellatrix as she still convulsed. She had long ago learned not to rise after her Master's curse until instructed to do so. "No matter what they sought to do, nothing can undermine..."

Another jet of light hit Bellatrix, though its intensity was not as great as the first. "Do not speak of my plans as if you know all the wheels I've set into motion. Coming to Gringotts, breaking in disguised as you to infiltrate your vault. There is more to these children than we had expected. Stand up. Fetch the treasure I entrusted to you all those years ago."

Bellatrix shakily got to her feet. The Dark Lord wasn't looking at her, his gaze locked on the doors to the Black family vault. She swiftly hobbled to her own vault doors, placed her hand on them, and stepped through the doorway.

The thieves had clearly been looking for something. Her gait was evening out as she passed open drawers and chests, walking towards the back corner of her treasure trove. With a bit of difficulty stemming from her borrowed wand, she removed the curses, which undid the magical multiplication of coins and trinkets, as well as allowed for everything to be handled without being burned.

As the false items evaporated, Bellatrix noted with some trepidation that the largest pile of duplicates stood right in front of the wall where the cup had been stored. A bead of sweat formed on her brow. She soon realized that the shelf on the wall had been pulled down and that the cup was likely near the bottom of the pile of gold, gems, and...

A gasp escaped Bellatrix's lips as she saw a charred human body slumped against the wall. She had seen countless bodies in her life, caused more deaths than she could count, so the fear welling up inside her had little to do with the tall, red-haired corpse. No, her heart was pounding in her chest because the body's hand held tight to some sort of sword even in death, and that sword had plunged straight through her Master's gift.

She ripped the sword from the lifeless hand of its former wielder, closely examining it. The small cup was oozing something black and ominous. With a feeling of dread, she brought both items back to the entrance of the vault.

Voldemort's unblinking eyes had not moved from where Harry had disappeared minutes before. The trepidation in his servant's voice, however, caused him to slowly turn towards her.

"Master... I apologize. It appears that there was a third among the number who broke into my vault. He was dead, burned beneath an avalanche of cursed treasure, but his hand held this sword with your cup on it."

As Voldemort took the sword, which was still buried halfway through the cup, his body began to pulse with some sort of malevolent energy. Bellatrix Lestrange had witnessed a great many outbursts of rage, but nothing compared to this. A jet of white-hot light billowed from Voldemort's wand, indenting the doorway of the Black vault. There was no spell uttered; no incantation to mold or direct the spell. This was pure malice made into magic.

When the doorway held against the onslaught, Voldemort slashed it back and forth, scouring the cavern with deep gashes. The now-dead dragon was hewn in two. Bodies of fallen goblins were reduced to ash instantly. Bellatrix turned tail and ran, making for the closest tunnel, before her unseeing Master's rage finally caught her. She didn't even have time to question whether the curse was some unknown version of the Killing Curse, or if it was simply a Cruciatus with such powerful hate behind it that it was ripping her apart.