The Depth of Deception // H. Potter

xi. the malfoy manor

Months had passed at the Malfoy Manor. And those months had passed painfully slow, especially to the young Malfoy girl. 

Amara hadn't seen nor heard from Harry Potter in months. The events of the Weasley wedding continuously played through her head, repeatedly as if she hadn't already been through it enough. She had spent her days looking for Harry, but to no avail. Nobody knew where he was, not even Voldemort. It would seem that he was gone, gone without a trace.

Until the day came when the snatchers had brought back three suspicious people wandering about in the Forest of Dean. That was the day that Amara knew it was Harry, Hermione, and Ron.

When the girl made her way to the trio, she looked at the young boy. He looked like Harry, but seemed to have a very swollen face. She wondered why he wasn't wearing his glasses, but decided it was probably because of the swelling that he didn't.

"Well?" Bellatrix asked the Malfoy twins for confirmation, "Is it him?"

Draco and Amara exchanged a look, a look only they could understand.

"I can't be sure." Draco spoke, putting his head down to the floor. Bellatrix sighed, and held Harry's head up angrily.

"Look closely," Lucius spoke to his children, "If we are the ones to hand Potter over to the Dark Lord, everything would be forgiven. All would be as it was, do you understand?" 

Both Amara and Draco knew what he meant, but could they really just give him away like that? This next moment would mean that Amara had completed her task, but could she ever forgive herself for it? Not to mention she loved the boy, truly. Could she really betray him this way?

"It's not him."

~X~

Harry and Ron had been sent to the basement, while Hermione was ordered to be interrogated by Bellatrix. Amara sent the young muggleborn a look, before following the boys to the basement.

"Leave me, Wormtail," Amara spoke to the man, "I will take watch." With that, Wormtail had left the girl and had given her the keys to the basement.

"Amara?" Harry walked over to the girl, "You knew it was me...and you didn't say anything. Why?" Harry asked, and Amara was a bit shocked. Fear registered in her immediately.

Had he thought that she was lying? Had he realized that she was working for Voldemort?

"Because..." Amara took a deep breath, "I love you, Harry." Amara smiled, unlocking the basement doors. She walked inside and hugged the boy for the first time in several months. She could smell the scent of the forest on him, and could feel how much he'd matured over the past few months. The slight stubble of his beard against her chin was enough of a reminder to just how long it had really been.

"I missed you." Harry squeezed her, and relished in the fact that he was holding her in his arms once again. He had missed the sweet smell of her strawberry shampoo and the color of her blonde hair. 

"No," Amara pushed herself off of him, Harry looked confused, "I missed you."

That's when Dobby the elf appeared, and a sturdy plan was set in motion. Project Potter.

~X~

"Good luck, Harry," Amara spoke, opening the gate, "I love you."

The three snuck up the stairs, as Amara stayed behind. They had ten seconds, before she was to scream and pretend that they had broken out.

The trio were watching as Bellatrix had left Hermione on the floor. Amara felt sorry for her, but couldn't do anything at the moment to help her, but this plan. If the plan fell through, they were all dead.

Draco, Lucius, Narcissa, and Bellatrix stood in the room. That's when Amara screamed.

"HELP ME!" Amara shouted, which made Harry nervous. He hated to even think she was hurt, even though he knew she wasn't.

As they noticed the trio and heard the scream, Ron and Harry shot up and threw spells their way. Amara was quick to run up the stairs, holding her head in fake agony. She looked at Harry, who sent her a quick look that she knew to be sorry.

"Drop your wands." Bellatrix spoke, as she held a knife to Hermione's throat. Amara looked at Harry and Ron, who looked absolutely terrified.

"Well, look what we have here. It's Harry Potter. He's all bright and shiny and new again, just in time for the Dark Lord." Bellatrix spoke, as a loud creaking sound was heard from above. Everyone looked up, watching as Dobby had unscrewed the chandelier. 

Bellatrix let go of Hermione and ran away as the chandelier began to fall. Harry grabbed Hermione as Dobby dropped the chandelier and stood beside Ron and Harry. They had to get the hell out of here before Voldemort showed up.

"Stupid elf! You could have killed me!" Bellatrix shouted at Dobby, angry with him that he almost dropped the chandelier on her. Amara secretly wished he had.

She and Dobby exchange more unpleasantries but Amara found it hard to listen. She could hear her own heartbeat drumming in her ears, telling her that they were dangerously running out of time.

Dobby grabbed their hands and began to apparate somewhere presumably safe. Just as they left, Amara watched Bellatrix tossed her knife their way.

I could only hope that it did not hit Harry.