Bound

Chapter Thirty

It takes another second for me and Draco to realize the whereabouts of my father and his aunt. Draco gets himself out of the grip of Astoria and Blaise and I slip away from Severus. We run down the hall before getting a hold of each other hands and apparating to my fathers manor. At the very moment we left I could hear our names being called by our closest friends and Professor's.

"Draco! Come back!"

"Draco!"

"Lilith no!"

"NOO!"

Two seconds later Draco and I are standing in my fathers entry way. The house is quiet, not a single sound to be heard anywhere.

"I'll search upstairs and you search this floor."
I say to him. I watch as he runs towards the first door on the ground floor.

I apparate upstairs, not wanting to waste any time running up the many steps to the second floor. I push open every single door, closets, bathrooms, and storage. Any type of door, big or small, to find something that could possibly be a harm to myself and others. While doing this, I'm also searching for my father, Bellatrix, and Barty.The last door is my fathers office. It's open, cracked about an inch or two , just enough to peak inside.

"Draco!"
I yell. I need him just in case there's someone on the other side who might want to attack.

Draco appears beside me within a blink of an eye. He shakes his head to let me know there was nothing downstairs. Other than furniture being knocked around and papers on the floor. The tension that surrounds us is so thick you could cut a slice with a knife. His rests his hand on my shoulder and gives me a nod when he's ready.
I slowly push the door open, pushing it all the way back to the wall. The room is in shambles. My fathers desk now on its side, the window is cracked and broken, his loveseat and chair are upside down and moved an entire ten feet from their original resting position. My fathers papers and books are all over the place, bits or torn parchment lie on the carpet.
My eyes fall to a pair of feet sticking out from behind my fathers desk. I floor it and drop to my knees when I see my fathers body.

"Li..lith..my daughter..."
My father speaks in bits, his voice rough and tired.

"Father...."
I grab a hold of his hands, holding them close to my face.

"Is Draco...w..with you?..."

"Yes."

When Draco hears his name, he walks over and kneels beside me. His eyes fill with tears as he sees the man that has always considered him his son, maimed and covered in blood.

"I..lo..ve you bo...th...take care..of h..her for..me Draco......"
My fathers voice trails off, his body going limp in our arms.

My fathers body begins to flake away into pieces. Collapsing into ashes beneath us.

"No...no...NOOOO!!!!"
Is the only word my mind can process.

"Lilith...."
Draco wraps his arms around me, his hands holding on tightly.

"NOOOOOOO....."
My scream is so loud it causes my own ears to ring.

Draco pulls me away, my body thrashing around, trying to get away from him. To hold the nothing that's left of my father.

"I know...I know Lilith...I'm here...shhh."
His hands pushing my hair away from my face as he attempts to soothe me.

The pain is something I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. We haven't found Bellatrix or Barty yet and I only know that deep down they would have suffered the same fate.
Draco holds me and we stand together. I inhale deeply to help slow my heart.

"You ready?"
Draco asks in a soft voice. I nod my head in reply.

We let go of each other and look around. Draco grabs hold of one end of the couch and I grab the other. Lifting it on the count of three, we move it over to the left a few feet.
Underneath we find Bellatrix. She's curled up on her side, blood surrounding her. Draco gently pushes her onto her back and we find that she's suffered the same wounds that my father did. Her body begins to flake away and form a pile at our feet. Tears fall heavier from us both. Draco loosing his aunt, and a best friend.
We jump at the sound of a groan coming from the back corner. We turn around and find Barty resting against the wall next to the back bookshelf. One arm resting on his leg while the other holds his stomach.

"Barty!"
Draco and I both chime out.

We run over to him. We drop down to our knees on either side of him.

"I'm so sorry Lilith. Draco. They fought like hell and I tried my best to protect them. I'm sorry, I failed you."
His eyes are glossy, tears waiting at the edge, ready to flow.

"You didn't fail us Barty."
Says Draco.

"You were here for them. You helped them. You fought beside my father."

"And my aunt, Barty. They're proud of you and we know that."

"You mean that?..."
His voice trembles.

"Yes."
Draco and I say in unison.

"You're my best friend Lilith. You stood by me ever since we met. Besides your father, you were the only one who knew I was innocent. I will never forget that."
A tears slides down Barty's cheek. Landing on his shirt. He lets out a cough and then cries out in pain.

Tears begin to fall. Barty lifts his hand and caresses my face. The warmth from his blood feels foreign.

"I..love...y..ou..."
I watch as the last little bit of life disappears from Barty's eyes. His hand drops down to the floor with a small thud.

I feel Draco's arms around me once again. My heart barely holding on. Everything hurts, my mind, my body, my soul is wounded, damaged. Dying even. I've lost my only living blood parent, a woman who's helped raise me along with Draco, my mentor. And now, my longest term closest best friend.