The Heart of a Child

Chapter Three

Marvolo had killed Draco Malfoy for Harry. it was a justified death in Marvolo's mind. In Harry's it was just plain murder.

Yes, Draco had insulted him and claimed he was supposed to be Voldemort's heir, but personally, Harry didn't think Draco was worth the death of another wizard. Harry hated violence, but it was unavoidable in the middle of a war, he accepted that, but he hated unnecessary deaths.

Marvolo claimed he had it coming after he had continued his onslaught of insults directed at Harry, even after he gave direct orders.

That leads us to where we are now: Harry's sixteenth birthday being spent with him crying curled in his bed, having locked his door. No one thought to try alohomora. That is, except his pseudo-mother, Bellatrix Lestrange, and although he thought of Rudolphus more as a funny uncle along with his brother, Rabastan, than a father, Bellatrix was in love with him, despite popular belief that it was an arranged marriage.

Getting off track, Bellatrix had made her way into Harry's purple-colored room. she sat on his bed where she saw the small lump that could only be the boy she thought son.

"Come here, darling." Bellatrix invited and Harry whimpered pitifully then through himself into her arms.

"Why is he so mean?" Harry whispered as he buried his head into her shoulder, sobbing harder.

"I don't know, ma douce une, I don't know." Bellatrix whispered back, rubbing soothing circles into his back.

Harry cried for a while longer until his sobs subsided into small hiccups and sniffles. He looked up at her, green eyes glowing in the dark room, especially now that he had gotten his eyes fixed so he didn't need those horrid glasses anymore.

"All better?" Bellatrix asked softly and Harry nodded back with one more sniffle. Mrs. Lestrange smiled down at him then pulled him up,"Now lets get you all dolled up for your party. Oops. I wasn't supposed to tell you that. Oh well, just pretend you're surprised when everyone jumps out and screams at you, am I right, chère enfant?"

Harry giggled as Bellatrix dragged him over to his black vanity for a house elf to do his now long hair. While the house elf, Pinky, worked on his hair, Bellatrix sauntered off to find him some good clothes in Harry's large closet.

When both girls had finished with him, he had his hair in soft curls and two front pieces made into small braids, holding the hair back as Ravenclaw's diadem(1)was perched delicately on his head. He was wearing a soft blue outer robe that was left open, showing his dark purple tunic that was so long that it only just covered his butt. He wore a pair of black leggings, and even though he had added weight since coming to live in Slytherin Manor, he was still thin and nothing adults nor teenagers would fit him, even the XXS sized clothes.

Harry now stood staring at his reflection, Bellatrix and Pinky both beaming in pride behind him. He had come so far in the past year.

"You ready, chère papillon?" Bellatrix asked with a soft smile and Harry nodded, smiling(though a touch of his previous distress shined through still).

With that, they left for the parlor, where the party was being held. When they walked in there was a yell of "SURPRISE!", but then Harry was curled on the floor almost as soon as it happened with Marvolo by his side in the Sam moment.

"Harry? Një i dashur? Are you alright?" The Dark Lord's hands fluttered about around him, checking Harry for injuries.

"Yelling." Was the almost silent whisper Marvolo got in return for his worries, though it made him slightly more worried, but at least he now knew the problem.