𝐂𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐬 [Harry James Potter]

Chapter 32: Queen Of Swords

Queen of Swords

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A sure sign that the soul is alive, is that it is outraged.

Harry's soul must have been beaming with life from the way his jaw remained clenched and his eyes stayed trained on bruised and battered body of Vera Riddle.

Bill and Fleur's cottage stood alone on a cliff overlooking the sea, its walls embedded with shells and sea glass. It was a lonely and beautiful place.

He watched her chest move up and down as she laid on soft cotton sheets, terrified that she'd stop breathing the second he looked away. The pure disbelief of her being here, with him, was still stained into his mind. Much like dried blood that stuck to Vera's skin and etched its way beneath her finger nails.

His eyes burned into her features when he noticed her starting stir awake. He placed his hand atop her arm. The sudden touch sent a jolt through her body that woke her up with a gasp.

She suddenly sat up and shrank away from Harry with horrified eyes.

"Shh, it's me. You're okay, you're safe." Harry tried approaching her but the head strong and stubborn woman he had loved since he was eleven was now replaced by a skittish and scared girl.

Vera's wide eyes were trained on Harry as she watched him in apprehension, as if she were waiting for something.

Her hands trailed towards her bruised throat, feeling as if she had swallowed fire.

"Fleur did her best to heal you but I imagine it will still be painful. Hermione is shaken but she's okay, Luna and the other prisoners are also okay," Harry tried to ignore the way his heart clenched when Vera cornered herself against the headboard of the bed, further away from him. He remained patient but could not understand why she feared him. "Dobby... He didn't- .... He was a brave soul."

Vera stared at him, her heavy eyes hurt, her body was bruised and her bones ached. She tried to comprehend the things Harry was saying, but the ringing in her ears seemed to overpower anything he could have possibly said.

The storm outside that had started to brew mere seconds ago proved to be her doing as she looked down to find her wrists free from manacles for the first time in almost half a year.

Harry held out his hand and pushed away the anxiety he experienced when he watched Vera flinch.

Harry didn't need to look at the storm outside to know something was wrong with her. He couldn't possibly see the memories that she was experiencing, or how each dream of her endless torture at the hands of him replayed when she looked at him.

"Its me." Harry's tone was pleading.

Vera sceptically raised her face towards Harry, after examining him for what felt like years, her eyes slightly softened.