𝐀𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐤 | Harry James Potter x Reader

DH ☆•°~'* 01

A/N - First chapter of the last year... P. S. Y'all better start commenting more - no pressure, though <3

❈🌠➵9¾♌ ⚯ 🗲━━━━━★. *･｡ﾟ✧⁺

Oh, the torment bred in the race,
the grinding scream of death
and the stroke that hits the vein,
the hemorrhage none can staunch, the grief,
the curse no man can bear.

There was a loud, unpleasant knocking on the door. A sound Leonora hated to hear yet that came at the same time every fortnight. 

Tossing The Libation Bearers aside without bothering to mark the page, Leonora stood from their desk, strode to the door and opened it. 

'Leonora,' said Draco Malfoy. 'He... is here.'

'I know,' said Leonora curtly, walking past Malfoy. 

As the two walked down to the drawing room, Leonora wondered silently who their guest of honour would be this time. Another opposant? A Muggle-defender? Or would there perhaps be no one at all?

'Where is Procyon?' Malfoy suddenly asked, drawing Leonora out of their thoughts.

'Out,' they said. 

'And you're still not going to tell me where it is you keep sending him to?'

'No.'

'Right,' said Malfoy coolly.

He and Leonora halted at a heavy wooden door. Leonora stared at it unseeingly. Malfoy gave them a brief side glance, hesitated, then turned the bronze handle.

The room was full of silent people, sitting at a long and ornate table. Same old faces. Except for one.

Leonora's eyes were drawn up to an apparently unconscious human figure hanging upside-down over the table, revolving slowly as if suspended by an invisible rope, reflected in the bare, polished surface of the table below. 

Next to them, Leonora felt Malfoy stiffen up, his eyes fixed on the revolving figure. 

'Ah, Leonora,' said a high, clear voice from the head of the table. 'Good of you to join us today.'

The speaker was seated directly in front of the fireplace, and for a moment Leonora felt as though their heart had disappeared from their ribcage. The next, they walked to their usual seat, which was almost directly below the unconscious, suspended figure above.

'My Lord.' Leonora nodded, barely looking at the pale, snakelike man. 

A few of the people around the table sneered and muttered amongst each other. Snippets of their hushed conversations could be heard. 

'Filth...'

'Mudblood...'

'Scum...'

Far from being stung by this, Leonora stared impassively at the speakers who, as they met Leonora's eyes, fell silent. Voldemort did not say anything to quieten his followers. His lipless mouth curled into an imitation of a smile.

Leonora despised the sight. 

If, a month ago, Leonora had known that life at Malfoy Manor would be this miserable, that they'd be sitting at this same seat every Death Eater meeting, discussing how Voldemort would ambush Harry Potter and Y/N L/N, Leonora's twin, perhaps Leonora would have given the late Albus Dumbledore's words a little more thought. 

However, it was too late to dwell on that matter now. Regardless, Leonora was not certain anyone from the Order of the Phoenix would trust them. In any case, Leonora did somewhat enjoy the feeling of control and the recognition they received. All their life they'd been living in the shadows, never known as anything more than the peculiar, orphaned child.