ꜱᴇʀᴘᴇɴᴛɪɴᴇ ꜱᴇʀɪᴇꜱ | ᴛᴏᴍɪᴏɴᴇ

Whispers from the Past, ch. 44

While Harmony was back at their tent, filling a couple sacks with a change of clothes, Voldemort returned to her with news that the hostage was still under the influence of the Stunning spell. A Veritaserum potion would take too long to make, so the unfortunate Auror would have to be interrogated the old-fashioned way once he was ready, and a team of blood-thirsty Death Eaters would be there waiting for him.

"That might take some time," Harmony said to him, grinning. "So you see? You won't miss a thing."

She revealed her plan to go to a seaside location her parents once took her on holiday. They would need to side-Apparate there and visit a Muggle town nearby to pick up supplies before heading to the beach. As a precaution, they grabbed a couple vials of Polyjuice potion and found hair from willing followers; Harmony got hers from one of the younger handmaidens. When they were ready, they slung their sacks over their shoulders and held hands.

Harmony pulled Voldemort into her Apparition and they were zipped out onto the other side. Immediately, they were hit with a wave of hot air and sweat broke out on their brows in seconds. They were standing on a hill, overlooking a small coastal town with white cobblestone streets and bright yellow and blue buildings decorated in climbing ivy and red flowers. A glittering blue ocean stretched out in the background.

"Isn't it beautiful?" she said as memories of when she was there last with her parents overwhelmed her.

While she was distracted by the view, Voldemort took his first gulp of Polyjuice potion. Looking back at him, she gasped, taking a step away. The beautiful blue in his eyes was replaced with black and his hair grew out, brown and mangy. Out of all the followers he could have acquired a hair sample from...it just had to be Barty's, didn't it?

Just her luck.

Harmony grimaced at him and swallowed back bile. Voldemort must have noticed her sour look because he asked with a concerned frown, "What's wrong?"

It was strange hearing Voldemort's baritone voice coming out of Barty's mouth.

She shook her head and turned away, crossing her arms. "It's nothing."

He looked down at himself. "Barty Crouch Jr. is one of my better looking followers. I was thinking you might like that."

Oh how wrong he is, she thought.

"There is no one as handsome as you," she said as a reluctant smile forced its way onto her lips.

He returned the smile in a way only Voldemort did, but it was strange seeing it with Barty's face. Whenever Barty smiled it was wide, toothy, and threatening. He then waited for her to take her Polyjuice potion before taking her hand. His fingers felt thick and calloused, not like his own hands which were slender and soft. The feel of them reminded her of Barty's rough touches; on her face, her neck, tearing at her clothes—

Harmony tore her hand away, pretending to adjust the pack on her shoulder.

She wondered if it was a coincidence, if Voldemort had asked for Barty's hair personally, or if Barty had earnestly offered it when Voldemort went searching for a sample. Harmony was inclined to believe it was the latter. Barty, that damn man, must have wanted to remind her of their last night's conversation. About how he was a better man for her than Voldemort, and about how he loved her.

That infuriating drunk, she thought.

"Are you sure you are alright?" he asked, watching her out of the corner of his new black eyes.

"Yes," she replied a little too fast. "Let's go get supplies."

Together, they strolled into town and filled a basket with food bought at the busy marketplace. Harmony discovered that as long as she didn't look at Voldemort's new face directly, she was still able to enjoy his company.