ꜱᴇʀᴘᴇɴᴛɪɴᴇ ꜱᴇʀɪᴇꜱ | ᴛᴏᴍɪᴏɴᴇ

Serpentine, ch. 8

CHAPTER EIGHT

Harmony was certain that Barty Crouch Jr. was the one delivering her meals—Goyle had a job and Bellatrix surely would've refused to do such a task. So she expected to come upon him in the hall at any moment. That moment came one day before dinner, and he was just closing her door when she rounded the corner.

"Have fun with Master today?" he asked with a mocking grin. He purposefully moved in her way as she tried to pass.

Don't talk to him, she told herself. Don't even look at him.

Barty reached out an arm to wrap around her, but Harmony ducked out of his reach and spun around, then ran to the safety of her chamber. Once she was inside, she cast a spell on the lock to keep him out. She heard him try the handle.

"Aw, come on, love," he purred through the door. "I just wanna get to know the new girl. Come on, lemme in."

She said nothing, knowing that replying would only spur him on. Eventually, he stopped turning the handle and she heard his footsteps retreat down the hall.

Harmony leaned against the door in relief as she tugged the scarf down around her neck. She was well aware of the snake charm that lay just beneath because she had actually felt it, as though it were tightening its grip. She'd noticed the change in the charm when Barty had first looked at her, but she hadn't paid it any heed until now, when it relaxed again.

"Lessons were good today, I hear," said Claudia in a cheerful voice as Harmony began to eat. "It won't be long before our Master will test you on the Disarming spell."

"But I've barely improved!" Harmony protested. The thought of failing at anything made her physically ache. She had always been naturally talented where magic was concerned, but she felt helplessly inadequate against his abilities.

Claudia held up her hands in defense. "Don't bite the head off the messenger. I'm only repeating what I've heard."

Harmony looked over at the little witch, but saw that she had left the frame again. She was alone.

Harmony finished her meal with jangled nerves. She was nervous about how and when Master would test her on the Disarming spell. Would he conduct a final duel between the two of them?

She took a nap with the question echoing in her mind, and slept fitfully as a result. It was late into the evening when she woke. Harmony crept out of bed and went to the door. She released the locking spell she had put on it earlier and peeked outside. She was relieved to see Barty had not been lurking around her corridor while she slept.

Claudia wasn't in the picture frame, which meant Harmony had the perfect chance to leave her chamber unnoticed. All day, even in her sleep, she thought of the woman lost in that room with no one to help her with her baby. Harmony needed to go to her, and she needed to figure out how to prevent herself from becoming lost this time.

If she could keep herself from getting lost, she would not be in danger, and no danger meant Master would not be warned by the snake charm that was slithering around her shoulders just now. She would be able to do as she pleased without the trouble.

Even if he did catch her, Harmony still knew it was important enough to take the risk. All that mattered right now was helping the girl and her baby.

She cast the Lumos spell and started down the long hallways. Every few doors she drew a huge red X on the wall with her wand so she could find her way back. She rounded many corners, feeling disoriented by the sheer number of similar hallways. She had no idea where she was going, but that was the whole point. The quicker she lost herself, the quicker the magic would lead her back to that mysterious room.