ꜱᴇʀᴘᴇɴᴛɪɴᴇ ꜱᴇʀɪᴇꜱ | ᴛᴏᴍɪᴏɴᴇ

Serpentine, ch. 30

CHAPTER THIRTY

Harmony found her Master several bookcases in, straining to look at the contents of one shelf above him. She came to stand by his side without a word while he searched.

"This book is one of my most prized possessions," Voldemort said softly. "It took me several years to attain this copy, so handle it with great care."

"I always do."

Master raised his wand above his head and flicked it. A book about five shelves above slid out and slowly fell down to them.

"So," Master asked as he waited for the book to reach his outstretched hand. "Why did you have your wand drawn on Barty just now?"

When she hesitated to answer, he continued, "The wand is a witch or wizard's most powerful weapon, and you should not hesitate to use it-but Barty is one of my most loyal followers; he'd know better than to cause trouble for you. He wouldn't dare. If he did, he'd know I'd punish him."

She remained silent. Barty was a pain, but not in an overly serious way. He was no more annoying than a mosquito constantly buzzing about her head. She could deal with him herself when she needed to.

"Ah, here it is," he said.

Voldemort plucked the book out of the air. He dusted it off with a quick hand and gave it to her. It was relatively small and light in weight. Harmony read the gold letters on the cover and her eyes opened wide in amazement.

"I've seen this book before," Harmony whispered. "Not for real but...in a dream." She held it up to show him the cover, which read the title: Horcruxes and How to Obtain Them.

Master frowned in thought, and then commented, "Maybe you were meant to read it, then."

"What? Like I'm some kind of seer now?" she scoffed. "I never did well in Divination class. I thought the whole thing was just a load of rubbish."

"And now?"

Harmony pursed her lips as she flipped through the pages of the small book with delicate fingers. "I have no idea."

"Take a look through it, and do not hesitate to ask any questions," he said, and Harmony nodded. "You're lucky, you know." He wrapped an arm around her shoulders as he guided her out of the lesson hall. "When I wanted to learn more about Horcruxes, everyone discouraged me. They even tried to stop me." His fingers dug into her shoulder at this thought, and made Harmony wince. "You need to learn about them. And I can assure you, I will let no one stop you."

The day that followed was the worst and the best day in Harmony's life.

"You are acting like a weak little squib!" Master shouted at Harmony during her lesson. He'd been at it all day, trying mercilessly to provoke her into producing a Cascadia Maxima.

"I'm not weak!" Harmony retorted behind the tears she'd been trying to hold back all day. She had completely given up on the promise she'd made herself to hold her tongue at Master's insults. No matter what she said, his hurtful words kept coming.

"What are you, a Muggle-born? Do it already!"

That cut it way too close. She began to feel the magic boiling in her blood. With every word that passed his lips, Harmony was closer to drawing her wand and cursing the man to oblivion. She growled at him in response. She'd had enough!

Master rushed up to her and yelled right in her face, "What's the matter? Did I upset you? Well, what are you going to do about it? Can't you do anything?"

Harmony bit her lip until it bled. He was so close to her, much too close. If he so much as touches me, he'll regret it, she seethed in her mind. Her fists were balled up tight, ready to take a swing. Between gritted teeth, she said the words she most hated to say.