Aria Ashborn and the Deathly Hallows (A Harry Potter fanfic)

Chapter 7: Magic is Might

Harry's head was pounding and he felt sweat trickle down his face. He excused himself to the bathroom in Grimmauld Place so Ron and Hermione would not see. His scar prickled as the black-tiled bathroom began to fade and Harry found himself in a dark, gothic manor.

He was slithering across the cold floor towards a group of people: A dark witch with hooded eyes, a man with slick blonde hair, a younger man with a strange shaped nose, and a girl with messy brown hair and tears streaming down her face. He slid towards the girl who trembled in his presence. He wanted to bite her, but he must not, not just yet. Oh to sink his teeth into her flesh.

Harry realized he was back in the bathroom and Ron and Hermione were pounding on the door. He jumped up and unlocked it, his scar still prickling. Ron and Hermione rushed in, causing Harry to leap back.

"They've got her." he panted, pushing past them and leaving the small bathroom, "They've got Aria!"

"What do you mean?" asked Hermione, her and Ron following Harry down the stairs, "What did you see?"

"They've got her." he felt like he didn't have time to explain, "Bellatrix and Venunus. At the Malfoys."

"Harry you can't let him in!" scolded Hermione. Didn't they understand? Aria could be dead!

"If I didn't I wouldn't know Aria is in trouble!" shouted Harry, arriving in the kitchen where Kreacher was making soup on the stove.

"Are you sure it isn't a trick?" asked Ron, all of them finally having stopped, "Like it was with Sirius?"

"I can't take the chance." Harry stressed, "We've got to go save her!"

"Slow down, mate." said Ron, "The place must be crawling with Death Eaters. Whether she's there or not, it's a trap."

"I don't care." Harry replied, his ear growing warm, "The Ministry is crawling with Death Eaters and we are still going there."

"That's it!" Hermione exclaimed, "We don't go after at the Malfoys. They'll be expecting that. We save her at the Ministry as we are already going." Harry looked at her, blinking rapidly.

"The Ministry?" Ron asked, "Why would she be there?"

"Because they are putting her on trial," said Hermione, and she pointed to the Daily Prophet that Kreacher had brought in on the wooden table. Aria's picture was on the front page and she was indeed being put on trial for aiding Undesirable Num. 1: Harry Potter.

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The next few weeks were tough for Aria as she hoped and prayed Harry would not be stupid enough to try and save her. Every day when Draco came in to bring her meals she'd jump for a moment thinking it might by Harry, but it never was. A couple of times the Death Eater's would bring her upstairs with them as if Harry would come if she were out in the open.

"The boy isn't taking the bait." Venunus growled one evening, "Maybe he didn't see." Aria sat, cowering in the corner.

"Even if he doesn't, he'll see in the paper," said Bellatrix.

"He's not coming for me." Aria said, "He's smarter than that."

"Quiet." Lucius Malfoy snapped at her before turning to Venunus, "The trial is scheduled for the second of September. We still have time."

"What do we do if he doesn't?" Narcissa asked from her armchair by the fire.

"Then she goes on trial." said Venunus with a sneering look towards Aria, "Teach the Potter boy a lesson. Our threats are anything but empty."