Bound To You

Chapter 48: Breakthrough

Harry relaxed against the comfy sofa, with the triplets all around him. In his hand was a large fairytale book, one that had all kinds of fairytales, both magical and muggle stories. He was surprised that there were so many, and he only knew a few of them--and even then it was due to school. Alice In Wonderland for instance, and Cinderella (mostly because it was Aunt Petunia's favourite animation movie.)

He didn't know that there were more of those, like The Little Mermaid, The Sly Brothers, and more. As the children fell asleep with him reading the stories aloud, he himself became fascinated by the various worlds in said stories. He felt as if he was in the books' world, experiencing all the hurts and happiness the characters in the book experienced, and he even cried when Ariel became bubbles.

It just seemed too cruel to him, to disappear just when you want to be with the one you loved. He'd just finished reading Beedle The Bard's The Tale of the Three Brothers story when he heard voices coming from the door leading to the hallway.

"...didn't think he'd move this fast," he heard Severus' contemplative voice.

"What would be his purpose to break into Azkaban anyway? Seems pointless to me," Sirius' grumbles followed.

"He might be freeing my... his... our followers," Tom said logically. The door then opened, and upon seeing Harry and the triplets, his harsh expression softened. "Good evening Harry."

"Good evening Tom, did Voldemort do something lately?" Harry asked, and he became apprehensive when Tom's expression hardened again.

"Freed a few prisoners in Azkaban, not that big a thing, really," Sirius shrugged, paling when he saw the expression on Severus' face. Both Tom and Severus pinched the bridge of their noses while Sirius looked sheepish. Harry became attentive, though.

"He's freed prisoners from Azkaban?" Harry hissed, feeling dread and anger bubble in his stomach.

"Apparently," Tom said. "And sadly, Ginerva's one of the people he freed, for some reason," Tom said, summoning that day's Daily Prophet and passing it onto Harry. Suddenly the room temperature fell a few degrees colder, and there was an absolutely murderous expression on Harry's face.

"Tom," he said calmly, "If you get ahold of Voldemort, let me... have a chat with him, will you?"

The three adults gulped, and Tom nodded.

"Dinner's ready," Remus' head popped into the room, looking out of place in the serious atmosphere. "Did I miss anything?" One look at Harry told him all he needed to know.

Voldemort felt a chill run though his spine, and he scoffed at himself. Lord Voldemort does not feel fear! Well, at least to something other than death. He sat on his throne, looking around the meeting room with a severe expression. "Tonight," he started dramatically, "we've gained more followers from Azkaban." The chilling smile he gave his followers was enough to make a few weak-willed Death Eaters piss themselves.

"My Lord, oh thank you my Lord! I've told them all that you'd come back! I did! And they dared throw me into Azkaban for that, my Lord!" Bellatrix said with a sparkle in her eyes.

"Yes, Bella, how dare they... but you've gained a... friend, now didn't you?" he hissed gleefully. Bellatrix cackled crazily, but Voldemort could hear her preen under his acknowledgement. "Even if she's a... blood traitor."

"But if she'd joined our cause, she wouldn't be a blood traitor anymore, now would she?" Dolohov sneered.

"Make no mistake," the girl in question spoke in surprising clarity. "I'm only tagging along so that I can get my Harry and bind him to me forever!"