Voices (HP Fanfic)

Chapter 23: Horcruxes

"The more people you love, the weaker you are" -Cersei Lannister

Chapter 23: Twins versus the Horcruxes

Penelope's POV:

Once I was out of sight I Apparated to Malfoy Manor and walked through the front door.I noticed Severus, Draco, Narcissa, Bellatrix, Greyback and Lord Voldemort sitting around a table in the dinning area of the house.

"Penelope my dear." the Dark Lord smiled, well if you can call that a smile. I sat down next to Draco, which was across from Bellatrix. "Now we may get started." Voldemort looked over to Greyback and nodded. Greyback scooted his chair back and stood. He made his way behind me and roughly grabbed my arm. Not this again. Greyback pulled me to my feet and dragged me towards a room just off the stairs. He threw me against the wall and I faintly saw the hint of a full moon.

"Uh Fenrir?" I said, pointing out the window. His eyes widened and he started to turn into a werewolf. When he had his back turned I scrambled out the door and ran down the hallway.

"What are you doing out here?" Lord Voldemort hissed and he got his explanation when we heard a howl coming from inside the house.

Third Person POV:

Harry could feel the Felix Felicis wearing off as he creeped back into the castle. The front door had remained unlocked for him, but on the third floor he met Peeves and only narrowly avoided detection by diving sideways through one of his shortcuts. By the time he got up to the portrait of the Fat Lady and pulled off his Invisibility Cloak, he was not surprised to find her in a most unhelpful mood.

"What sort of time do you call this?"

"I'm really sorry — I had to go out for something important —"

"Well, the password changed at midnight, so you'll just have to sleep in the corridor, won't you?"

"You're joking!" said Harry. "Why did it have to change at midnight?"

"That's the way it is," said the Fat Lady. "If you're angry, go and take it up with the headmaster, he's the one who's tightened security."

"Fantastic," said Harry bitterly, looking around at the hard floor. "Really brilliant. Yeah, I would go and take it up with Dumbledore if he was here, because he's the one who wanted me to —"

"He is here," said a voice behind Harry. "Professor Dumbledore returned to the school an hour ago."

Nearly Headless Nick was gliding toward Harry, his head wobbling as usual upon his ruff.

"I had it from the Bloody Baron, who saw him arrive," said Nick. "He appeared, according to the Baron, to be in good spirits, though a little tired, of course."

"Where is he?" said Harry, his heart leaping.

"Oh, groaning and clanking up on the Astronomy Tower, it's a, favorite pastime of his —"

"Not the Bloody Baron — Dumbledore!"

"Oh — in his office," said Nick. "I believe, from what the Baron said, that he had business to attend to before turning in —"

"Yeah, he has," said Harry, excitement blazing in his chest at the prospect of telling Dumbledore he had secured the memory. He wheeled about and sprinted off again, ignoring the Fat Lady who was calling after him.

"Come back! All right, I lied! I was annoyed you woke me up! The password's still 'tapeworm'!"

But Harry was already hurtling back along the corridor and within minutes, he was saying "toffee eclairs" to Dumbledore's gargoyle, which leapt aside, permitting Harry entrance onto the spiral staircase.