harry.exe has stopped working ━ hp x tmr | lv

22.

how's it going girl's, boys and my non-binary pals? as you can see, i am surprisingly alive. i know, i was shocked too.

anyways, some of you have started a number chain in the comments???? and i---

idk. yall keeping doing you ig. also, it
's really nice to see ppl saying that they are here to re-read 😌 like that's dope asf guys. tysm.

aNYWAYS---

this chapter is an angsty boi. don't come @ me in the comment section saying yous didn't know there was gonna be ansgt when its in the tagssssss---

MOVING ON, have a nice time reading my peeps. ✌

Chapter Twenty-Two:

Bellatrix makes Harry try all the foods that they have. Growing up abused and starved, he's not exactly picky. He does describe the tastes though, but only because it seems to make her happy.

Turns out tomato soup is disgusting and jam rolls are delicious. The Eton mess is... a mess, but nonetheless still pretty good. It's meringue and sweet cream topped with fruit so it suits Harry's taste buds pretty well. Scotch eggs are scotch eggs, there's nothing new about them and the roast beef with mash is as good as ever. The chicken topped with thick gravy is his favourite though.

He even tries things he's never had before like cauliflower cheese and ok, it doesn't taste that bad. It just leaves a weird taste in his mouth. The onion soup on the other hand is a big, big no from him. The last thing he tries are steamed buns filled with beef and vegetables. They're good. Really good. Harry rates them eleven out of ten. However, treacle tart will always be number one for him.

After the taste testing, Bellatrix shows him around the Manor. The parlour room is pretty, there's no other word for it. The kitchens are huge and Harry itches to bake something in the shiny ovens. There are loads of other rooms like the bed chambers and the handful of lavatories. Bellatrix even takes him down to the cellars where they find Professor Snape mixing potions.

Snape doesn't look the bit surprised to see him. "Potter," he sighs, looking absolutely pained by his existence, "I'm making the draught of peace. Tell me, how many times should I stir in each direction after the potion has turned white?"

"Seven," Harry answers in lieu of greeting, blinking owlishly.

"Yes, I know." Snape sighs, irritated. "But what if you were the one to brew this potion? What would you do? How many times would you stir?"

"Oh," Harry says, hiding a wide smile behind his hand. "I'd stir ten times in each direction. I don't know about you, Professor, but I think ten is a very pretty number--"

"Take him away," Snaps begs, looking pleadingly at Bellatrix. "And don't ever bring him back down here again."

Bellatrix laughs, though it's more of a cackle. "Oh, don't be like that Sev." She smiles. "He's just a child who's got a knack for potions. I do wonder who he reminds me of, though?"

Snape scowls and gestures with his index finger towards the door. Harry and Bellatrix leave back up the stairs, giggling.

He gets shown the dueling room next. It's a large room with wooden dummies to practise on. There are even weapons hung upon the wall. Harry eyes the medieval swords and axes. They're very shiny and very sharp. He even thinks he sees blood splattered on the floor, but Harry's obviously blind so it doesn't really concern him.

The library is old, vast and warm. There are tall bookshelves reaching from the ceiling to the floor, filled with ancient volumes. Harry runs his fingers across leather bound books and can't help but to grin. He knows Hermione would kill to be here. "I love libraries," he confesses. "They always make me feel safe."