Chapter Two: Wand and Horcrux
"Oh. Shit." Snape said, bolting across the room. Madam Pomfrey's scream was abruptly cut off as he knocked her to the floor in his rush to save the girl. He launched himself out of the window, not taking time to jump onto the sill. Any spell he might use to retrieve Granger would be experimental and he didn't have time to test it out first. He cast his flight spell, speeding downward faster than gravity was accelerating her fall. He continued until he was just below her, the ground hurtling toward them, and then recast the spell to reverse direction, positioning himself to catch her waist over his shoulder. She was flailing and he heard and felt his nose crunch as her knee connected with his face. With stars bursting before his eyes, he executed the spell with a bit too much power, not knowing precisely how strong it had to be with her weight added to the combined mass and inertia, and they soared upward, streaking past the starting point of the window. He circled about the turret, quickly adapting to the added weight and was able to thread the both of them back through the same window they had jumped out of.
The landing was a bit awkward, but a few quick strides to catch his balance saw them tumbling onto the soft bed with Snape, once again, on top of the girl. He sprang off her like a cat landing in a hot cauldron. Quick as lightening and before she could inflict any more damage upon his person, he cast a Full Body Bind and whirled to face Pomfrey. But the old nurse was in no condition to be a threat. Her face was as white as a sheet, hand over her mouth, wand drooping toward the floor.
"She . . . she jumped out the window."
"Yes."
"You jumped out the window."
"Yes."
"You c-can fly. L-like him, you can fly."
He slowly walked up and took her by the elbow, guiding her to the bed and gently pushing her down next to Granger. Although he would never believe Madam Pomfrey capable of harming anyone, including the Dark Lord himself, he fully expected the girl would attempt to snatch the nurse's wand and attack him. She was desperate. He pulled the wand from the nurse's limp hand without a single protest. With his own, he flicked a warding spell at the windows. Granger wasn't going to pull that little stunt again. Then he removed the girl's binding spell.
"In the past two hours, I have saved your life twice and my only reward has been two cracked ribs and a broken nose," he said, pressing the back of his hand to the newly injured nose. The girl, although very pale and shaking slightly, seemed none the worse for the wear.
"Reward? I am not your reward! I will fight you every chance I get," she was nearly shouting and her face was set with such conviction that he was encouraged by her strength. They may be able to pull this off after all.
"I saved you because I believe you have valuable information which will help me complete my mission."
"What is left, traitor? You got what you wanted! Dumbledore is dead! Harry is dead! Your master will now rule the entire world. What could possibly be left for you to do?"
"Miss Granger, my mission and your mission are one in the same," Snape said coldly. "To bring about the death of Lord Voldemort."
Hermione gaped at him, stunned, not believing what she had heard. Unable to process his statement, she just stared up into those black eyes. This could not be true. He had proven beyond doubt that he was on the side of evil, hadn't he? Exhausted as she was, she forced her mind to concentrate. Why would this Death Eater want Voldemort dead?
"You want to take his place." she said slowly. That was the only thing that made any sense to her.
"Not at all. I have been working against the Dark Lord since before you were born."
"You killed Dumbledore!" Hermione's anger flared. "How is that working against Voldemort?"
"I believe it is time to bring another party into this conversation," Professor Snape said and waved his hand at the door to his office. It opened and he indicated that the two women should proceed him into the next room. Madam Pomfrey took hold of Hermione's hand and quickly did as the headmaster wished.
"Miss Granger, Madam Pomfrey," the two were greeted by the portrait of Albus Dumbledore. "Please have a seat. There is much we need to discuss." Professor Snape conjured two armchairs, just as Dumbledore used to do.
"Headmaster!" Madam Pomfrey exclaimed. "Minerva told me you have not said a word since you . . . " her eyes flicked toward Professor Snape, " . . . since your portrait appeared."
"Severus is headmaster, Poppy, not I." The portrait said solemnly. "And it is only to him that I have been speaking." Hermione caught Madam Pomfrey's eye and she felt as skeptical as the school nurse looked. Apparently the portrait saw the glance between the two women.
"You will need proof, of course, Miss Granger. And we will need your help." Dumbledore said turning to look at Professor Snape. "However, we need not endanger Poppy any further. Severus, you know what needs to be done."
"No," Professor Snape said. "I'm done Obliviating Madam Pomfrey."
"Obliviating me?" Madame Pomfrey said quietly, digesting this bit of information. "Oh."
Hermione was surprised at her reaction. She thought the nurse would have been much more upset at receiving such news.
"Then let's begin with the sword, Severus," Dumbledore said.
Professor Snape turned, took hold of the portrait's frame and swung it aside. From an alcove behind, he pulled out the sword of Gryffindor, shiny gold hilt inlaid with glinting rubies. He laid it on the desk between them.
"This is the true sword of Gryffindor," said Professor Snape. "A couple of hours ago it was laying on the floor of the drawing room of Malfoy Manor. It was there because it had previously been in the custody of one Harry Potter, who had been captured with his friends Weasley and Granger, by the Dark Lord's Snatchers." His black eyes looked up and bore into hers. She realized he wasn't asking questions like Bellatrix had. He was certain of his information.
"Harry found the sword in . . ." Hermione began, but fell silent when Professor Snape raised his hand.
"He found it in an ice covered pond," he said. "Potter broke through the ice and jumped in to retrieve it, but was trapped until Weasley showed up and pulled him out."
"How could you possibly know that?" Hermione shifted uncomfortably in her seat. She knew he was a Legilimens, but Harry had said one could tell when one's mind was being accessed magically. Was Professor Snape good enough to pick that out of her brain without her being able to tell?
"The two of them proceeded to use the sword to destroy some type of magically dark object. Then they returned to a tent where they met up with you, Miss Granger," he continued. "Isn't that correct?"
"Y-yes," Hermione conceded. "But you've left out one important item."
"I have," Professor Snape said. He raised his wand and waved it at a point behind the two women. "Expecto Patronum!" A bright white jet of light shot out from the tip and a moment later a silver doe bounded about the room, exuberantly leaping over his desk. Hermione turned to watch as the Patronus jumped through an open window and disappeared.
"Don't get any ideas, Miss Granger." Professor Snape said dryly. "That window is now warded against human egress as well."
"You?" Hermione was in shock. "You brought the sword to Harry?"
"That is correct, Miss Granger," Dumbledore's portrait confirmed. "Upon my request, actually."
"If I had really wanted Potter dead, I could have easily killed him then," Professor Snape added smoothly. He turned toward the portrait and addressed the painted figure above him. "However, Potter is dead, Dumbledore. And Voldemort is still very much alive, as Miss Granger can attest."
Moisture swelled in her eyes and she nodded, looking up at Dumbledore. "Harry's gone," she said, a tear slipped down her cheek.
"You are both absolutely sure that Harry Potter is dead?" asked the portrait.
"Voldemort killed him, Dumbledore, just as you told me must happen. Why do you seem surprised that it finally came to pass?"
"What?" Hermione was stunned. "What do you mean Voldemort had to kill Harry?"
Professor Snape turned to her. "My mission was to tell Potter, at the end of his quest, that part of the Dark Lord's soul lived inside him. As long as Potter existed, Lord Voldemort could not die. I never got the chance, but the right thing happened anyway."
"The right thing?" Hermione was aghast. "The two of you intentionally set Harry up to be murdered? How can that be the right thing?" She glared at Professor Snape but then followed his eyes to the portrait.
"My research suggested that once Voldemort killed Harry, the piece of Voldemort's soul would be destroyed," said Dumbledore. "Then, because of the sacrifice Lily Potter made to protect Harry from Voldemort, Harry would have the choice to live again. Apparently he chose to move on."
"Dumbledore, I think that choice may have been taken away from him," Professor Snape said. Hermione saw his eyes flick her way and then back at Dumbledore. He seemed uncomfortable. "Nagini . . . consumed . . . the body. There was nothing for him to come back to." She felt the blood drain from her face. Her eyes flew to Professor Snape, accusing.
"You could have saved him!"
"Severus didn't know, Miss Granger," said Dumbledore. "I wanted Harry to remain ignorant of the possibility of surviving his final battle with Voldemort so that his intended sacrifice would protect others. Consequently, I didn't inform Severus either. But even if I had, the result may have been the same because I suspect Harry chose not to return. If he had, he would have returned to life almost instantaneously. And there is the slight chance that I was wrong and Harry was not able to return."
Hermione was certain the latter was true. She knew Harry. He never would have abandoned his friends to Voldmort.
"If he harbored part of Voldemort's soul in his, that means Harry was a Horcrux, doesn't it?" Hermione asked.
"For all intents and purposes, Miss Granger, yes, he was," said Dumbledore.
"Horcrux?" Professor Snape queried.
"It appears that it is time to let each of you know what the other has been doing," Dumbledore said. "Hermione, please report on the progress the three of you made toward destroying Voldemort's Horcruxes."
"Horcruxes?" queried Professor Snape. "What is a Horcrux?"
Hermione stiffened at his reaction to the mention of the evil, dark objects. If he didn't know that Voldemort had delved into this kind of magic, he would find out soon enough. What if this was a trick to get Dumbledore's portrait to give up information that Voldemort's right-hand man could find out in no other way? She watched him carefully as she launched into an explanation.
"A Horcrux is an object, magically protected, that holds a piece of a person's soul. If someone makes a Horcrux, they cannot die unless the Horcrux is destroyed also," she said. Professor Snape's brow furrowed.
"This is why the Dark Lord was able to come back the first time," Professor Snape said flatly, apparently assured of the answer the portrait would give and not watching as it nodded. He looked at her sharply. "Dumbledore said Horcruxes. Plural. The Dark Lord made more than one?"
"Yes, Severus," the portrait interjected. "Voldemort believed that he had made six. With the remainder of his soul left in his body, he would have invoked the arithmantically significant number of seven."
"Six Horcruxes!" Professor Snape seemed shocked at this depravity.
"And he had to murder someone for each Horcrux made," Hermione said in a studied voice, eyeing him suspiciously. "Because only murder enables one to split . . ."
"To split one's soul, yes," said Professor Snape, his hand seemed to unconsciously drift to his chest and he pressed it there, against his heart. If he was dissembling, he certainly was good at it. But then it was also possible that he had deceived even the great Albus Dumbledore, though it was obvious that the portrait did not think so.
"Hermione," it said. "How many Horcruxes have been found? How many have been destroyed?"
"Professor Dumbledore," Hermione looked up into the painted eyes. If ever there was a time for boldness, for courage. "I am still not completely convinced that Professor Snape is on our side."
"Nonsense, Miss Granger," Professor Snape snapped. "I have just proven that I am." When Hermione arched a questioning brow at him, he added, "True Death Eaters cannot produce a corporeal Patronus."
"Maybe you're the first." she stated flatly. "Why would you kill Professor Dumbledore if you're on our side?"
"Because the old fool . . ."
"Because I was dying already, Hermione," Dumbledore interrupted. "Do you recall the blackened, withered hand I sported all last year?" Hermione nodded dumbly. How could this situation get any more convoluted? "I lasted only as long as I did because of Severus' knowledge of Dark magic and because of his many ministrations and potions. I knew Voldemort was plotting my murder and I decided to choose my own time of death in order to give our side an advantage."
"By having me kill a man already dying, Dumbledore ensured that the Dark Lord and his Death Eaters trusted me completely," Professor Snape added. His hand drifted back up to his chest.
"Not entirely, Severus," said the portrait. "That was only a beneficial side effect of my final plan. I could have died in any manner - it mattered not to me. A quick, painless poison would have been my actual preference. No, you had to kill me for only one reason: so you could master my wand. A wand of legend; a wand of immense power."
Sudden realization hit Hermione hard. Everything Harry had been speculating about Voldemort had been correct: he was searching for the most powerful wand in existence. Harry had been right. It existed. And Voldemort was on the hunt. When she spoke, she did so in a near whisper.
"The Elder Wand."
"The Elder Wand?" Professor Snape said, confused. "The wand from the children's story?"
"I see you have been taking my bequest seriously, Miss Granger," the portrait said. "Yes, Severus, the mythical wand from the children's story does exist. I became it's master years ago when . . . "
"When you defeated Grindelwald." Hermione finished his sentence. "That's when it happened, didn't it, Professor?"
"Precisely, Miss Granger," the portrait continued. "That means you are now its master, Severus, since, technically, you defeated me on the Astronomy tower. The wand will give you the power to vanquish Voldemort."
Professor Snape looked steadily at Dumbledore, frowning. Hermione sensed the headmaster believed something was amiss with this last plan.
"You didn't have your wand when I . . . " Professor Snape took a deep breath. " . . . that night on the Astronomy tower. Draco had Disarmed you before I got there. His action most likely preempted mine."
"Draco Malfoy is the master of the Elder Wand?" Hermione's voice was laced with incredulity. How were they going to repair that fiasco?
"Then you can confront Draco and win mastery of the wand," said the portrait. "That should be easy enough." Professor Snape seemed to contemplate that statement for a moment and then nodded.
"We have another problem, Professor Dumbledore," Hermione said. "Harry was certain that Voldemort was searching for the Elder Wand and had visited Gregorovitch looking for it. I . . . I didn't believe him." Her eyes filled with tears yet again.
"The Dark Lord said that with Potter's demise his 'mission' was not as urgent. He said that he would be coming here tonight," added Professor Snape.
"To retrieve the Elder Wand, no doubt," said Dumbledore. "But he will be too late. Severus, I need you to retrieve that wand immediately. The Elder Wand was buried with me. You will find it in my tomb. But first, get my old wand, and swap them out. It is hidden in the book Bowtruckle Breeding , end of the top row of the bookshelves on your left."
Professor Snape quickly found the wand and headed for the window. Madam Pomfrey stood, and blocked his exit.
"Headmaster," she said, taking a deep breath. "I believe you. But not because of what I've just seen and heard." She looked at Hermione. "There were several times when the Carrows had cursed students with dark magic and I had no idea how to cure them. Invariably, I would fall asleep at my desk, or so I thought, and when I awoke, my patient would be on the mend. It never occurred to me that a Death Eater was behind their healing." She held her hand out. "My wand, Professor, if you don't mind. Let me fix you up before you go flying recklessly about."
Professor Snape pulled the wand from an inner pocket and handed it to her. She pointed it at his nose. "Episkey," she said and a slight pop could be heard. "What ribs are broken?" she asked.
Hermione scrutinized his face, but could see no evidence of the pain he must have experienced at that healing. She watched as Madam Pomfrey gently probed the area Professor Snape indicated and cast two more healing spells. The only indication he showed at the discomfort was a very slight twitch of one eye. The man obviously had a high tolerance for pain.
"What you can do, flying. That is just unnerving," Madam Pomfrey said, moving out of his path to the window. "Please be careful."
He nodded and glanced back at Hermione.
"Poppy, Miss Granger has not eaten the food brought to her. She is terribly thin and will need nourishment and energy against possible upcoming events. Please see to it that she eats while I am gone." The nurse smiled at him and then hurried to his quarters to retrieve the tray Kreacher had left.
He strode toward the window, waved his hand to remove the warding, and stepped up to onto the sill. His black robes billowed about him as a slight breeze caught them. Another step and he was gone. Hermione turned back to the portrait.
"I'm glad we have this moment together, Miss Granger."
"You really do trust him?"
"Implicitly. My plan for Voldemort's downfall was completely dependent on Harry and Severus being able to accomplish the tasks I set for them. Severus was crucial in several ways. My death, though expected, came just a scant few minutes before I was able to give the sword of Gryffindor to Harry. Severus stepped in and finished that task for me. Severus was also supposed to tell Harry that he was, in effect, a Horcrux and that he would have to let Voldemort kill him. Since Severus mastering the Elder Wand was necessary only if for some reason Harry had failed, I never told Severus that part of my plan. There was no reason to burden him with that knowledge if Harry had succeeded in killing Voldemort." The portraits eyes seemed to mist up a bit.
Although the portrait looked like Professor Dumbledore, sounded like Professor Dumbledore and acted like Professor Dumbledore, Hermione knew it was not Professor Dumbledore. The former headmaster's planned death sounded plausible, but what if Professor Snape had used the Imperius Curse on the painting?
Madame Pomfrey returned with the tray and placed it on a side table between their chairs. Hermione watched as the nurse waved her wand over the teapot and a curl of steam emerged from the spout. Famished, Hermione grabbed one of the sandwiches and started eating.
"May I borrow your wand for a moment, Madam Pomfrey?" she asked and saw the puzzlement on her face. "My was taken from me at Malfoy Manor." The nurse handed it over.
Immediately Hermione stood and pointed the wand at Dumbledore's portrait. "Imperio!" As she cast the spell she pictured in her mind the Dumbledore in the painting removing his glasses and tossing them over his shoulder. She felt certain that she had performed the spell correctly, although the portrait didn't move an inch. But it did smile.
"I would have expected nothing less from you, Miss Granger," it said. "But portraits are impervious to such spells, not being alive to begin with."
She handed the wand back to Madam Pomfrey. "I'm afraid that I simply do not have the faith in Professor Snape that you do. I don't see anything in his behavior that can't still be attributed to his working for Voldemort." She looked about the office - nothing had changed since the last time she had been there except the portrait of the previous headmaster was of Dumbledore and not Dippet. Why did Dumbledore place such faith in Professor Snape to the degree that he did? She decided to enquire.
"Professor Dumbledore, why did you trust Professor Snape in the first place?" she asked finally. The portrait hesitated.
"I promised Severus that I would never divulge that reason to anyone."
"It's good to hear your portrait will also honor that promise, Dumbledore." Professor Snape said. Hermione turned to find him standing on the sill of the window from which he had exited just minutes ago. Apparently flying had its advantages. He stepped down to the floor and strode toward them, black robes surging about him.
"I would never go back on my word to you, Severus," said the portrait and Hermione was impressed with the expression on the painted face of Professor Dumbledore. She had only ever seen that look when Dumbledore had spoken of Harry. "But I'm afraid that in order to convince Miss Granger of your loyalty, you yourself will have to relay the tale," he said softly.
"If she doesn't believe what I've told her so far, I sincerely doubt she will develop any more faith in me with the telling of that tale."
"I think you are right, Severus. That's why you need to show her," Dumbledore said pointing to the pensieve in the corner cabinet. "If we want her help to defeat Voldemort, I think you must."
Madam Pomfrey stood. "Well, I'm already convinced. There is no reason for me to stay."
"Thank you, Poppy," Professor Snape said.
Madam Pomfrey nodded and left the headmaster's office. Professor Snape retrieved the pensieve from the cabinet and set it on his desk in front of Hermione. She watched as he pulled several silvery wisps of light from his temple and gently decanted them onto the surface of the pensieve. He sat down heavily in the headmaster's chair and stared off across the office. She stood and bent over the pensieve as she remembered Harry describing how it was done. She also remembered Harry telling them that one could tell when a memory was altered. She would watch carefully to see if these memories had been tampered with. Her nose touched the silver surface.
He watched the girl as she viewed the memories he assigned to the pensieve. His and Lily's first meeting, their friendship, his falling in love with her, the bullying by the Marauder's which led to their breaking up. His telling of the prophecy to Voldemort and then all the pertinent interactions with Dumbledore relating to his and Potter's missions. After what seemed much longer than was necessary, Granger lifted her head from the pensieve.
"You're missing something," she said. The annoying chit was thorough, he had to give her that. He pulled another silver thread from his temple and placed it in the pensieve: his failed attempt to persuade the Dark Lord to spare Lily by making up the ridiculous and embarrassing fabrication of wanting a Mudblood sex slave. That part of it even Dumbledore did not know. He had been desperate and knew the Dark Lord would have been suspicious of his motives if he professed his love of Lily. At least it had saved the girl, in the end.
"You were in love with Lily Potter."
"I was in love with Lily Evans." He stared out the window. If she didn't accept this, he would not have her assistance with the rest of his mission. But he would still obtain the information he needed. He would Legilimens her and extract every pertinent fact he could.
"I believe you."
"Excellent, Miss Granger," said the portrait. "How many Horcruxes have been destroyed?"
"Three. The diary at the end of second year when Harry stabbed it with the basilisk fang, the cursed ring which you destroyed . . ."
" . . . using the sword of Gryffindor. It's finally all making sense now, Dumbledore," said Snape. "And the object that Weasley used the sword to destroy in the Forest of Dean?"
"A locket belonging to Salazar Slytherin. Professor Dumbledore believed Nagini is one . . . " Granger said.
"Nagini?" queried Snape, surprised. "Of course. That is why you wanted me to tell Potter about his scar when the Dark Lord began protecting the snake. But that would have meant he had discovered the boy's mission. I don't believe he has. The snake enjoys no extra protection than usual."
"Professor Dumbledore, we had not yet found the other suspected Horcrux, Helga Hufflepuff's cup. However, when Bellatrix Lestrange saw the Sword of Gryffindor, she tortured me to find out if we had been in her vault. She thought we had taken something else and she was panicked to think that we had. It may be that Voldemort asked her to safe-keep the cup or the last Horcrux, whatever it may be. I told her the sword was a copy and that we had never been in her vault."
"Your conclusion is very likely, Miss Granger. Severus, can you persuade Bellatrix to let you get a peek inside the Lestrange vault?" asked Dumbledore.
Snape eyed the sword laid out upon his desk and instantly knew a way to get into that vault. "That should not be a problem at all." Turning to Granger, he fired off a question. "Any leads on the last Horcrux?"
"None. Our best guess, which actually came from Professor Dumbledore, is that it is an heirloom from Rowena Ravenclaw or Godric Gryffindor. So far we have no idea which, if either, or where it might be hidden."
Professor Snape rubbed the side of his thumb against his lower lip, thinking. He estimated that within the next three hours he could get at and destroy whatever was inside the vault, take out the snake and confront Draco for mastery of the Elder Wand. He had a very efficient plan, in fact, that would allow him to do all of this without Voldemort ever finding out.
"It will be imperative that we act quickly. The longer we wait, the greater the chances become that the Dark Lord will discover what we are up to." He eyed the girl. Fate had orchestrated the final confrontation perfectly. They were in an excellent position to capitalize on the circumstances that had been tossed into their laps and get rid of this evil dark wizard once and for all. "I have a plan, Miss Granger. But you are central to it, if you will agree to participate. I believe it has a very good chance of succeeding and if it does, all of this will be over by the end of today. Are you Gryffindor enough to risk everything?"