Guess who got a laptop! Yup, that's me. No more typing on the iPod. Yessssssss. Oh and from this chapter on, most of the events that take place will not be in the same order they were in the book. And finally an answer to the question I've gotten twenty times, it will be a Harry/Tonks story. Eventually.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter

Chapter 13:

Horcruxes. So that's what kept Voldemort alive. That's what Harry learned in his most recent lesson with Dumbledore. He'd shown Harry a false memory of a young Tom Riddle, maybe the same age that Harry currently was, asking Slughorn about them. When Dumbledore told Harry that the memory had been modified, which was plainly obvious as Slughorn had done a terrible job, it became apparent that Slughorn had told Riddle exactly what a horcrux was.

Though Harry did not understand why they needed to see the latest memory when Dumbledore already knew what a horcrux was, as did Harry thanks to the book from the secret library, he finally did understand why the memories were so important. Seeing Riddle's past as he grew up, watching him become the wizard he was would give them insight as to what type of object Voldemort would possibly use for these Horcruxes.

But how many were there? What could they even be for that matter? Dumbledore might have a few ideas considering all the research that the man had been doing for so many years, since Riddle had still been in school actually. But the old man knew many things, one of them being how to keep his secrets.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXxx

December 12th. Charms Class.

Harry wasn't listening to Flitwick's squeaky voice, easily tuning it out, and he wasn't listening to Ron's hushed whispers, something about going to the Burrow for Christmas. Too much was on his mind for any of that, not to mention the constant chatter of Red-eyes. He seemed to be in a good mood today which put Harry into a bad one. Then there was Hermione on his right, still not speaking to Ron after three weeks since he'd made impressions of her excitedly answering questions in Transfiguration.

Just smack the both of them already. I know you want to.

That was the truth. But this guy wasn't allowed to know that. No I don't.

Harry heard a slightly annoyed sigh and smirked. For once the sides were switched and Harry wasn't the one getting annoyed. When are you going to acknowledge that I happen to know more about you than you do? Me, who spends every day, every second in the black hole you call a mind?

Except when you're trying to beat the shit out of someone, Harry shot back as he thought about Malfoy on the quidditch pitch. Since then Harry had been successful at keeping red-eyes under control. Hell, he even meditated every night just so that he could keep himself calm throughout the day when his peers began to get under her skin. Like the fact that Romilda Vane was trying to slip him a love potion. Why in the hell would she keep on trying after he specifically told her that he wasn't interested? He just tossed the most likely tainted chocolate cauldrons in his trunk. Ron and Hermione's current argument also certainly wasn't helping him and neither was the fact that Hermione was pissed at him for continuing with his use of the Half-Blood Prince's potion book.

We both know you wanted to take Malfoy down a few pegs too.

Yes there is no way to deny that one, but all we got out of it were three broken ribs and an angry Madame Pomfrey. Malfoy only got wrapped up in chains.

Maybe they were a little tighter than they should have been, red-eyes said slyly.

"Class Dismissed," Flitwick's voice rang through Harry's thoughts and cut off his conversation. Class was over already? Harry looked down at his blank sheet of parchment which he was supposed to take notes on. Merda. With a sigh, he stuffed it back into his school bag and followed Ron, Tonks and Hermione out of the room.

"You didn't get a single word the entire class did you?" Tonks asked as he took his place between her and Ron.

"Er… I know that we might be going to the burrow for Christmas," Harry said sheepishly.

Tonks laughed. "I'll take that as a no."

"Maybe you should just skip transfiguration," Hermione suggested, sounding as though it pained her to say it. It probably did too Harry thought, remembering how in first year she'd implied that it would be worse to be expelled than killed. Good times.

"Hermione, that is something I never expected you to say," Harry remarked, looking around Tonks to see Hermione's flushed face.

"Well Flitwick was one thing, but McGonagall is another thing entirely. It'll be better for you just to go and rest for a while rather than get detention. We'll just tell her that you're in the infirmary not feeling well. I'll let you copy my notes from Flitwick's later."

Harry moved around Tonks to Hermione's side and put an arm around her shoulders, giving her a small squeeze and a smile. "Your reasoning is not something to argue with. I'll do just that and get some rest."

Hermione nodded and gave his arm a pat, avoided the glares she was getting from some other girls. Harry saw them too, but was used to any girl he walked with getting those same looks. Tonks had gotten them, as had Ginny, Demelza, Katie, and even Parvati. Harry didn't think any of them would try anything and Hermione was one of his best friends so why shouldn't he walk with her?

Because she'll be a target.

Shut up, don't make me think like that.

It true though. He sounded taunting, and though Harry couldn't see him, he knew that there would be a spiteful gleam in his red eyes.

Fuck you. Harry dropped his arm back to his side. "I'll see you later." He glanced at Tonks and grinned. She didn't look too excited at being stuck with Ron and Hermione for the next class. In fact, she was glaring rather angrily at him. "Good luck," he mouthed before heading off in the opposite direction.

"Get some homework done!" Hermione called after him.

"Right," Harry mumbled. Like that would happen.

Though the common room was more or less empty, Harry headed right for the dormitories. There would be more peace there since his roommates all knew not to disturb him if the curtains around his bed were closed. It either meant that he was finally sleeping or that he was awake and not wanting to be bothered. Harry closed the curtains and sat there in the darkness for a few moments. Then he took a cigarette from his pack and lit it up. There was an ashtray on his nightstand so he also grabbed that before lying down.

The air was still, creating chains of smoke collecting in the enclosed space. They looked pretty cool too. Almost what Harry once thought ghosts looked like. He remembered once watching his uncle smoke a cigar when he was younger and pretending that the smoke were ghosts. He remembered hoping that the ghosts would somehow scare his uncle away so that he wouldn't have to clean anymore. No such luck that day.

Quit thinkin' about those filthy muggles. You're bringin my mood down.

Harry rolled his eyes. Yeah? Well you talking brings my mood down but you continue to do that.

I've always done it. You just haven't heard me.

That was a little surprising. Harry didn't talk back to red-eyes instead thinking about what he said. What did he mean? That he'd always been there? He couldn't have. What are you?

You're so close to the answer had it been a snake you'd have been bitten a hundred times by now. Think about that.

The voice stopped leaving Harry to do exactly what he said. And his thoughts began to lead to wild conclusions. Parallel universes was the first one. Maybe there was some other Harry Potter out there somewhere who was evil, who had crossed over to Voldemort's side and he was now using some forbidden magic to get into Harry's mind. Or maybe there was yet another Harry Potter out there without the lightning bolt scar and who had parents. Then there would be Neville Longbottom, the Boy-who-Lived.

Wow. You've lost it. He was back again. Harry ignored it. I mean parallel universes? When has that ever come up in any conversation? I said the answer was right under your nose, not under the fucking sea.

Harry hated when this guy was right. Parallel universes was pretty far off. He didn't know what made him think of that one. Then what could the answer be? Right under his nose…

Can I have another hint? Harry frowned with distaste as he asked the question. But he knew that Dumbledore wouldn't give him an answer so this was his only choice unless he wanted to keep guessing based on clues that gave little information. Damn you old man! Or you can just tell me what you are.

Where's the fun in that?

Harry groaned and ground his cigarette out in the ashtray. He rolled onto his side and glared at the red drapes. What could the answer be?

It hit him like a ton of bricks.

A horcrux?

No answer.

Harry didn't come out of the room until dinner. There had been no answer from Red-eyes though Harry had actually gone searching for him in his mind. The thought that he might be a horcrux stuck to his mind though. But it was just a possibility, right? There could be other explanations. There had to be! But the pieces just fit together so well. The crimson eyes so like Voldemort's, the anger he felt when Red-eyes began to take over, the thoughts of violence and torture…

"Fuck!" Harry hissed, leaning against the wall outside of the Great Hall. He didn't think he could go in there and face his friends knowing what he did now. He was becoming surer by the second that it was true he was a horcrux. Of course he would have to confront the old man just to make sure.

Finally his hunger got the better of him as his stomach growled for attention. He slid into the Great Hall, trying to remain inconspicuous, though that lasted about a nanosecond before he was seen by nearly every student. What was so interesting about him? Why did they have to watch his every movement as he made his way to his seat by Hermione, keeping his head down? Tonks and Ginny were sitting across from him and Ron sat down the table with Lavender, far away from Hermione.

"Feeling better?" Tonks asked. Harry grabbed a chicken leg and nearly slammed it onto his plate. He went for the corn next, tossing it onto the plate as well, though it seemed a little angrily. The kernels would hit the plate and then bounce in different directions. "I guess not."

"I'm fine," Harry muttered. "I just can't stand everyone watching me like I'm some animal exhibit at the zoo!"

"What do you expect?" Ginny asked. "To them you're the Chosen One. You're pretty much like a second Dumbledore."

"Great!" Harry exclaimed sarcastically. He bit violently into his chicken, thinking vaguely that right there he probably did look like some animal at the school. Or Ron. He looked up at the Staff Table hoping to make eye contact with Dumbledore. He wasn't there. What the hell? He was here at breakfast! He kept a calm face. "Where's the old man?"

"Don't know," Ginny shrugged. "He's been going off a lot lately though."

Doing research. Inside Harry was raging. He needed to speak to the headmaster and he was gone! Of fucking course! He turned his burning gaze to Tonks. "Did he tell you anything?"

"No. He never tells the order where he's going. He just gives out assignments and leaves."

Harry cracked his knuckles under the table. Mad-eye was gone and now the old man was gone. This was really helping his training. Sometimes I get the feeling he doesn't want me to beat Voldemort. There was no answer for once. Where had Red-eyes gone? For the first time Harry wished he would answer back. Tonks and Hermione were looking at him worriedly. Were his eyes red? Probably. He tore into another chicken leg. "Well he does like his secrets."

"Yeah, that he does," Tonks agreed, thankful that he hadn't snapped.

Harry sighed. "So the school's unguarded again. That makes me feel safe."

"How do you think most of the rest of the students feel?" Hermione said. "They rely on Dumbledore. Most parents didn't want their kids coming back this year but Professor Dumbledore assured everyone that the castle was the safest place for them. Now he just leaves every few weeks doing who knows what."

"Research." Harry said before grinning. "Though I can't say for what." Hermione glared at him and he chuckled. She was pissed that he didn't tell anyone what went on during the lessons. All she knew about were memories and she didn't even know what the memories were of. He turned back to Tonks who looked amused. "So who's guarding the school along with the usual aurors?"

"Remus and Bill are tonight. But Dumbledore didn't say how long he would be gone so he left it up to Shacklebolt to assign members to guard duty."

"Remus is here?" Harry asked in surprise. Last he heard of Remus through a letter at the end of September was that he was living with 'his kind' as he put it to try and convince them to fight on the side of the light. "His mission…" He stopped and looked around. Nobody seemed to be listening but he didn't want to chance it.

Tonks' face fell and she set down her fork. "Ask him about it."

Harry nodded slowly. He didn't really need to ask Remus though. It was obvious that they'd lost the werewolves. "I'll do that now. See you." He stood from the table and left. Food just didn't seem very appealing after that bit of news. He went to the common room, currently empty and continued on to his dormitory. The Marauder's Map who be a good thing to have handy rather than try and follow Remus without it, especially since Remus who probably be under an invisibility cloak.

Remus was heading for the Astronomy Tower. Good, Harry thought. It was a good place to go when one wanted privacy, one of the reasons Harry tended to go there a lot, and the conversation that would be taking place was one that certainly required privacy. He grabbed his invisibility cloak and went back to the common room. Voices could be heard as students began returning from dinner so Harry threw the cloak over his head and slid by them as they entered through the portrait hole.

Harry made his way to the tallest tower of Hogwarts. He reached the seventh floor and noticed something on the map that caused a bit of concern. Draco Malfoy's name appeared on the same floor. The snake was a bit far from his lair. Harry chewed his lip, torn between talking to Moony and chasing after the death eater to see what he was doing. Finally he decided to continue after his werewolf friend. The death eater could wait for another time.

Well that's the worst choice you've made today.

Harry nearly jumped but merely raised his eyebrows. He'd gone so long without the voice in his head that it surprised him. You're back.

Just to tell you how stupid you are.

I need to talk to Lupin. Malfoy can wait. Harry shot back.

You'll regret it one day. Trust me.

Harry shook his head. Red-eyes didn't know what he was talking about.

..;…;.;.;.;.;.;.;;.;.;.;…

Harry waited for Remus to come around the corner. He'd passed his friend silently a ways back and kept hidden under his cloak where he knew Remus would pass through. His name moved closer and closer on the map. Just before Remus rounded the corner, stepped out and held his hand out in front of him. Remus did not appear there, also under a cloak. Something hit Harry's hand and he grinned.

"What the hell?" Remus mumbled. His head appeared and Harry saw an even more worn looking Remus than ever. Remus waved his arms in front of him and Harry stepped back, stifling his laughter. Remus' movements became more wild and Harry, grinning like mad, began to slap his hands. "Who's there?"

"Your worst nightmare!" Harry growled in a deep voice. He stepped behind Remus and tugged on a piece of hair. Remus grabbed the back of his head and whipped around. Harry threw off the cloak, laughing hysterically. He managed to control himself and looked at Remus' shocked face. Then he burst out laughing again. "You…looked…so…ridiculous!"

Remus scrubbed his face with both hands in embarrassment. "Alright cub, it wasn't that funny."

Harry wiped away a tear and coughed lightly behind his hand. His face suddenly took on a serious expression, as did Remus. They examined each other, both thinking the same thing: that the other looked older. Remus' hair had more grey streaks than before and his face more lined. He looked ten years older than he should. Harry didn't look his age either, one would have never guessed he was sixteen with the way he held himself, the look in his eyes that told of a hard life.

"How've you been Moony?" he asked quietly, sliding out a cigarette.

"I've been better." Remus answered truthfully. They began to walk with no particular destination.

"I heard about your mission," Harry said exhaling and watching the smoke float around. "What happened?"

Remus sighed. "Fenrir Greyback was there first. It was hard to gain their trust with him, not to mention that it is obvious that I have tried to live among wizards. These werewolves have shunned our society. They believe, thanks to Greyback, that they will live better lives under You-know-who's rule. A complete lie of course as You-know-who will only be using them as weapons to win the war."

Harry kept on walking, thinking hard about what Remus just told him. They came to a large open window and Harry sat on the ledge. "Fenrir Greyback. He sounds familiar."

Remus nodded looking bitter. "You may have heard the order talking about them, possibly even other students. He is one of the most well-known werewolves today for his savagery. His mission is to bite as many as he can, mostly young children. That way he can have them raised in packs were they will learn to hate wizards. You-know-who uses him to threaten families, with good results too."

Harry felt sickened. He clenched his fists tightly and drew his legs up and wrapped his arms around his knees. He took another drag. "Sick." He muttered.

Remus nodded and sat down on the ledge as well. "He was the one who contaminated me." Harry sat straight up and his eyes widened a fraction. "When I was a child. My father apparently offended him in some way so he got his revenge. They didn't know for years who did it and once I did find out I wished I hadn't. Greyback plans his attacks, making sure he is near potential victims for the fool moon. Yet he holds much sway in the packs and now he has ensured that they will all be on his side."

Harry shivered, praying that he never met that man in battle. Somehow, he knew that he would. Now Voldemort had the werewolves as well as giants on his side. How the fuck were they supposed to compete with that? The side of the light had Remus when it came to werewolves, and he wouldn't attack willingly in his werewolf form, even if it would be dark wizards. And then they had Grawp, a runt when it came to giants.

"So how are you these days?" Remus asked, breaking through his thoughts and changing the subject. "You look better."

Harry smiled. "I have Mad-eye to thank for that. Him and his borderline insanity for defending one's self."

Remus laughed and shook his head. "I'll bet you're glad to have a break."

Harry shook his head. "Actually no. I'd rather have him here to help me train. I still go every Tuesday and Thursday and train for three hours like we usually did. I want to have a chance, Moony. You know?" He sighed and looked at his cigarette. Almost down to the butt. "Voldemort will be coming after me you know. Just like he always has. I want to have a chance!"

Remus put a hand on his shoulder. "I get what you mean cub. I know you have some prophecy hanging over your head even if I don't know the contents. Don't worry, you can keep your secret. But don't forget that you are allowed to have fun. Don't let the prophecy take over your life."

"I'm not!" Harry protested.

"That's not what Tonks told me."

Shit. He sometimes forgot that Tonks reported back to the order. How much did she tell them all? "Tonks doesn't know what she's talking about."

Remus smiled gently. "Oh I think she does." Remus stood up as did Harry. "I have to get back to patrolling. You should get to sleep."

Harry nodded. "Will I see you over Christmas?"

"Probably. Take care of yourself cub."

"You too Moony."

Both disappeared under their cloaks. Harry headed in one direction and Remus in the other.

Such a heartwarming conversation.

Harry scowled. Shut up asshole.

A/N: Yeah, notha chapter finished, though a bit rushed. The conversation with Remus normally takes place over Christmas at the burrow. I have some other plans for Christmas for Harry though, which happen to coincide better with how the movie goes. Maybe. Sorta.

11/12/11