Chapter Fourteen: In Which Harry's Angels Learn the Truth

Harry and his wives thoroughly tested his hypothesis that Sunday. They continued testing into the next week as well. None of the staff that resided in the castle chose to mention anything about how neither Harry nor any of the wives appeared at all for four whole days.

For Harry, it was an experience he could never have prepared for. The tickling tackles were the first he ever had, and the girls seemed to delight in removing clothes even while they tickled him. He tickled back, but was severely outnumbered. Fortunately, Luna was prone to unexpected bouts of betrayal and would turn on her sister wives with gleeful abandon. Eventually he was down to his boxers when Hermione finally dragged him away.

"It has been five days since my wedding night," she declared as she threw off her robes and closed the door to her master bedroom.

At some point during their second day, modesty became a moot issue. Harry wasn't sure when clothes became redundant. As their wedding bonds strengthened, they seemed to form such a close rapport with each other that it was not disturbing in the least for Daphne to stroll across the main common room starkers in order to grab a pint of juice. Lunch was consumed in underwear.

Harry realized things were truly different when Luna calmly walked in on him and Susan and Susan did not care. She didn't even blink an eye when Luna climbed into the bed with them. "I don't like being alone," Luna explained.

Susan stopped bucking on Harry long enough to lean over and kiss the other girl. As she did so, her nipples brushed against Harry's chest, almost ending that session right there and then. "I know," Susan said. "It's okay."

"Is it okay with you, Harry?" Luna asked. Her breasts hovered just over his face.

"You're kidding, right?" Harry asked. He then kissed that nearest breast, just to make sure she knew he was okay with it.

There were limits, of course. Hermione he knew would never be one for company. Ginny, too, treasured private time. Daphne, Luna and Susan, however, did not seem to have the same qualms. On Wednesday morning, he even found Luna and Daphne spooning on the couch in the depths of a very soothing sleep.

Eventually, though, the six of them looked up from their honeymoon festivities and realized the world was moving on around them. So, on the Thursday after the week that saw five weddings, Harry and his wives dressed and left their tower.

Harry looked around the halls, and then looked at one of the Portraits. This one was of a matronly woman in a bulging bodice. "Excuse me, do you know where Professor Dumbledore is?"

"Oh yes, m'lord," the matron said with a little curtsey. "He is in his office."

"Can you tell him that we'd like to see him?"

"Of course," the matron said. She turned to another portrait as Harry and the ladies left. "Did you hear that? The young master spoke to me!"

They made their way through the mostly empty castle until they reached the entrance to the Headmaster's Office. The gargoyle was already out of the way and the path was clear, so the six of them walked up.

"Ahh, Mr. Potter! Lady Gryffindor, Lady Ravenclaw…"

"We get it, good morning," Daphne said. She looked at the others. "Formal announcements are going to be a pain."

"Well, I trust you have had an enjoyable week."

"You have no idea," Susan said. She was virtually glowing.

"Did you know the power of love is available in a variety of positions?" Luna asked. "It even works on couches. That last part may be genetic, though."

The old wizard stared at her for a very long time. "An aspect of that particular power I frankly had not considered."

"So, has the Daily Prophet had a field day with us?" Harry asked.

"Oh yes," Dumbledore said. "Quite the show it's been while you have been enjoying your honeymoon. Evidently Hogwarts has become a house of sin and depravity. The board of governors has even made inquiries. Fortunately, with the loss of Lucius and four new seats, they don't have a quorum to take any action."

"Four new seats?" Harry asked.

"Yes. With your confirmation as the heir and elevation to the Wizengamot, you now make up a quarter of the board just by yourself. Congratulations."

"Does that mean I can get Snape fired?"

"I would appreciate it if you do not," Dumbledore said.

"Could he get you fired?" Daphne asked piercingly.

"Again, I would appreciate it if you do not," Dumbledore said with just the twitch of his lips.

"Okay," Harry agreed easily enough. "I was hoping to talk to you about what we do next." He looked around at the girls. "We're sort of a package deal now, so I think it's time we got down to business."

"And you are sure you want the girls to know everything?" Dumbledore asked.

"They deserve to know."

And so Hermione, Luna, Susan, Daphne and Ginny listened intently as Dumbledore recited the prophecy. Naturally, all of them being a bit smarter than Harry, they all immediately understood what it mean.

"And so when Harry said he wasn't sure he'd see eighteen, he was being literal," Hermione said. "And we're sure it has to be him?"

"As sure as we can be about anything. However, even if I had my doubts, Voldemort does not. He is convinced that Harry is the only one who can defeat him, and so he is going to do everything he can to destroy him."

"What can we do to help?" Ginny asked.

"Tell them about the horcruxes," Harry said.

Daphne sat up, eyes wide. "Horcruxes? Voldemort has…of course."

"You have heard of them?" Dumbledore said with genuine surprise.

"I come from a Dark-aligned family. I've spent Solstices at Malfoy Manor. I've read about them, but not in detail. Some things are too dark even for the Dark-aligned families."

"Why don't you tell us?" Ginny asked.

"You know as much about them as anyone," Harry said. "You were possessed by one."

Ginny paled. "The diary?"

"It was a horcrux," Dumbledore said. "It was not just an enchanted diary. It actually possessed a portion of Voldemort's very soul. There is a method by which a wizard may shatter portions of his soul and anchor them into an object. This has the effect of essentially rendering him immortal."

"But Harry destroyed the diary!" Ginny said.

"He did," Dumbledore said. "It was not the only one."

"So we need to destroy the hocruxes," Hermione said. Leave it to her to jump immediately to the heart of the matter. "But first we need to find them. Do we know how many there are?"

"Voldemort once expressed to his professors that the number seven had special significance."

"So, Tom Riddle's diary was one," Hermione said. She started looking around and her finger started to twitch.

"Parchment and quill," Harry interpreted.

"Of course," Dumbledore said. He quickly provided the supplies, and Hermione started writing. "What clues do we have?"

"I have made an extensive study of Tom Riddle's life," Dumbledore said. "From when I first discovered him in the orphanage, to when his first body was destroyed when giving Mr. Potter his scar. What I have learned is that Tom Riddle was descended from the Gaunt family. His mother was a very sickly, inbred child who fell in love with, and through a potion, raped a muggle named Tom Riddle Sr. Tom Marvolo Riddle was born nine months later. His mother died shortly after his birth."

"You mean to tell me that the Dark Lord is a half-blood?" Daphne whispered, clearly stunned.

"Just like Hitler was of Jewish descent," Hermione said. "What else, Headmaster?"

"I saw early on that Tom liked to take trophies. For instance, one of my to-do projects this summer was to visit the old Gaunt home. I strongly suspect I shall find a horcrux there."

"Why haven't you?" Ginny asked.

"I got side-tracked with your husband's apparently insatiable love life, Mrs. Potter."

Ginny blushed and grinned. "Yeah, it is that."

"So he liked trophies." Hermione was not going to be side-tracked.

"Because of his being an heir of Slytherin, he felt a connection to the founders."

Harry stood up. "What is it, Harry?" Hermione asked.

Harry looked down at Dumbledore. "The Grey Lady. She said to look for her mother's diadem. She said it was in the heart of the castle!"

"Then it will be there for a few minutes more," Hermione said. "Let's finish this list and then go horcrux hunting, shall we?"

"Yes, Head Wife," Harry said meekly.

"Don't you start with me, young man," Hermione snapped. "Okay, so it's likely that Ravenclaw's diadem is one."

"I suspect the Resurrection Stone is another," Dumbledore said. "It is that which I believe is hidden in the old Gaunt home."

Luna perked up. "The Resurrection Stone as in The Deathly Hallows?"

"Yes, my dear. Of course your father is a firm believer in the old story, isn't he?"

"I've heard the story," Daphne said. "It's a myth, though."

"Not at all. Tom Riddle was a descendent of Cadmus Peverell, who was actually the great grandson of Salazar Slyherin and Rowena Ravenclaw. The stone was passed down from generation to generation, until it came into the possession of Riddle's maternal grandfather, Morphin Gaunt. It is near indisputable proof that the Gaunt family were descended from Slytherin."

He looked at Harry. "The other brother, Ignotus, had a true cloak of invisibility. Like Cadmus, he handed it down from generation to generation, until it came at last into the hands of James Potter."

Luna squealed. "You mean Harry has one of the hallows? Father will be so excited."

"Let's wait until everything is settled to start advertising," Harry urged.

"Indeed," Dumbledore said. "I cannot stress this enough, ladies. If he finds out we know of his horcruxes, he will hide them more securely, or move them about, and make it near impossible find them. Nothing we discuss can leave this room."

They all nodded. "So, diary, diadem, Resurrection Stone. Any other ideas?"

Dumbledore chuckled. "I had so many wonderful memories stored for you to use in your quest," he said, "now I find I am just having to tell you. I believe the next item will be the cup of Helga Hufflepuff."

"You know, Slytherin supposedly had a locket that would only answer to parseltongue," Daphne said.

"He did indeed," Dumbledore agreed. "I would make a most auspicious horcrux."

"But that's two from Slytherin," Hermione said. "Why not use something of Gryffindor's?"

"Gryffindor's sword is the only item of importance from him," Harry said. "It destroys dark magic on contact. Voldemort would lose the soul fragment he tried to put in it, and would likely die in the attempt. And Gryffindor's hat would simply tell us what happened."

"Quite right."

"So, diary, stone, diadem, cup and now a locket. We're up to five items. What's left?"

"The last two, I'm afraid, are not quite as easy. Based on her unusual lifespan and size, I believe that Riddle may have imbued a portion of his soul into his snake, Nagini."

"Based on what evidence?"

"During third year, when I first started getting visions," Harry said, "I had a vision that Voldemort was having Wormtail milk nagini."

"He was living, in part, off her venom," Dumbledore said. "Venom laced with his own soul energy."

"That's disgusting," Susan muttered. She looked a little green.

"So, there's only one left. Any ideas?"

Dumbledore stood up abruptly and paced around his desk with his hands behind his back. "Headmaster?" Hermione asked. She was startled by his sudden movement.

"You must understand, we weren't sure at first," Dumbledore said without turning to face them. "The idea was so very atrocious. But as time went on and I studied the prophecy, it all made a terrible kind of sense. A cruel joke on both Voldemort and his victim. I thought I would be able to deal with it, to do what I had to do for the greater good of all, but I found the task beyond me."

He turned around at last, and the six young people were startled by a silvery tear tracing a path down his cheek. "The last horcrux, Harry, is you."

Automatically he lifted a finger to the scar.

"That's right," Dumbledore said. "I knew the moment you mentioned how it hurt whenever Voldemort was near. How it formed a connection. It was a fragment of his soul aching to return to him. One of the prerequisites for the creation of a horcrux is pre-meditated murder. We believe that Voldemort was going to try and make the cloak of Ignotus Peverell a Horcrux with the murder of either you or your mother. He began the process with her death, but it was interrupted by your mother's blood magic causing his spell to rebound from you. Rather than settling in the cloak, the soul fragment settled in you."

"Either must die at the hand of the other, for neither can live while the other survives," Hermione recited. She blanched the color of bone. "No," she said. "No, it can't be. There has to be another way!"

"What?" Susan asked.

Luna, though, looked over at Harry with glistening silver-grey eyes. "It means that in order for Voldemort to die, Harry must die as well."

"And that, Ladies, was why your compulsions were so very strong," Dumbledore said with such profound sadness it brought tears to all the wives. "Hogwarts evidently knew of the fate on Mr. Potter's shoulders. And so to ensure the lines he carries are preserved, she added strength to bonds you all ready had. Not a compulsion, perhaps, but she made each of you fully realize the depth of your feelings toward Mr. Potter, where before was only the potential."

"And Harry?" Daphne said.

"Harry…" Dumbledore smiled. "Harry's capacity for love astounds me, given the harsh and loveless environment in which he was raised. It was your own affections for him that cemented his affection for you. And now that the bonds have been set, I daresay you are stuck with each other."

"Good," Hermione said. The four other wives nodded, and Harry grinned. "Like I said earlier, we're a package deal," Harry said. "So I have to die before Voldemort can die. For the sake of the world."

Hermione turned to glare at him. "Harry, I know what's going through your mind, and I'm telling you right now that isn't going to happen. We'll find another way."

"Together," Luna said with a faraway look, "we can do anything."

"Okay," Harry said. "I promise not to kill myself anytime soon."

"I'm not joking," Hermione said.

Harry looked her in the eye. "I have five overwhelming reasons to live, Hermione. For the very first time in my life, I have a true reason to live. I'm going to live every minute I can."

"I must admit," Dumbledore noted, "you seem to be taking this much better than I would have thought."

"A week of depravity has given me a unique perspective," Harry admitted. "When they're with me, Headmaster, it really does feel like anything is possible."

"So, shall we go get the diadem?" Luna asked.

The seven of them left Dumbledore's office and walked through the castle toward the room of requirement. They found the room filled with thousands of items lost over the years. Harry walked to the center of the room and said, "May I have the diadem of Rowena Ravenclaw, please?"

The girls and Dumbledore watched in admiration as a circlet appeared before Harry, hovering in the air. With a smile, Harry took the diadem. "Thank you, Hogwarts."

The lights in the room dimmed once in acknowledgment. Harry walked back to Dumbledore and handed the bemused Headmaster the item in question. "Here's one."