Well it's been a while and I don't know when they'll be more but enjoy and PLEASE review. If anyone thinks it's going fast see the chapter before last.
I'm own nothing but OC's.
Chapter 20:
It was over an hour before they found the diadem. Getting it once they did find it was surprisingly easy, Tom Riddle seemed to have trusted the clutter and obscurity of the room to hide his Horcrux and all they needed to do was remove the admittedly strong cofounding charm. However, Harry refused to hold it, the thing made him feel uncomfortable.
Granted it set them all a bit on edge but the dark slippery feeling seemed somehow familiar to Harry and that was not something he wanted to contemplate while holding the thing.
So it was with two Horcruxes that the triplets, Emma, Salamanca, Sirius, Kreacher, and Severus went to Gringotts Saturday morning.
Griphook met them and brought the group to the ritual where he introduced them to his sister, a goblin with unusually large ears named Fren who was willing to answer Sal's questions and the salamander responded to the politeness by putting in the effort to tone down her excitement.
The Horcruxes made quite a picture set next to each other in the middle of a ritual circle; a small golden cup engraved with a badger, an emerald locket with a snake atop it, and a silver diadem with a raven atop it and a dark sapphire in the middle.
"Items from the founders." Sirius muttered. "I can't believe I'm seeing this."
"And to think he corrupted them so." Severus replied softly. Their lips curled.
The ritual ended with three high screams of pain emitting from the objects. "It is done?" Emma asked.
Fren nodded. "It is done. The items are cleansed." She handed them to the vampire. Kreacher looked at the locket, poked it once, then wailed with joy.
Sunday morning saw Sirius and Kreacher leaving Hogwarts to seek Regulus, who Kreacher knew was somewhere in Switzerland. Remus had elected to stay and continue learning how to manage the wolf with Connor's help. He was getting much better, and much healthier.
Connor had from his research discovered that the Gaunts were descended from the Peverells who were according to legend the original owners of the Deathly Hallows. Considering most only knew of those from a children's story they did not think Voldemort would have known of them and sought them out, but they still thought it worth the time to check the Gaunt shack in case he had hidden something there.
They found it empty and began to prod around the remains. "I think I've got something!"
Snape and Emma hurried over. Logan and Harry had wanted to join their sister but she had insisted on letting them spend the day with their Yule Ball dates, with whom they were getting close. Salamanca was there though and flames licked her hands forming a giant ball.
"Shall we proverbially kick down the door?" The others formed strong shield spells and nodded.
For those who do not know, salamander fire can do a myriad of things, not the least of which is destroy protective enchantments. Properly motivated it can destroy dark magic like horcruxes, but the more powerful the flames the more likely the salamander was to lose control-either from excessive power or lowered impulse.
The ball of flame ripped through the floor and the first layers of protective enchantments, then began to eat through the rest. Sal watched it carefully, her hair alight with tiny flames, and when she caught sight of a small iron box she willed the flames to die.
"Is that all?" Severus asked.
"I think so." He raised his wand and began to murmur. After a minute he lowered it. "I can sense no other detection spells."
Lusca reached in and grabbed the box, ignoring Emma's hiss. She opened it. Inside was a large crude ring, inlaid with a black stone. She frowned.
"Isn't that the symbol of the Deathly Hallows?" She tossed it to Emma.
"Yes. Let's go back to Hogwarts and send it to-"
An explosion cut her off. Flames flared back to life in Salamanca's hands and ice began to form in front of Lusca but Severus shook his head. "We can't risk losing that ring!" The lamina hissed but she allowed Severus to apparate them away.
Voldemort was furious. The ring stolen-what of the others? Nagini was safe, he would keep her close to him now, the cup however- Dumbledore had known of his misdemeanors at the orphanage it was possible he would look there. The cup was safe he was sure, the diadem, hmm. Hogwarts had always been a little risky but he was sure none had penetrated its depths as he had, still if the locket was gone…
He took to the air.