Author's Note: Alright this time I will apologise. There was really no reason for me to wait so long to put up a new chapter. So sorry. I'm not exactly sure how this one is going to go but here it is.
Chapter 21: A Living Horcrux? Part Two
The morning sun shone brightly through the dark curtains. So brightly in fact, that the boy who could usually sleep through the morning light, was awoken by it. Yawning and stretching he sat up and looked around the room in a fog. His tousled black hair clung to the right side of his face, his bright green eyes dim with sleep, while his pale torso exposed to the chill air.
"Ig." He sighed swinging his legs over the bedside so he could get out. He couldn't remember why he felt so bad, why his body didn't want to move, or his eyes wanted to open. He made his way slowly from his room to the bathroom, pondering his strange numbness, when Sirius exited the bathroom. Harry stopped to stare at the grown man in front of him. He was clad in nothing but a light blue towel around his waist, his long black hair was wet and clinging to his back and shoulders, with a look that clearly stated he was annoyed.
"Damn it Remus!" He shouted down the stairs with out notice for Harry. "Where's the hot water?!"
"What?" Remus's voice echoed up the stairs followed by his footsteps. As he came into few looking politely puzzled Sirius started in on him.
"I was in the middle of a nice hot shower, mind you I said hot, and suddenly it was like revenge of the Ice Queen! What the hell?"
"Good morning Harry." Remus smiled slightly at the boy completely ignoring Sirius. "Did you sleep ok?" Harry nodded numbly.
"Hey Harry." Sirius flashed a smile at him before rounding back to Rem. "Well?"
"Well what? You used up all the hot water for the morning. It'll take at least 6 hours to bring it back up."
"We're wizards for Merlin's sake!"
"Yes. We're wizards. I believe you have a wand yes? Try using it, and before shouting at me to fix something, use your brain next time as well." He turned to head back down the stairs. "Morning tea Harry?"
"Yeah. Be down in a minute." Rem retreated and Sirius looked down to Harry.
"Bit of a know it all isn't he?" And he headed back into the bathroom. Harry turned back to his room. He'd take a shower later. Once there he got dressed and made his way downstairs. His body was almost feeling normal again.
Remus was standing by the table pouring tea, Harry noted instead of the usual 3 cups, there were four. He took his usual spot facing the large glass doors and accepted the cup.
"Who's coming over?"
"Did you forget?" Remmy sat down and brought the cup to his mouth and hesitated. "McGonagall's coming back this morning to finish your test."
Oh...that's right. I forgot. Harry sighed and slumped in his chair a little. Rem chuckled.
"Don't look so bummed. I'm surprised you forgot after what you went through last night. It's not easy to be tested for hidden objects in the body."
"Yeah." Sirius growled coming into the room. "And if that Son of a cough hid a Horcrux in your body that's just one more reason for me to kill him." He sat down and took the cup of tea. "Good thing today's the last day for this, nice of McGonagall to take time out of her busy school schedule to take a peek at you."
"Of course I would take time of my busy schedule Sirius!" Came a crisp voice from the living den. McGonagall entered the room looking stern as always. "Unlike some people in this room I do have a sense of responsibility. Or need I remind you of your 6th year Sirius?" She asked accepting the cup from Remus. "When you took the whole of my class to Hagrid's for a game of Hippogriff Hopping?" She eyed him sternly but a faint light of amusement shimmered behind the rim of her glasses. Harry snorted into his cup.
"What's Hippogriff Hopping?" He asked curiously looking at his Godfather.
"A bloody good time is what!" He howled. "You start with-"
"Sirius please." Remus sighed. "You have taught Harry enough mischief to last him two life times, refrain from adding this to the bill, hm?"
"Yes." McGonagall sat at the table. "After tea Harry we will finish up. Just one last spell to perform. I mean to say if The Dark Lord did place an object within your body, that contained a piece of his soul, it would be very good indeed to find it and expel it from you."
"And if it's not there?" Sirius asked. "What does that mean? I mean why would Harry feel pain and see Voldemort every time something big happens? When we destroy the Horcrux's or when Old Voldie is in a particularly nasty mood?"
"I don't really know what the alternative is Sirius." McGonagall replied.
"The alternative..." Everyone looked back as Dumbledore appeared by the glass doors checking his pocket watch. "...is to horrible to imagine. So let us hope we do find an object inside Harry."
Harry stood in the den looking uncomfortable. There was something about a grown witch, especially this witch, pointing her wand at you that made him particularly nervous. Her stern eyes were narrowed as they searched his body for any imperfection. Her arm held true and straight, the tip of the wand pointing at the centre of his chest, face resolute.
"I will not lie to you." She began. "This is going to hurt." Harry nodded as he swallowed. His eyes looked to his Godfather, whom by all definitions of the word, looked pissed. Remus was looking...well Remus like. Dumbledore had a sombre look on his face, his blue eyes caught Harry's, they bore into him. And suddenly Harry didn't feel quite so scared, and that's when it hit him, a pain that made his chest contract.
Electric blue lights were surging around his body, reaching in now and again, returning with nothing. He yelped as the lights whooshed in and out of his chest, a white mist was gathering around him now too, the lights dieing, the mist starting to glitter. Harry blinked. He suddenly felt oblivious. He had no idea where he was, who he was, just a vast white. No sound, or smell, nothing. Then suddenly he was back. The smell of Sirius rug in his nose and the now all to familiar feeling of pain and exhaustion. Sirius pulled him up onto his knees.
"You alright Harry?" He sounded worried.
"W-what happened?"
"Nothing." McGonagall replied, her crisp tone wakening him more. "The spell did exactly what it was suppose to do."
"Did you get anything out?" Harry looked at her as she shook her head. Sirius and Remus were looking at Harry, who looked confused. "Then...then what's wrong with me?" They all looked to Dumbledore.
The old man looked ancient as he sighed and removed his glasses from his face. He raised his head with a great breath and closed his eyes as he exhaled. At that moment Harry understood why so many people respected this man. Not only did he look ancient, but wise, noble, and oddly enough, powerful.
"We need to have a meeting...very soon." He placed the glasses back on. "Sirius, tomorrow morning, first thing, I want everyone present." Sirius nodded at him.
"Dumbledore!" A voice shouted and several pops resonated through the room. Arthur was the first to reach him. "It's happened again! I just heard it come into the Ministry, another body!" Dumbledore straightened looking angry.
"Sirius, Remus, I want you to stay close to the fireplace until I send word." They nodded. "Minerva, return to the school immediately."
"Of course." She nodded and was gone.
"Do not leave this house Harry, do you understand me?" Dumbledore asked. "Do not leave your guardians sides for a second."
"Yes sir." He nodded and they were gone. Harry looked up to Sirius then over to Remus. "Who do you think-"
"The one in charge of the Corridor last night was Helms..." Remus sighed. "You don't think they got her do you?"
"Probably. But I tell you she wouldn't have gone out without a good fight."
"What do you think Dumbledore wants to tell us?" Sirius ruffled Harry's hair as he leaned back into the couch. "More bad news like always I suppose."
"He definitely did not look happy." Remus sighed. "It's never good when he sighs like that." He looked over to Harry. "Should we do something then? Practice maybe?"
"Practice what?" Sirius asked. "Harry hasn't recovered fully from being kidnapped, so we can't continue the Animigus thing for a while, not until his body has completely recovered."
"And Dumbledore is in charge of his Legilimens lessons..." Remus was looking thoughtful. "Have you read anything lately Harry?"
"No." He said truthfully starting to feel miserable again. "I haven't really been able to get my mind on it."
"It's alright." Sirius smiled. "You deserve a nice long break anyway. As soon as Dumbledore gives us the word how about a ride on the bike?"
"Sirius you know we can't let Harry outside of the protection. Not anymore. Snape surely would have told Voldemort about your rides with him. They'll be looking for him and you know it."
"Damn it..." Silence reigned for a while. Nothing but the sound of them breathing and an occasional sigh from Remus. He wanted a cup of tea but he felt it best to stay in the living room with Sirius and Harry, after all Dumbledore had told them to stay by the fire. Just as Sirius was about to tell him to go get a cuppa, after Remus's 57th sigh, the fire glowed and the three of them jumped.
"They didn't get the object!" It was Arthur's face. "But Helms and Goyle are dead."
"Goyle?" Remus looked confused.
"It looks as though the Dark Lord is losing patience with his own followers. There was something in Goyle's pocket though."
"What?" They asked in unison. Arthur held up a picture and the three men stared at it. It was old, the edges frayed and the phot it's self stained yellow, a pretty woman with thick blonde curls and chubby cheeks was smiling at them. She looked as though she weighed a healthy sum but bore it well as she waved merrily in a yellow and black period dress, far older than anything any of them had ever seen. "Who is that?" Sirius asked.
"Dunno, it's the back that Dumbledore seemed interested in." He turned it over on the other side two words were scribbled.
Gold Cup
Ha!! If your good and know the books well you already know who that is and what the gold cup is!! If not wait for Chapter 22!