Chapter XXIX - The Last Piece to the Puzzle
As the weeks flew by, Harry felt himself getting a little worried about what was to come. Lupin and Tonks had been searching for the mysterious R.A.B. but to no avail and without that horcrux, Harry had nothing left to do. He knew that he couldn't kill Nagini until the locket was destroyed, otherwise he would be giving himself away completely to Voldemort. Voldemort could already know what Harry was doing since Malfoy's blunder over the Ravenclaw eagle. Harry looked down at his pensive as he sat on his bed, trying to comb out any memories from the night that he discovered the note, but the only thing that he managed to remember was the note itself, which had read:
To the Dark Lord
I know I will be dead long before you read this, but I want you to know that it was I who discovered your secret. I have stolen the real horcrux and intend to destroy it as soon as I can. I face death in the hope that when you meet your match, you will be mortal once more.
R.A.B.
Who had written it? And why did he believe that he would be facing death soon? The thoughts bothered Harry more than he cared to dwell on and he knew that the longer it took to find out who R.A.B. was, the longer it would be until Harry could destroy Voldemort. Time was something that he did not have. The longer he allowed Voldemort to live, the more power he could build up and the better his chances at finishing that potion. He sighed as he re-looked over every memory he had of the moment he had discovered the note and what he had done about it, until he was interrupted by Hedwig.
"Hey Hedwig, so you've finally decided to come talk to me. I thought you were angry because Fawkes belongs to me now too." Harry said as Hedwig landed on his shoulder and snuggled close to his ear for a moment. "Changed your mind, have you? Good, I missed you." Hedwig cooed softly and Harry laughed, that's when he noticed the letter on her leg. "What's that girl?"
She held out her leg for him and he untied the note and began to read:
Harry,
I know that you're in school but I already ran it by Minerva and she says that its fine if you want to. As you may or may not know, Tonks and I have been trying to clean up this rotten house to make it liveable for normal beings. It took some time, but we've managed to get the screaming mad woman from the front room to leave and we've actually cleaned it up really well. Now I know the house belongs to you, but I also knew that you wouldn't mind us cleaning it up. Sirius did a good job at getting rid of most of the stuff and the things he missed, Dung found. However, the attic has not been touched.
Sirius only went through a box or two and then he discovered Kreacher up there and never went back up. It is filled with things and I was wondering if you would like to come over this weekend and stay while we clean it out. A lot of stuff up there might belong to Sirius, and trust me when I say IT WILL STAND OUT.
Since the house does belong to you, I think you should be present for what we find as you get to decide what gets to be kept and what gets to be sold. If you decide yes, just stay here after your lesson with Kingsley. Send Hedwig back with a response, I think she may still be a little angry with you as she's been spending a lot of time here.
Remus
Harry grinned; a whole weekend cleaning out a dusty old attic in Grimmauld Place. So it wasn't exactly the most exciting job, but who knows what he could find up there? He quickly found a piece of parchment and scribbled back.
Hey Remus,
Sounds like fun … or not.
But yeah, of course I'll come out and help, there's something I've been meaning to discuss with you anyway. See you Friday.
Harry
He tied the note to Hedwig and sent her off, bribing her with owl treats if she came back to visit more often, before he put his pensive away and went downstairs to find Ginny. He had been contemplating doing this for a while, mostly since he had discovered how rich he was, but now that he was engaged, he felt he should talk to Ginny about it first. He found her lying on the floor in front of the fire doing her homework, her legs sticking up in the air as she lay comfortably on her stomach. He grinned and went to sit down next to her.
"Hey Gin, what'cha doing?"
Ginny smiled up at him. "Ancient Runes essay. It's due on Friday, my last bit of homework for the evening. What about you?"
Harry shrugged. "I was trying to figure something out about R.A.B. when Hedwig brought me a letter from Lupin. He wants me to go stay with him this weekend and help him clean out the attic. I guess he already cleared it with McGonagall, so I'll be gone this weekend."
"That sounds like fun. You'll probably enjoy spending an entire weekend with Lupin. I guess I'll have to occupy my time without you."
Harry laughed. "Yeah, I guess you will. Can you manage that?"
Ginny grinned up at him. " Sure, but I'll miss you." She sat up to give him a soft kiss and he grinned.
"Good, I'll miss you too. I need to talk to you about something though. Can you take a break from the essay and come for a walk with me?"
Ginny nodded. "Yeah, I could probably use a break anyway. Just let me write down this last idea." She finished her train of thought before she put her books back in her bag and then stood up, taking his hand in hers as she followed him out of the portrait hole. Harry led her into an empty classroom and closed the door, before he pulled her over to take a seat.
"Gin … er, well, you know how I'm really rich?"
Ginny laughed. "Yeah, I was there when you found out, remember? I believe I was sitting cozily right on your lap."
Harry grinned. "Yeah well, I and soon to be we, own twelve homes, mansions actually. Grimmauld Place is one of them."
Ginny nodded. "Yeah, I … wow, I mean, I never really thought about me owning those things too."
Harry smiled. "Well, you do. The thing is, yesterday when Ron and I snuck out during dinner. We went to Diagon Alley and –"
"You went to Diagon Alley!" Ginny exclaimed. "Harry, are you crazy! What if you had been caught? McGonagall would have killed you and she wouldn't have even stopped to consider if you were the bloody boy who lived!"
Harry laughed. "Yeah, I suppose she would have, but she knew we were going because I told her what I needed to do, and she said she understood. I didn't mention it because I wanted to just do it and get it over with, without upsetting you."
Ginny nodded, her eyes held worry now. "Harry, what's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong, Gin, I just had some important things to take care of at Gringotts. First and most importantly, I made a will."
"A will? Oh Harry, you're going to kill him, I know you will!" Ginny said, her eyes filling with tears that she was furiously blinking back, she was not going to cry, she hated to cry.
Harry nodded. "Yeah, I hope I will, but I have to be prepared for anything. You, as my fiancée, and hopefully as my wife, will get everything; the money, the houses, all of the furniture, everything. I left things to a lot of other people as well, but you get the chunk of it. I did two other things, one you have to promise not to tell anyone, not even Ron, as I did it while he was in the Quidditch store so he doesn't know."
"I promise."
"I gave two million galleons to your parents. Now before you say anything, I know that they won't take it, or I would have given them more. So I worked it out with the goblins as a sort of draw, and they won the jackpot. I figure they'll take it that way, and I want them to have it. Gin, your parents mean so much to me, and they've done so much for me, it's the least that I can do."
Ginny smiled and threw herself into his arms to kiss him softly. "I love you, Harry Potter, you are too kind for your own good. I promise that I won't tell them. They'll be so thrilled that they won something like this. I assume that you worked out all of the kinks, so that dad won't find out it was really from you?"
Harry nodded. "Yeah, it's all worked out."
"Good." She kissed him again and then just cuddled into his arms for a warm hug.
Harry grinned. "There's one more thing, Gin and it concerns Grimmauld Place."
Ginny nodded. "Alright, Harry, what is it?"
"I signed a form and a contract giving Grimmauld Place as well as two million galleons to Lupin. I'm going to tell him this weekend. The money is to fix up the house, but I want him to have it. He's been living there anyway, and I don't want it or need it, and from what Lupin said in the note, I think he's enjoying himself there."
Ginny smiled. "That's a perfect idea! I think he'll love it, as will Tonks. Those two are getting pretty serious."
Harry grinned. "Yeah, I suppose they are. Is everything okay with you, I mean everything that I just said?"
Ginny nodded. "Yes, it's all very good. But I don't want all of your money, Harry, or any of your homes, I just want you."
Harry smiled and leaned down to kiss her lips. "I know, I want you too, but someone has to have it all, and you are the future Mrs. Potter. When we have kids it will all be divided up between them as well."
"You want to have children?"
Harry nodded. "Yeah, I mean not right away, but someday. I think I could be a good dad. Don't you want children?"
Ginny nodded. "Yeah, I want lots and lots of children. Maybe ten or twelve."
"Ten or twelve?" Harry exclaimed in shock. "That's … well if it's what you want."
Ginny laughed and threw her arms around his neck. "I haven't decided if I really want that many, at least not yet, we'll just have to wait and see what happens. I love you."
Harry smiled as he held her close in his arms. "Yeah, I love you too."
After Harry's intense training session with Kingsley, he said goodbye and went up to shower, changing into some old comfortable clothes before he wandered around Grimmauld Place to find Lupin. He found him in the kitchen, drinking tea and reading the newspaper.
"Hey Remus, you ready to start searching those boxes?" Harry asked.
Lupin turned and grinned at Harry. "Yeah, let's head up there."
The attic was an even bigger mess than Harry imagined. Boxes were piled to the ceiling and everything was coated in dust. "Wow, this is … going to take us a while."
Lupin laughed. "Tell me about it, but at least we get to use magic." He waved his wand and boxes began to unpile themselves and open up. "Now let's look. I was thinking we'll make a pile of things that you don't want over there by the door and things that you do want just over in that corner, what do you think?"
Harry shrugged. "Sounds good to me."
The two worked companionably for hours, just sorting through the boxes. Most of it went into the "to be sold" pile as it pertained to old dark stuff that they would never use. However, Harry also started a pile of stuff that he thought Fred and George might find interesting to work with for their joke shop. The boxes were not as bad as the house had been, even though doxies and spiders and mice could sometimes be found in them. Harry was even lucky enough to wake up a bat. Harry found some photo albums; one of them even had pictures of Sirius, Remus, James, and Peter together from when they were younger and at Hogwarts.
"I'm surprised that some of Sirius' stuff is even here. I mean, from what I got out of it, he didn't live here anymore, did he?" Harry asked.
Lupin shook his head. "No, he pretty much moved into Potter Manor with your dad when he was about sixteen, however, his parents never let him back into the house, so a lot of his stuff he had to leave behind. Personally I'm surprised they bothered to keep it."
Harry nodded as he continued to search through the boxes. Other than a few photo albums, nothing else really appealed to Harry, until he saw the sheet draped over something in the back corner. He hurried towards it and opened it up, revealing a large black and silver motor cycle. It was the same one he had seen in his dreams for as long as he could remember.
"Wow, Remus, is this Sirius' bike?" Harry asked.
Lupin grinned. "Yeah it is. After Hagrid used it to bring you to the Dursleys, Dumbledore gave it to me. I brought it back here and gave it to his parents. Again, I can't believe they kept it . I guess you'll have to learn how to drive it. Sirius would have loved to teach you to fly this."
Harry grinned as he ran his hands over the leather seat. "Yeah, I can't wait to ride it. Can I have go on it now?"
Lupin laughed. "Sure, come on, we've got to bring it downstairs. The basement is probably best, there's no where else you can ride this."
He levitated the bike and steered it downstairs as Harry followed eagerly. He had always wanted to learn how to drive a car, but he had never managed that living with the Dursleys, but at least he could drive a motor cycle. Once it was in the basement, Harry sat on it as Lupin instructed what each control meant.
Within minutes, Harry was zooming around the basement on it, laughing. "How do you make it fly?"
Lupin grinned. "The joint stick in the middle there, Sirius invented that part himself. The bike really is quite illegal, but I don't think Sirius cared much. Pull the stick upwards and you should go up into the air, then just steer normal. Also if you push the blue button marked INV you should be able to become invisible so the world can't see you."
Harry did both, grinning when he began to fly around the room and laughing when he made both himself and the bike invisible, reminding him of the old Ford Angelina that he and Ron had flown to Hogwarts in their second year. It was fun and it was all his. He grinned as he landed, shutting everything off.
"That was wicked! I get to keep it?"
Lupin grinned. "Yeah, Sirius left you everything. I'll have everything that you decide to keep of Sirius' sent over to Potter Manor for you."
Harry grinned. "Thanks Remus."
Lupin smiled. "No problem. Are you ready to go tackle some more of those boxes?"
Harry shrugged. "Sure, why not?"
At lunchtime on the Saturday afternoon, Harry decided to bring up the house to Lupin's attention. "Remus, there's uh, something I've been meaning to discuss with you."
Lupin looked up and smiled. "What's up, Harry?"
Harry grinned. "Well, you know how I inherited all of this money and how I now own twelve homes?"
Lupin laughed. "Yes, I suppose I would, as I was the one to tell you about it."
Harry laughed too. "Yeah, well, I've been thinking. I went to Gringotts this week and I made a will, I also had a contract drawn up." He reached into his pocket and pulled out the contract, placing it on the table between them. "I'm really rich, Remus, and I don't need all of it. You've been cleaning this place and living here and I just … I want you to have it."
Lupin looked up at Harry in surprise. "Have Grimmauld Place?"
Harry nodded. "Yeah. You can live here and hopefully redecorate the place. I've never wanted it, but I can't imagine it just sitting here, especially when I know someone can use it, like you."
Lupin looked down at the contract. "And this?"
"It makes it official. By signing it, you become the owner of the house and two million galleons will immediately be deposited into your account. The money is mostly for the house, but by all means, spend it on yourself as well." Harry said, grinning.
Lupin smiled. "I shouldn't accept this, but I'm going to because I want to, and because I know that you want me to have it, and hell I need it. Thank you, Harry." He stood up and pulled Harry into his arms for a hug. "You truly are your father's son. If I had a son, I couldn't be more proud."
Harry grinned and hugged Lupin back. "Thanks, I think you'd be a great dad."
"Damn right he would!" Tonks interrupted from the doorway. "Sorry to break up your moment, but Harry, don't you think Remus would be a wonderful father."
Harry looked over at Lupin and grinned. "Yeah, he's the best father that I ever had."
Lupin smiled. "Thank you, Harry."
Tonks smiled. "See Remus, you'd be a wonderful father."
"What's going on?" Harry asked.
Tonks sighed. "Remus asked me to marry him, and I said yes, but he's terrified about having children. They won't be werewolves or anything, he's just scared."
"Congratulations. But why are you afraid of having children?"
Lupin sighed. "I'm afraid that I might hurt one of them."
Harry smiled. "You wouldn't, Tonks would make sure of it. You'd be an awesome father and besides Tonks will keep you in line. Congratulations again. So Tonks, if you get married to Remus, then you'll have to be called Nymphadora Lupin, won't you?"
Tonks laughed. "Like hell I will, my name will be Tonks Lupin, I'll make it legal."
Harry grinned as he watched Tonks slip her arms around Lupin; yeah, they were perfect for each other.
They had searched through the boxes most of the day and into the night. Both were surprised when they realized half of the attic had been cleared out. Harry hadn't found much else that he wanted to keep, until he found a box filled with jewellery. He found a brown leather box buried beneath all of the jewellery and when he opened it up he could barely breathe from the shock.
Inside was a heavy golden locket with an ornate, serpentine S on the front. The memory flashed through his mind of Tom Riddle holding it in his hands as the woman Hepzibah told him about her fine treasure. Next to the locket was a note. Harry unfolded the parchment and read it quickly:
Regulus,
I know that you're worried about the Dark Lord and the work that he is doing, but I need you to do something for me. This locket once belonged to Salazar Slytherin himself and inside the Dark Lord had placed a piece of his soul; remember I told you about the horcruxes. I destroyed the horcrux inside of it with great risk to my own life. It caused my whole right arm to literally die, but it is no matter because I know that I won't be around much longer, I have betrayed too many of his followers to get out alive.
I beg of you to please keep this locket safe. The horcrux inside may be gone, but we need the locket to stay safe, it is very valuable and if the Dark Lord does not know where it is, the better for all of us. Please just keep it safe.
Rudolphus A. Bodine
Harry re-read the note a couple of more times before he looked at the locket again. His heart was beating quickly in his chest. It had been here, hidden away in the attic of Grimmauld Place the whole time. Sirius' brother had been hiding it for a friend. Harry clutched the box and the note tightly in his hand before he looked over at Lupin, who was still sorting through a box of stuff at the other end of the attic.
"Remus," Harry called out. "I think you better see this."
Lupin stood up, dusting himself off before he headed over to Harry. "What is it?"
Harry handed the note to him, and watched his eyes widen as he read. Then he looked down at Harry. "You're sure?"
Harry nodded. "Pretty positive. I think we better bring this to show Dumbledore right away. He'll be able to tell."
Lupin nodded. "Good idea. Come on, let's go."
Harry followed Lupin downstairs and into the fire to floo to McGonagall's office. McGonagall looked up in surprise when they appeared there. "Good evening, Mr. Potter, Remus, to what do I owe the surprise?"
Harry grinned. "We think we found R.A.B. and the locket."
"Really?" Dumbledore's portrait said from the wall. "Where at?"
Harry quickly explained about the box of jewellery in the attic and then he read the note out loud, before he held the locket up to the portrait to show Dumbledore. "Well, is that it?"
Dumbledore nodded. "I think so. Take it out, Harry; if it is truly Slytherin's locket then on the back it should say Salazar Slytherin. Slytherin was proud of his name and liked it to be on his things."
Harry pulled the locket out, surprised at its weight. He turned it over and grinned when he saw the name on the back. "It's here." The locket felt cold in his hands and unlike the other horcruxes he could not feel power from it. "I think he really did destroy it, I don't feel anything; it's just a locket."
Dumbledore nodded. "Open it, Harry, tell me what's inside."
Harry opened the clasp and looked inside. It was empty, except for some black soot. "It's empty, there's like black soot or something inside, stained against the inside, but that's it."
Dumbledore smiled. "That means that he destroyed it, Harry, which means, another horcrux is gone."
Harry grinned. "Good. Do you know who this Rudolphus A. Bodine was?"
"He was a Death Eater, but he died many years ago, before even you were born. He attended Hogwarts here with Regulus Black, they were both in Slytherin. I forgot about him, probably because he died before you were born."
"Which means that he knew about Voldemort's horcruxes before anyone else," Harry replied as he stared at the locket in his hand.
Dumbledore nodded. "Indeed he did. Interesting that he decided to destroy it, but I do wonder what he did to betray the Death Eaters, as far as I know he was always on Voldemort's side. Yet he destroys this, very interesting."
"Sir," Harry asked as he looked down at the letter. "He says that he killed his arm, making it turn black, that sounds like what happened to your hand, why?"
"He obviously tried to use the same spell that I did, which yes it destroys the horcrux and leaves black soot stained on the object, but it also destroys a part of you. His spell must have been extremely strong if it was his entire arm." Dumbledore explained.
Harry nodded as he looked over at McGonagall and Lupin. "That means there's only Nagini and Voldemort himself left."
McGonagall nodded. "Potter, speak to Horace Slughorn about the horcrux inside of the snake. That will be very tricky to destroy; he will be able to help you."
Harry nodded. "Yes Professor."
Lupin smiled at Harry. "Come on, Harry; let's head back to the house. You don't have to do everything now."
Harry nodded. He placed the locket and the note in the trunk with the other horcruxes, said goodbye to McGonagall and Dumbledore and headed back into the fireplace. Lupin and Harry sat down at the kitchen table and just stared at each other. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity of silence, Harry spoke.
"The time has actually arrived. I have to kill him. I have to make plans to find and kill Voldemort." Harry replied quietly.
Lupin nodded. "Yes, you do, however, don't rush yourself. Work it out carefully with your friends and with the Order. You need us to back you up, Harry."
"I have to kill him, not anyone else."
"I know, Harry," Lupin said quietly. "But we can help you with everything else. The fight with the Death Eaters, the Dementors, the giants, and of course Greyback. You can't fight them all yourself."
"I know."
Lupin nodded and placed a hand on Harry's shoulder. "Harry, listen to me. I'm going to talk to the Order and come up with a plan on what to do, how to strategize the final battle. You talk to your friends, and any member of the D.A. that will be willing to help. Once you have a list of people and a basic plan, tell me. We'll collaborate on what we have and get it all set up. I'm thinking that by the beginning of April we'll be ready, and it will be up to you to get Voldemort."
Harry nodded, listening to the plan as if he was far away or in another dimension of some sort. And when he spoke, he sounded far away.
"Alright, we'll be ready. I'll be ready."
