The anti Morty campaign starts
Larry found that much as he liked being in the dormitories, he still wanted to sleep in his room in the dungeons once in a while. As he had lived so long without any parents, he quite enjoyed being coddled a bit by his new mother.
A weekend a couple of weeks into October Larry sat in the living room reading a book and relaxing a bit with his adopted parents. He had by now begun feeling a bit unsettled at the thought of the thingys laying about and suddenly said to Gem "I had thought we would find those thingys you were talking of, so that we would be able to rid us of Morty soon" Larry complained (he had found that his classmates inevitably flinched when he said Voldemort so he had modified it to Morty. It was a funny name for a not so funny guy, and made people less anxious than the original). Gem looked up from her work, and said "I know you are anxious to get started dear, I was just trying to give you some time to get settled before we started our big anti Morty campaign".
Larry looked thoughtful for a moment before saying "I think I would feel more settled if I knew that Morty could not hurt me or others. Can`t we start soon, or will the thingys be difficult to get to.
"Some of them will require some work for us to be able to get them, I`ll need to bring in Mr. Black for at least one of them, and one I am unsure if we can get to. Hopefully we can use either the authority of Black or his house elf to get to it. One of the Horcruxes actually is here in the castle, so that can quite easily be dealt with".
Larry brightened considerably at that thought and asked "can we do it now, please"?
Severus frowned at him and asked how they could destroy the cursed items, and argued that a plan had to be in place for how to gather them without being cursed. Gem nodded at him and continued to explain "two of the items that I want to gather will be the most difficult. One is a fake Horcrux hidden in a remote cavern, protected by a dangerous potion that has to be drunk. Only one qualified wizard at a time plus a house elf or unqualified wizard can access the place where it is hidden, and the potion will render the person drinking it near insensible, leaving them vulnerable to attack by the Inferi that also protect the item". The other is in a place where either Mr. Black or his elf Kreacher may be the only ones that may be able to access.
"And why would we want to brave Inferi and dangerous potions for a fake Horcrux then" Severus sneered.
"I`m reasonably sure that we will need the Black house elf to assist us for the second item; the item in the cave is a key to getting that assistance. Black himself may be able to help us, but it`s not sure he will be willing to without knowing about what his brother sacrificed for this. The house elf Kreacher is the only witness to what transpired, and may be the only one that can tell Black what happened and have Black believe in it. The item is needed as a way to persuade Kreacher and Black to help us and each other".
Severus seemed to think about that for a bit "fine I will go get the item from the cave, as I don`t want you to ingest any potentially harmful potions in your condition" as he said this his eyes swept over her mid section significantly.
Larry sat up when he heard this while Trinket who had been working quietly in the kitchen popped out declaring "I wills go with master and drink potion for him. I insist on it, master cannot risk himself now that mistress is expecting".
Gem looked at the determined elf and told her "you are indeed a most loyal and good elf my dear Trinket. The elf bowed deeply and returned to the kitchen without speaking again.
Larry hopped up, and began singing "we`re going to destroy Morty and I`m to be a big brother" while he danced round.
"Difficult to know which he is the most excited about, destroying Horcruxes or becoming a big brother" Severus said laughing at Larry`s antics. The two adults discussed tactics for the safe handling of Horcruxes (or items as they started referring to them as), and when Larry finally calmed down they had agreed to fetch the first item immediately. Larry was almost hopping with glee as they proceeded up to the corridor where Gem knew the Room of Requirement was hidden. Here she walked three times past the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy before the entrance to the room of hidden things opened.
"Merlin this place is full of junk" Larry exclaimed as they entered, "where`s the thingy then mother". Gem led Severus and Larry towards the place where the diadem was hidden, and stopped right before it. "Here it is, looks quite innocent doesn`t it, Severus stepped in front of Gem and placed one of his dragonhide gloves on his hand before lifting the small thing down.
" It can be destroyed by a toxic substance such as basilisk venom. My last resort will be to destroy it by casting the Fiendfyre spell on it, but if we`re going to use that we need a safe place and a fireproof container as this is an incredibly dangerous spell".
The Basilisk
Severus frowned and said "basilisk venom can`t be obtained, but maybe another poison can destroy this item. I`d prefer not to have to resort to Fiendfyre, as you say Gem it is highly dangerous and very difficult to control".
Gem looked shiftily at her husband and said "what if Basilisk venom could be obtained then"
Severus gave her a slight sneer saying "have you got a Basilisk hidden in the cellar then".
"I didn`t hide him there, Salazar did. I can`t understand what he was thinking of at the time, but there it is".
Severus stopped abruptly gaping at her "are you seriously saying that Salazar Slytherin put a Basilisk in the cellar, which no one knows about. And that this Basilisk still exists down there after all these years".
"Yes, I think I may end up shrinking the poor thing and sending it to live in the Amazonian rainforest. I sure don`t particularly like the idea that it is here".
"What`s a Basilisk then" Larry asked hopping up and down. This sounded quite exiting, and he hoped he would be included in any missions to go find any prowling Basilisks (whatever they were). Gem said "A Basilisk is a giant snake, that has both a deadly stare and a incredibly potent venom".
"And you Larry are not to go looking for it" Severus growled.
Gem took his arm and stoked it in a calming manner " we both know Larry will probably follow me if I go fetch the Basilisk. I would rather take him with me in the first place, as I then know where he is and can put down rules for his involvement".
Knowing he was outvoted (and worse outwitted) Severus scowled as the two troublemakers, and finally said "then we will go and find the dratted Basilisk together, and I swear if any of you two put a toe out of line I will make you regret it". Gem and Larry just smiled at that threat and walked down towards the dungeons, while Severus followed growling under his breath "I`m surrounded by bloody moronic Gryffindors".
After fetching some vials to collect poison from the snake in, a small bottle of shrinking solution and a couple of brooms Gem showed the way to moaning Myrtle`s bathroom. Luckily the ghost was hiding in one of the toilets, and they were left alone to open the entrance going down to the tunnels. Gem cast a quick cleaning charm on the slide down and a cushioning charm on the end before they slid down. Larry was wide eyed as he followed them into the tunnels, taking in every detail of the damp surroundings. As they stopped in front of the doors leading to the chamber of secrets Gem said "Larry, you will keep close to Severus at all times. Don`t touch anything, and keep your eyes open as I doubt the Basilisk is the only danger here".
Gem opened the door to the chamber with a whispered "open" in Parseltongue, as they stepped inside Severus lost his composure and became as wide eyed as Larry was. Gem smiled a bit at him, and led them to the Basilisk`s lair. Not wanting to wake the snake she managed to open the entrance to the lair in a quiet manner, and walked up to the giant snake. "That`s a bloody big snake" breathed Larry.
"Language Mr. Snape" Severus said silkily.
Gem took put her vials, and gathered poison and some scales from the snake before dripping the shrinking solution on it. The Basilisk shrank until it reached the size of an anaconda, and Gem having asked permission to borrow Fawkes from Dumbledore, called softly "Fawkes, if you could assist please". The red and golden form of Dumbledore`s pet phoenix popped into existence above the large snake, and Gem asked politely "would you be so kind to transport this snake somewhere it can live safely. It will wake as soon as you deposit it, so be careful". The phoenix thrilled softly at her, and grabbing a hold of the snake it disappeared with it.
The three of them cautiously searched the cave, and finding neither other dangerous objects nor anything else interesting they finally mounted their brooms and sped up into the bathroom again. As they came back to their rooms Larry asked eagerly "can we destroy it now, please".
Severus answered "I can`t see why not", but Gem stopped him saying "you should be aware that the item puts up a resistance when destroyed, it will show you images taken from your memories to try and manipulate you to not destroy it". Looking grim Severus placed the item on the floor in the hallway, and made ready to destroy it. Suddenly an image of Lily Evans came out of the item; she was larger than life and impossibly beautiful. "Stupid greasy Severus, did you really think anybody could love you. You are not worthy of love, anybody who come close to you will be contaminated by your darkness. You will never bring anything but death and destruction to those who are close to you" it said. Severus stood frozen, feeling shameful that he had allowed himself to dream that he could escape his darkness. Gem seeing how the vision of Lily had managed to capture Severus took matters into her own hands; and dripped Basilisk venom over a small Goblin made knife and stabbed the item. The Horcrux screamed piteously as it was banished, and Gem stepped in front of it saying to the other two "that was not Lily, it was a figment taken from Severus" worst dreams. It does not know anything, you are eminently worthy of being loved and you would never allow anyone you loved to be affected by what you call your darkness". Larry just walked up to his dad and put his arms around him "I don`t know much about my birth mum, but I don`t think she would say something like that to a friend".
