"Normal speech"

Thoughts

"Mental speech"

"Non-English speech"

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. J.K. Rowling, her publishers, and Warner Brothers own Harry Potter.

Chapter 52

"Excuse me," Severus said. "Perhaps I misheard. Mister Dumbledore, did you say 'horcruxes'? Am I correct in assuming that this is the plural form of the term?"

Dumbledore nodded gravely. "Indeed. I fear that Tom may have created several of these. How many, I do not know. That was one of the topics I had hoped to research."

"How many do you know of?" Gellert pressed.

Dumbledore paused. "Tom Riddle's diary, which Harry destroyed a few years ago. However, given that Tom obviously wanted it used, I guessed that he had planned to create more. I have some ideas as to what others might be, but no proof."

Gellert shook his head sadly at Dumbledore. On Severus's shoulder, Hellspawn ruffled his feathers angrily. Moody and McGonagall sat, watching the conversation with expressions of mounting horror.

As Dumbledore hesitated, eyes closed as if in pain, Severus prompted, tone cold, "And these objects are? This is a crucial moment for you, Mister Dumbledore. Do not forget that your trust in the half-blood prince shall be repaid in kind. At this moment, I have seen little evidence of trust from you. Receiving intelligence from my ally should not resemble extracting sap from a kellowal tree." He felt the embers of his rage flicker with renewed life, and he channeled them towards Hellspawn. The phoenix needs the strength more than I do. Hellspawn's head rubbed his neck in silent thanks.

To his surprise, Severus saw self-loathing flicker momentarily in the old man's blue eyes. "My apologies. I confess that I remain unused to sharing this sort of responsibility. An old man's folly. I believe that Tom selected objects of great magical significance. I am aware of three other potential items, a locket once owned by Salazar Slytherin, a cup belonging to Helga Hufflepuff, and an old ring. That truly is all that I know."

Gellert's eyes narrowed at the mention of the ring. "Or suspect?" Gellert asked.

"Or suspect," Dumbledore repeated.

"You are lying," Gellert said.

"A miser who hoards information rather than gold," Hellspawn noted.

"I am not," Dumbledore replied evenly.

McGonagall's frown had deepened during this exchange. "How does Horace Slughorn factor into this, Albus?" she asked.

Slughorn? Severus wondered. What did that pathetic excuse for a Head of House have to do with anything?

Dumbledore sighed. "It is possible that he knows more about Tom Riddle's plans than even he knows. Horace was one of Tom's professors in school, and if Tom spoke with any of them about horcruxes, it would have been he. I suggested that Minerva bring Horace back to Hogwarts to teach potions. With luck, Harry might be able to glean whatever information he has."

Slughorn is going to teach potions again? So much for my list, Severus thought bitterly. Eyes narrowing, he asked, "And is there anything else you care to share with us, Mister Dumbledore?"

The old man shook his head, but his eyes flickered to Moody and McGonagall. "No, nothing. And now, if you would please inform us of what you have uncovered? And how?"

Severus glanced briefly at Gellert, who frowned but shook his head minutely. Ah, so Dumbledore is still hiding something, but nothing will be gained for pressing him on it now. He is willing to tell me and Gellert, but not the others. Something that would upset his precious Order, but not us, perhaps?

"Severus was summoned earlier today," Severus replied. "Riddle returned the Rod of Paracelsus to him, and instructed the potions master to use it in his brewing. Had we known that Riddle sought prestigious magical artifacts to contain his soul fragments, Severus might have been prepared for what followed. Instead, my potions master very nearly succumbed to Riddle's possession."

Moody snorted softly. McGonagall fixed the ex-auror with a furious glare. Severus raised an eyebrow, and then said coldly, "Auror Moody, perhaps you do not appreciate the magnitude of the disaster that was only narrowly averted. Severus is a potions master. Had he fewer scruples, he could have easily killed every single member of the Order of the Phoenix before you even recognized that you were in danger." Moody scoffed. "I hope you appreciate the color blue, Auror Moody. Be glad that I am merely illustrating a point."

All eyes, including Moody's own, flicked over to examine the former auror. Severus smiled slightly. With their sights temporarily averted, it only took a moment to release the aerosol potion in his pocket. Good thing I anticipated someday needing a demonstration and insisted that Gellert and I take the antidote beforehand.

A moment later, Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Moody's skin turned bright blue. McGonagall gave a small yelp of surprise, even as Dumbledore chuckled.

"Constant vigilance, Auror Moody," Severus said calmly, watching with feigned unconcern as Moody drew his wand angrily. McGonagall, poise restored, placed a warning hand on the man's arm, and he twitched furiously before sheathing his wand again. "Severus has sufficient skill to create air-based potions. This one is harmless, merely dying the skin for about an hour. Do you doubt that he can create poisons as well? Be glad that he has not informed Tom Riddle of the extent of his abilities." In truth, creating an air-based toxin was almost impossible to do with any precision, and Severus had no intention of ever making the attempt. Even the Dark Lord had never asked him to do something so foolhardy. Poisoning the Order's food stores would be far easier, of course, a point which Severus had been careful to hide from his master.

"As I was saying," he continued, "Severus, despite his considerable occlumency shields, was nearly possessed. The horcrux displayed a level of sentience that he did not expect, and focused its assault through his Dark Mark when it could not bypass his mental defenses.

"It required the combined power of myself, Severus, and Hellspawn to break the horcrux's hold. Did you know that a phoenix can survive the killing curse? And yet the horcrux nearly killed Hellspawn. I understand that you, Auror Moody, witnessed his untimely immolation."

Dumbledore looked haunted as he stared at the phoenix chick. "I – I did not know that was possible," he said softly.

"Neither did I," Severus replied coldly. "But then, I did not know what a horcrux was until Gellert informed me an hour ago. You will note, Mister Dumbledore, that we came directly to you with this new knowledge. We deemed it worth informing our allies of our suspicions immediately. I wish the same could be said of you."

Dumbledore's face fell. He looked defeated. "I – I apologize. I thank you for placing your trust in me." He sighed softly. "Might I ask if the horcrux has been destroyed?"

"It has not," Severus replied. "Once we determined that Riddle created a horcrux, we deduced that the diary that Mister Malfoy once held had been one as well. We had surmised – incorrectly, it now seems – that Riddle created this horcrux to replace the ruined original. We do not know if destroying the vessel restores the soul to its original host, nor if the host is aware of the vessel's destruction. If either is the case, it would be foolish to do anything that affects the horcrux until we are prepared to kill Riddle himself."

There was a long silence, as Dumbledore sat, thinking. His fingers idly played with his long white beard. At last, he spoke. "I do not know if Tom would be aware of what happens to his horcruxes. But I do believe that the soul fragment is lost forever. It does not rejoin the original host." He sighed. "I think that it is too risky to allow this horcrux to remain intact. It should be destroyed. If Tom knows about the diary, then he likely already knows that I am aware that he created horcruxes."

Moody nodded his agreement, but McGonagall continued to frown. "Albus," she said slowly, "surely that would condemn Severus to death?"

"Tom might not know once a horcrux is destroyed," Dumbledore replied.

"But he might know," McGonagall persisted, her blue cheeks flushing slightly purple in righteous fury. "We only know about this – this horcrux because of Severus. Why not wait to destroy it until we can identify the others?" Her voice laced with disappointment, she asked, "Is his life worth so little?"

Severus fought to hide his shock. He had never expected McGonagall to defend him so forcefully to Dumbledore, especially not in front of "Mordred" and Gellert.

"My dear –" Dumbledore began.

"For the Greater Good, Albus, yes?" Gellert interrupted. "I never believed that I would agree with Aberforth."

Dumbledore paled, face turning light blue, and fell silent.

"Rest assured, Headmistress McGonagall, that Mister Dumbledore has no say in this matter. If there is any chance that Riddle is aware of the fate of his horcruxes, we will wait until the crucial moment before destroying the Rod of Paracelsus," Severus stated. "Mister Dumbledore, I trust that you will keep us informed should you learn or suspect anything related to horcruxes in the future?"

"I – Yes, of course." Again, Dumbledore's gaze flickered to McGonagall and Moody. Severus inclined his head slightly, and the man's eyes twinkled. Severus fought a frown. At least he seems willing to tell us eventually. That is more than I could have hoped from the old meddler.

"Excellent," Severus said coolly. "As to the matter of Professor Slughorn, I shall request that Severus seek any potential information he might have. Mister Potter demonstrated only a few minutes ago that he has the subtlety of a rampaging nundu. Given his lack of proficiency in occlumency, that combination is potentially disastrous. He is a child, not an intelligence operative." Or intelligent.

McGonagall's lips twitched slightly, and even Moody chuckled. Dumbledore apparently knew when to concede defeat. "Yes. Yes, that might be for the best."

"Then if there is nothing else, we shall take our leave."

"We will be in touch with you soon, Albus, to discuss the runic array," Gellert said. And to learn whatever it is you are hiding, Severus thought, imagining the unspoken words. "Perhaps tomorrow at three?"

Dumbledore nodded, and they adjourned the meeting.

-DVDVDV-

That night, lying in his small bed in Spinner's End, Severus wept for the first time since Lily died. He had come so close to accepting the horcrux's offer. Even with the connection broken, a part of him yearned to take it up again, to accept its promises. Hours had passed, and yet a single thought still echoed in his mind. It felt strange, almost alien. He could not say with certainty whether the thought was the Dark Lord's, or if it were his own.

I do not want to die.

A/N:

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