Chapter 50 : Suspicion Confirmed

"Bella . . . come in." Voldemort sat back in his chair, as his 'most loyal' female Death Eater groveled at his feet. "I am waiting to hear about my servant, Severus. Any word?"

"Gregory Goyle owled his parents about Draco being taken by . . . Harry Potter, Master, and described the accidental wounding of Snape by the Carrows. He's said to be recovering, slowly, in the hospital wing. Apparently, those fools' spells paralyzed him, temporarily, my Lord."

"I see . . . why wasn't he removed to St. Mungo's, I wonder . . . ah, well, no matter; I have more important things to occupy my time. . . Bella," he said softly.

"Yes, my Lord?" she answered, daring to lift her eyes to meet his.

"I must leave for a short while . . . " Voldemort started, but was interrupted by a gasp from Bella. "Yes?"

"Mercy, Master . . . but is that safe? Do you wish me or maybe one of the others to accompany you, for protection?"

"I hardly think I need protection, Bella, although your concern for my well being is noted. No, I must undertake this little trip by myself . . . it will be short and I only need stop at two locations. I will be back by this afternoon."

"Yes, Master," Bella replied, head bowed. "I will anxiously await your safe return, my Lord."

"Perhaps . . . I can relieve some of your anxiety now, Bella, my sweet . . . come here."

"Yes, Master."

X X X

Harry was sitting at the table in the common area of the Room of Requirement, his brows knit, rubbing his scar absently. Ron looked over at Hermione, who shrugged.

"Headache, mate, or is old Tom up to something?" Ron inquired.

"I'm not sure, I'm getting little bits and pieces of some kind of rising concern on his part, but then, it fades away . . . it's sort of muffled . . . Oh MERLIN! " Harry gasped, looking absolutely stunned, then almost sick. "Oh, you are NOT going to believe what he's doing . . . EWWWW!" Then Harry started laughing, and hitting himself on the side of his head as if he was trying to dislodge something out of his brain through his ear! "Oh, I hope I can forget THAT vision! OUT! OUT!" He laughed some more, while Ron and Hermione exchanged startled looks.

"What is it, Harry?" Hermione asked, taking hold of Harry's arm to stop him from hitting his head again.

"Yeah, mate, what the bloody hell is happening."

"He's . . . he's shagging Bella!" Harry gasped and then started laughing at the shocked looks on his friends faces. "Seriously! I guess he accidentally dropped his mental wards during . . . well . . . anyway . . . I think he suspects one of his Horcruxes was destroyed . . . he's planning on going to check the ones he can . . . the Gaunt ring and the Locket . . . he thinks the Hufflepuff Cup is safe in Bella's vault, but he'll figure out that might be missing, too . . . which means Severus is in trouble . . . we'd better go talk to him."

"Shagging . . . seriously?" Ron gasped. "She'd not be my first choice."

"Ron! . . . all of that about checking the Horcruxes and your mind didn't get past him shagging . . . well, I guess that is pretty icky, come to think of it!" Hermione giggled, as the three rose and started toward the Hospital Wing under the cover of Harry's 'Invisibility Cloak".

X X X

"And how do you know this isn't a deliberate implant of a vision to, perhaps, get you to go to those places, in an misguided effort to confront him?" Severus asked, after Harry had relayed his vision of what Voldemort had planned.

"I don't think that's the case, sir, as I think he accidentally let his wards down during . . ." Harry ground to a halt, blushing, trying hard to keep from bursting out laughing

" . . during . . .?" Severus waved his hand a bit, to have Harry continue.

" Severus! That was very good!" Katie Treiber smiled at her patient. "You didn't even notice you'd used your hand, did you?"

"What? Oh, no, I hadn't," replied Severus, who then smiled at the Healer, but remembering Harry and his two friends were watching, turned and explained. "Progress! Now, what were you saying, Harry?"

"Oh, sorry I interrupted," Katie whispered, but Severus turned his head and winked at her, something that did not go un-noticed by the three teenagers, who smiled.

"During . . . well,"

"OUT WITH IT, POTTER!" Severus growled.

"He was shagging Bella Lestrange! . . . Do you have any potions or spells available to wipe THAT scene from my collective memories?" Harry added.

Katie and Hermione exchanged glances and then buried their mouths in their hands, as they giggled at the vision that conjured. Ron just rolled his eyes.

"Ah, I see . . . well, I suspected as much; Bella was summoned to his private chambers a few times too often, even as exalted in the ranks as she is, to not be having some physical contact with him. If she thinks she's gaining favor by being his 'pet', she's even more pathetic than I imagined," Severus snorted. "We need to talk to Albus about this, now!"

"He's at the Hogs Head, using the CB to talk with Dad," Ron informed them. "But he should be back soon."

"Right . . . Katie . . . find a wheel chair, won't you? We're going for a little road trip!"

X X X

"Where do you think he'll go first, Albus?" Severus was sitting in his wheelchair, Katie on a chair to his right, facing the Headmaster. Ron, Hermione and Harry were seated on a nearby couch. Albus leaned back in his armchair, stroking his beard.

"Well, I think he will head to the Gaunt dwelling first, as it is the most vulnerable site. The cavern is better hidden and the most heavily guarded of his Horcruxes. When he discovers that one has been replaced, I believe he'll understand that his backup plan has been discovered . . . his only hope, then, will be to try and retrieve the Ravenclaw Diadem when he comes to Hogwarts."

"What about the Hufflepuff Cup? Will he send Bella to retrieve it? Or just have a look at your memories, Severus?" Ron asked. "If it was me, I'd want it in my hand."

"After he finds the Locket gone, I dare say he'll send Bella to retrieve the Cup . . . that will seal your fate, Severus, no more Death Eater meetings for you, I'm afraid," Albus added.

"I could show him an altered memory; that I took no more than two steps into the vault, laid the sword on the table, then turned and walked out to join Draco and Narcissa," Severus proposed. "That is, if and when I'm able to go to him . . . it might become a moot point."

"But, if he has Bella retrieve the Cup and the Sword, I'm sure he'll have one of the Gringott's Goblins come and authenticate them . . . at which time . . . I think he'll either become extremely dangerous and impulsive or he will hole up and rethink his plans. Regardless, he'll be livid and, hopefully, a bit panicked that we know his secret," Albus added. "He might not believe your memory at that point, Severus."

"Do you think he will move his plans forward, sir?" Ron asked. "We're ready, but could use a bit more time to make sure it's all in place."

"Indeed, Ron . . . Filius and I have yet to start on our spell work . . . I should think, though, that he'd stop and reconsider; attacking later rather than sooner, recruiting more followers, making sure he has as big an army as possible for when he attacks the school."

"Oh, dear," Katie whispered.

Not realizing what he was doing, Severus swung his forearm sideways and reached his long fingers out to cover her hand, squeezing it reassuringly. She looked down at his hand and then at him and smiled, which caught his eye. Severus looked over to see her put her other hand on top of his. Bringing his eyes up to meet hers, he blushed a bit, but nodded and then turned his attention back to Albus.

X X X

Voldemort 'Apparated' to the ruins of the Gaunt homestead, located down the road from the Riddle House and the cemetery where his rebirthing took place. He looked with disgust at the vine covered, weed chocked remnants of the hovel where his mother had lived. Swinging his wand back and forth, he cleared a path to what was left of the entrance; the door long gone and the framework cracked and leaning precariously.

He entered the two room, roofless structure and looked around at the rubble and overgrowth that had filled the interior. Heading to the only part of the room which seemed to have withstood the ravages of encroaching nature, he stopped in front of the huge hearth. Reaching into the back of the fireplace, he pulled on a particular stone, which resisted and then, with a harsh scraping noise, came out of the wall, revealing a dark, hollow space. Inserting his long, white skeletal hand, he felt around and came up with . . . nothing. His eyes blazing, he withdrew his hand, and stalked out of the tumbledown building. Turning, he raised his wand and with one swoop, demolished the remains in a crash of stone, wood and dust. Then he 'Apparated' away, heading south.

X X X

"Now, Ron," Harry said, as he opened his eyes, rubbing his scar and frowning.

Ron lifted the Sword of Gryffindor and brought it down to slice the Gaunt Ring, effectively separating the bottom part of the band from the clips that held the Resurrection Stone. As the black, flat sided stone tumbled out of the setting, another shrieking cloud of black smoke rose and dissipated.

X X X

Voldemort gasped, swooping into a downward spiral, nearly losing his concentration, but quickly recovered and continued flying toward the coast. He now knew what those strange feelings must mean . . . another of his Horcruxes had been destroyed. He thoughts were a mixture of fear mingling with anger . . . How had they discovered his secret? Did they know about all of the hidden pieces of himself? Surely not the locket; it was the most well hidden and certainly the best guarded. ' I will soon see, ' he thought, as he streaked toward the seaside cave.

X X X

The surface of the lake started to bubble and foam as the boat surfaced in front of Voldemort. He stepped into the tiny craft and it began its journey to the island located in the distance. There was no evidence of recent activity anywhere around the entrance or immediately inside the cave; it looked as if no one had been here since he had placed the Locket in the basin and covered it with the poison potion.

As the boat bumped gently against the edge of the island, Voldemort stepped out and worked his way up to the pillar at the center. He looked down and was relieved to see the pendant resting on the bottom of the bowl shaped depression. He stood there, swirling his wand, reversing the spell he had placed on the liquid contents all those years ago. As the poison vanished, he reached down and picked up the necklace, lifting it up to admire . . . but then he frowned, realizing something was wrong . . . he felt no connection to the object in his hand. With trembling fingers he opened the Locket to find a small square of folded parchment.

'NO! This cannot be! Who would dare?' he questioned, as his boney, white fingers unfolded the message.

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.

Voldemort stood there, stunned. 'Who is . . . wait . . . ' Thinking back to before he tried to kill Harry Potter, fifteen or sixteen years ago . . . 'REGULUS BLACK!' A young Death Eater, Sirius Black's brother, had disappeared and was thought to be in hiding, but . . . Voldemort turned to look at the lake and a slow smile spread across his face . . . perhaps the Locket was still here . . . along with the Wizard who had been foolish enough to try and steal it. Raising his wand, he motioned in a wide sweeping arc and the lake, once again, began to roil, as the legion of 'Inferi' lurking in its depths rose to face their Master.

Searching the faces, he couldn't recognize the one he was seeking. Frowning, he walked to the edge of the island.

"Regulus Black! Come!" he growled.

There was movement off to his right, as the corpses parted to let one of their number come forward. Regulus Black didn't look any different that the other dead bodies that populated the lake, but his clothes were not quite as disintegrated as the others, who were barely covered in shreds of rags.

Voldemort watched as the dead body climbed up onto the island to stand, staring, unseeing, at him.

"Where is my Locket?" Voldemort snarled.

A white, skeletal arm rose and pointed, not into the lake, but off into the distance.

"Gone?"

A single nod.

"You had help?"

Another nod.

"Who would . . . no one could . . . unless . . . "

Turning swiftly, Voldemort re-entered the boat and it set off for the opposite shore, but as he was borne away from the island, he turned to look at the corpse of his traitorous follower.

"BOMBARDA!"

Turning back to monitor the progress of the boat, he ignored the bits of Regulus Black that splashed down into the water around him.

X X X

Harry's Patronus appeared in front of Sirius Black, who looked up in surprise. But his face suddenly grew serious, as he heard Harry's message.

"Kreacher!" Sirius shouted.

'pop'

"Yes, Master Sirius, what can Kreacher do for you this afternoon?"

"Actually, it's what I'm doing for you . . . I need you to take Dobby, Tykey, whom ever else you need . . . close up Grimmauld Place as fast as you can and get back here! Voldemort knows you helped my brother obtain his Locket and I want you safe here at Hogwarts. Bring my stuff and whatever you deem important; leave the rest. Now hurry! "

"Yes, Master!"

'pop'

X X X

Voldemort stood in the shade of a tree in the small park across the street from the location of the Black House on Grimmauld Place. He could feel the 'Fidelius Charm' and knew it was useless to try and enter. Even if he could break through, it would attract attention from the Muggles and give way too much warning to the inhabitants of Black's former home, allowing them to escape, no doubt taking the House Elf, whom he suspected of helping Regulus obtain his Locket, with them . . . But did the old Elf still have it? Would he give it to Sirius Black? Or Harry Potter? Or had his Master Regulus ordered him to hide it? Perhaps, through misguided loyalty, it was still safe . . . time would tell . . . or rather, the Elf would tell him, when he tracked him down! Voldemort turned and vanished.