Chapter 43
Horcruxes and Hallows
Author's Note: Had a Private message which was basically asking for when the next update will come, without posing it as a question. "Hoping all is well and that updates continue for Ilvermorny." I think this came from me NOT posting two chapters in one day yesterday. I think I've gone and unintentionally made some of my readers selfish – expecting a chapter or two (probably two!) every single day! Oops! My bad!
Previously on "The Ilvermorny Champion..."
Harry inhaled and picked [the nameplate] up. He cleared his throat and read the nameplate.
S. P. T. to A. P. W. B. D. and S.T.S
Dark Lord
and (?) Harry Potter
Harry frowned, and showed it to his mother. She took it and read it. Then her eyes went wide, and tear-filled. She covered her mouth with her hand and shook her head.
"Who is it, Mum?" Harry asked, "You know who it is, don't you?"
"S... T... S," Lily said, then inhaled and exhaled. "Is Severus Tobias Snape."
Friday, December 18th, 1994
Harry stared at his mother, as she threw the nameplate onto the coffee table.
"Please tell me I am wrong, Algernon," Lily said, "Please tell me it is not Severus Snape. Please tell me he isn't responsible for -"
"Who else could it be?" Sirius asked; his face had a murderous expression on it; the phrase 'if looks could kill' seemed to be a good phrase here; "Who else do we know who has those initials? Does anyone have those initials? Any other Death Eater? You just said one of Voldemort's Death Eaters told Voldemort the first two lines of the Prophecy. Only the first two lines, Algernon?"
Algie nodded. "Voldemort knew of two children born at the end of July, born to parents who defied him three times, who was prophecized to defeat him. When the Prophecy appeared in the Hall of Prophecies, only the Elders knew about it. They brought it to my attention, only when my Great-Nephew was born a few months after the Prophecy was given back in January of 1980."
"The Elders knew what the Prophecy said?" Lily asked.
'The Elders make the Prophecy Orbs," Algie said, "They have a – let's call it – a technology that lets them know when a Prophecy is being made, then they put the Prophecy into an orb, label it, and place it in the Hall of Prophecies. They know I'm related to Neville, so they showed me the orb, and the label. Neville and Harry's names were on it. I didn't initially remove the label, the one which had Snape's initials. Not until several months later, after I had done an investigation.
"Back then the Elders had suspicions that Albus Dumbledore might have been the Dark Lord in the Prophecy – or perhaps they believed both Voldemort and Dumbledore were. So they asked me to investigate him. I've had scrying runes in his office, and his usual haunts around Hogwarts since about a week after they told me about the Prophecy. I never knew what the Prophecy said until Neville heard it. But I knew Dumbledore or Voldemort – or both – could be the "Dark Lord" on the label.
"Back then the initials 'S.T.S' were a mystery to be. Until... the morning after of November 1st, 1981, when I saw Severus Snape in Dumbledore's office."
"When Severus became Albus' spy?" Lily asked. "He became his spy that day?"
"Yes," Algie said, "I need to show you an important scene in the Scrying Bowl. Before I tell you anything else about Severus Snape. You need to know this, and keep it in mind."
Algie tapped his wand on the Scrying Bowl. Harry looked into it. Severus Snape – looking much younger than he currently was, and much more emotional than Harry had seen him in the past month-and-a-half – was standing in Albus Dumbledore's Office. Dumbledore was sitting at his desk.
"She and James put their faith in the wrong person," said Dumbledore.
"The wrong person?" Severus asked.
"Sirius Black," Albus said.
"I do not think so," Severus said.
"I am surprised at you," Albus said, "Defending Black?"
"No," Severus said, "Presenting more damning evidence. Peter Pettigrew is dead."
"He could have been in the house during the explosion," Albus said.
"No," Severus said. "He was blown across the street from the explosion, the front of his body charred. No markings of the Killing Curse. Pettigrew was not there before Voldemort arrived, and killed by Voldemort when he arrived. Pettigrew had come with Voldemort. He had stood in the Potter's front yard, and waited for his one-time best friends to be killed. Pettigrew was the Secret Keeper."
"You call him Voldemort now?" Albus asked.
"I will only call him the Dark Lord in front of those who believe I should be doing so," Severus said. "Voldemort has betrayed me. I begged him to spare her life. And he didn't. She's gone. Dead. Her son too. The House of Potter is extinct. Because of him. I will end him, Albus."
"No... Neville Longbottom will end him," Albus said. "I was obviously wrong about the Prophecy. And so was Riddle. But you can play your part."
"And I will," Severus said, "This I swear."
"So mote it be," Albus said.
Algie tapped the Scrying Bowl again. He relaxed back on the couch. Harry stared the vision of Dumbledore and Severus in the bowl for another moment, then he turned to his mother, who was also staring at the bowl. She looked up at Algie.
"Severus turned on Voldemort," Lily said, "Because he thought Voldemort killed me."
"Yes," Algie said. "After I watched this scene, I waited for a couple of days. Unlike Sybill Trelawney, who Dumbledore has kept in his castle so she cannot be kidnapped so the Prophecy can be revealed from her mind – Seers don't remember giving Prophecies, but Legilimens can take it, even from minds which have been Obliviated of Prophecy – Severus had free reign to do whatever he wanted. Even after Dumbledore hired him as his Potions Master and spy. Two days after I witnessed this scene you just saw, I visited Severus Snape at his home. He still lives in his childhood home at -"
"Spinner's End," Lily interrupted.
"Yes," Algie said. "Severus was asleep. I broke into his home, broke into his bedroom – then broke into his mind, while he was asleep. I wanted to know everything he knew about the Prophecy. I saw him hearing the first two lines, before being yanked away from the door in the Hog's Head where Dumbledore and Trelawney had been."
"Wait!" Sirius said, "The Hog's Head? Why not Hogwarts? Why in such a place where he could be eavesdropped upon?"
"Or the Three Broomsticks," Lily said; "Those rooms have anti-eavesdropping enchantments."
Algie shrugged. "Dumbledore's brother, Aberforth, owns the Hog's Head. Perhaps he thought it would be safe. I know what you're thinking. Dumbledore had no idea that Trelawney would be making a Prophecy. It is impossible to predict when a Prophecy will be given. Anyway, Severus was yanked away from the door by Aberforth Dumbledore, and thrown out of the restaurant. Aberforth didn't know what the man was eavesdropping on. I once heard Albus ranting to himself, about how his brother made a big mistake, and let Snape get away without being interrogated about what he had heard. Then he calmed down, and told himself, verbally, he could use this.
"And he did, from what I could divulge of Snape's mind. Anyway... back then, Snape was looking for any chance he could get, to get into Voldemort's Senior Circle of Death Eaters – his most trusted."
"So he told Voldemort the two lines of the Prophecy," Lily said, sounding quite emotional.
"He didn't know back then that the Child of the Prophecy would be your son, Lily," Algie said. "I remember seeing a scene. Snape reading the Daily Prophet, while sitting at his home. An article about James and Lily Potter having a son born on July 31st. That day he was summoned by Voldemort. Voldemort said the Child of Prophecy was either Neville Longbottom or Harry Potter. He believed it was Harry.
"Severus immediately went to Dumbledore. Begged him to help. I saw Severus pleading. I saw Dumbledore looking everything as dangerous as the Dark Lord he is. He looked so angry. Severus told Albus to protect you. Not your son, not James. You. Then Dumbledore said that Severus disgusted him. So Severus told him to protect all the Potters.
"So he was trying to redeem himself for me," Lily said.
"Yes," Algie said.
"Redemption?!" Sirius growled, standing up, "You expect him to be redeemed?! Snape is the reason Voldemort knows the Prophecy! Snape had a hand in James' death, Lily! You and Harry could have died that night! Rose could have never existed. And you speak of redemption?! I want to walk out of here, walk into Hogwarts, walk into that git's classroom, and beat him to his last breath of life before I take it! And you say he is trying to redeem himself?!"
"He is, Sirius," Lily said, quietly, even though Sirius was raging. "We have proof. His conversation of the night he thought -"
"The night he thought you were dead, and Harry – the night James died," Sirius said. "Of course he wants to be redeemed. Because he's responsible for it! It might as well as been him who was your Secret Keeper. Or the one invading your house that night! He is as guilty as Voldemort and Wormtail, Lily! Do not talk to me about redemption! Snape got his revenge on James! James bullied him, and Snape got his final revenge! Fuck redemption!"
"SIRIUS!"
Sirius stopped ranting. He stood there, frozen. And looking at Harry. Why was Sirius looking at Harry? Why were Algie and Lily looking at him. Oh. It was him who had yelled at Sirius. How did that happen?!
"I am as pissed at Snape as you are, Sirius," Harry said. "But we can't kill him. One, you'll end up in Azkaban."
"So what?" Sirius asked. "At least he'll be -"
"Tracey," Harry said. "Tracey Black. Tracey No-Name right now until the Blood Adoption you cemented today."
Sirius froze again, and stared at Harry. Then he fell back into the chair and stared forward.
"Tracey can't be a Black until you go through with the Blood Adoption," Harry said.
"Christmas," Sirius said. "Christmas morning, I'm going to do the ritual. Then she'll be a Black, and I -"
"Will be her father," Lily said. "What about Amelia? Remus told me. He hears you talking quietly to yourself at night before bedtime, when you debate whether or not you want to ask her to marry you. Whether or not you'll take her and Susan to live in America, whether or not you'll stay in Great Britain."
Sirius winced. "You weren't supposed to know that yet."
"None of that can happen if you kill Severus," Lily said.
"Stop calling him by his first name!" Sirius exclaimed. "He doesn't deserve it! He doesn't deserve that you still want to be his friend! He is the reason James is dead and we -"
"- need him," Harry said. "We need him. He's a spy in Voldemort's camp. He's closest to Dumbledore. We need him. If you still believe he has to pay after Voldemort is dead and Dumbledore is... whatever will happen to him. Then you can make the choice. Kill him yourself, tell Amelia to arrest him, whatever. But we need him if I – if we – are going to survive a battle against two Dark Lords."
"Stop it, Harry," Sirius said,
"Stop what?" Harry asked.
"Stop making so much goddamn sense!" Sirius exclaimed, "It is annoying! I just want to be mad."
"Be mad," Lily said. "But make sure your anger is to a manageable level by the time we leave this office."
"Remus isn't going to be happy either," Sirius said.
"Remus can usually handle things in a far more mature manner than you," Lily said.
"I have other distractions to take your mind off of Severus Snape, Sirius," Algie said.
"Firewhiskey?" Sirius asked, "Mead? Scotch?"
"Sorry, I am an ex-alcoholic, I don't own alcohol," Algie said. "No. Better. Horcruxes."
"How is that better?" Sirius asked.
"It is better because it brings us closer to defeating Voldemort," Algie said.
"Defeat Voldemort, deal with Dumbledore," Sirius said, "Then kill Snape."
"Sirius," Lily groaned.
"Excellent!" Sirius said, looking more cheerful than he had since he heard Snape's name from Lily's mouth. "Let's discuss Horcruxes."
"Alright," Algie said, "From what I've gathered from your conversations -"
"Gathered is not the word I'd use here," Sirius said, testily.
Algie ignored Sirius. "- you know all about what happened down in the Chamber of Secrets. Partially from what my great-nephew told you, partially from figuring it out on your own. You were pretty much correct about the entire thing. The manifestation that emerged from the diary was no normal manifestation. It could have actual conversations with us, as well as Miss Weasley when she wrote in the diary. Also, the manifestation was threatening to take over her body – possession. And I think it could have done it, had I not destroyed the diary.
"I didn't know exactly what the diary was, until I was able to destroy the manifestation with the venom from a Basilisk fang. Basilisk venom is one of the few things that can destroy a Horcrux, along with Fiendfyre, the Dementor's Kiss, a Goblin Ritual, and throwing the object through the Veil of Death."
"The Veil of Death?" Harry asked.
"If anything goes through the Veil, it is destroyed," Algie said, "Be it an object, or a living thing. Not even Unspeakables are sure what is actually on the other side of the Veil, because none of us has ever dared to enter it."
"So how do you know it is destroyed?" Sirius asked. "It could just be a Veil to a deep cavern in Timbuktu."
"The Veil of Death is used for executions that are more humane than a Dementor's Kiss," Algie said, "The first criminal we sent through the Veil, we checked the Gringotts Records – if anyone can tell you someone is dead, it is Gringotts, if they have an account there. The Goblins confirmed the person was dead, so I doubt they were in a cavern in Timbuktu."
"Unless they died from a great fall into the cavern," Sirius said.
"Believe me, Black," Algie said, "Anything you can argue with me about the Veil, we've argued about it. Tossing Horcruxes into the Veil is a last-ditch situation. We're well aware that they could – as you put it - end up in a cavern in Timbuktu, and not destroyed that way. So we try to destroy it other ways. There is also the fact that some of these Horcruxes Voldemort used are ancient and priceless artifacts, so we don't want to destroy them."
"Two things," Sirius said, "How many Horcruxes do you think Voldemort has, and how do you know some of them are priceless artifacts?"
"Right now we're unsure on the number situation," Algie said, "We believe there are five soul containers, six if you count the piece in Voldemort himself. But since the one of the most magic numbers is seven, then we believe there might be one more out there we don't know about. And we know he used some as priceless artifacts, because we already found two priceless artifacts he used. Rowena Ravenclaw's Diadem, and Helga Hufflepuff's Goblet."
"Is this why Voldemort hired mercenaries to kidnap my birth parents around the time I was born?" Lily asked; "Because one of them was descended from Ravenclaw, and he wanted to interrogate them so he could find another Founder's artifact for a Horcrux?"
"Very likely," Algie said.
"So how many have you found and destroyed?" Harry asked.
"Well, there is a difference between knowing where they are and obtaining them," Algie said. "We have obtained four, know where the fifth one is, and destroyed three of them. If there is a sixth, then it is likely in a living animal, because we haven't been able to detect it."
"Detect it?" Sirius asked.
Algie leaned toward the table and grabbed the box. "I collected all of this stuff today from the secret room we're using to investigate the Horcrux Hunt, as we like to call it."
He lifted up what looked like a glass ball. Closer inspection found a floating ring inside it.
"Harry, am I correct to say you are in Possession of one of the Peverell Rings?" he asked.
Harry summoned forth his ring, and showed it to Algie.
"This is another Peverell ring," Algie said, pointing at the ring inside. "It may distress you to know that Tom Riddle – Voldemort – is a long-distant cousin of yours."
"What?!" Harry and Lily yelped.
"Tom Riddle is the son of Merope Gaunt," Algie said, "The Gaunts are descended both from Slytherin, and one of the Peverell brothers. You are descended from another Peverell brother."
Sirius snorted. "Don't be too discouraged. Most Purebloods and half-bloods are related to everyone else in Britain."
"Yeah, I know," Harry said, "But to learn that Voldemort is a long-distant cousin."
"Anyway," Algie said, "Voldemort – Tom Riddle – stole this ring from his uncle or grandfather. However, he made a pretty stupid move, because he kept the ring hidden in the house where his mother, Uncle, and Grandfather lived. I'm sure he simply thought nobody would connect him to the Gaunt family. Given that his middle name, Marvolo – named after his Grandfather - then that is a pretty bad assumption. Hell, several of these items were easy to find. Thank Merlin, he didn't do the sensical thing and put them in a waterproof box at the bottom of the Marianas Trench or something! Then we'd never find any of these, and he'd be immortal for eternity!"
"You have a grim sense of humor, Croaker," Sirius said.
"One of my finest qualities," Algie said. "So after doing some research, which is what Unspeakables like me are good at, we found the Gaunt Shack, went to battle with some wards and defenses – and let me tell you, that was much harder than facing a Basilisk! A Rooster crow didn't work against that defense Anyway, after all the fun was said and done, we found this ring. It had its own enchantments on it.
"Thank Merlin we Unspeakables have ironclad minds, so its Compulsions didn't affect us. Which is a good thing, because let me tell you. If you were Compelled by this ring to put the baby on your finger, you would have been struck by a Wilting Curse on that hand and arm. And if that hand and arm wasn't amputated in a few hours, it would spread – and you'd die in a week, unless you got treated to slow it down. Then you'd be dead in a year!"
Sirius whistled. "Good thing you weren't Compelled then."
"I already said that much, didn't I?!" Algie asked.
"Now, this ring has a bigger secret to it than just being a Horcrux," Algie said. "The stone on this ring. Is the legendary Resurrection Stone from the Deathly Hallows."
"Like the Invisibility Cloak Harry has, and the Elder Wand?" Lily asked.
"Yep!" Algie said, "Quick check – know where the Elder Wand is?"
"James had some theories – Dumbledore has it, according to what James said," Lily said.
"James was right," Algie said, "That Peverell ring on your finger, Harry? It can summon the Deathly Hallows. Now don't go summoning the Resurrection Stone until I can destroy this! Because we need it! Well, no, actually we really don't need it after our meeting is finished, I suspect. But don't summon it until I destroy this ring and can part the stone from the ring. Otherwise, you'll summon the Horcrux!"
"And the Elder Wand?" Harry asked.
"Depends on when you want Albus Dumbledore to know that you know he's your enemy," Algie said. "Because if you summon the wand, he's going to probably see you as an enemy."
"So let him keep it until either we need it, or we want him to know what we see him as?" Harry asked.
"Pretty much," Algie said.
"Now, the orb this ring is inside," Algie said, as he eyed the orb in question, "is a fascinating little bugger. See all these runes etched into it? These make this baby a certified Horcrux Detector – well, as long as they are objects, not living things, and have Voldemort's soul in them. The downside is we can't find Voldemort using this, or any Horcruxes he made out of living objects! Damned bastard. Anyway, so with this little baby, we were able to detect the objects that are Horcruxes. The diary was already destroyed -"
He took a book – the diary - out of the box, and set it on the table. It had a huge hole in the middle.
"Is that where the fang...?" Harry asked.
"That's where I stabbed it," Algie said, "Yep. Then I opened the book and stabbed it again for good measure. A Godly scream was unleashed, followed by black ooze. Horrifying! Well, after I destroyed the diary, and started doing research on Horcruxes and Tom Riddle, I went and found the ring in the Gaunt Shack, Already told that story. Then – well this little baby is like a compass – it just points where I need to go. And I did a lot of going. The first one took me to Gringotts. Yes, Gringotts. Turns out Bellatrix Lestrange put a Horcrux in the Lestrange Vault. And let me tell you! Those Goblins were mad about that!"
"Bellatrix had one in her possession?" Sirius asked.
"Yep, just like Lucius Malfoy," Algie said, "Riddle trusted them both with hiding one and keeping it safe. Neither did too well of a job. With the Goblins' help, we found the Goblet. Remember that Transfer Ritual I told you about? Neat little thing, where the Horcrux gets transferred from the object, into a live swine. Was quite entertaining watching two Goblin warriors battle a possessed swine! So entertaining, I let them do it twice. First with Helga Hufflepuff's Goblet -"
He took a golden goblet out of the box, and set it on the table. It looked undamaged at all – owing to the Ritual probably.
"And then Ravenclaw's Lost Diadem," Algie said, taking what appeared to be a crown – also undamaged - from the box, and putting it on the table, "Not so lost anymore."
"Will those be returned to Hogwarts?" Sirius asked. "As Founder's Artifacts?"
"Hmm?" Algie asked, "Oh, yes, sure. After Voldemort is dead. Wouldn't want him reading a Daily Prophet article about two Founder's Artifacts retuning to Hogwarts, and him discovering they're his Horcruxes, now do we?"
"Point," Sirius said.
"Now, finding the Diadem, that was interesting," Algie said, "Believe it or not it was at Hogwarts!"
"What?!" Harry, Lily, and Sirius yelped.
"Yep, Hogwarts," Algie said. "Luckily, I went back to Hogwarts the summer after I killed the Basilisk, and destroyed the Diary. Went there to claim the Basilisk's body and all. My kill, my claim. I also went there for another reason, one Dumbledore couldn't know about. The Detector led me to a corridor on the seventh floor. At first, it led me to a blank wall. After some investigation through interrogation of a House-Elf, I discovered behind this wall was what was known as the Come And Go Room – or the Room of Requirement. Interesting room."
"I know about almost every room in that castle!" Sirius said, "I don't remember a Come and Go Room."
"Ever felt in need of using a restroom and walking through a corridor of the seventh floor," Algie said, "And – hey! – there's a restroom I never saw before!"
"Um... no," Sirius said, "Though there was that one time with a Ravenclaw fifth year during my sixth year when I wanted a broom closet and found one I'd never seen before. So we went in there, and -"
"Please, spare us, Sirius," Lily said, rolling her eyes.
"Come and Go Room." Algie said. "A most interesting room that gives the person making the request just about anything it wants. Well, I found what was called the Room of Hidden Things – or the Lost And Found Room. And let me tell you there were mountains of objects in there. I'd like to go back and search through it all, but Albus would get suspicious.
"So after a bit of searching, the Detector led me to the Diadem. Apparently Voldemort placed it in the room thinking no one would ever come back and find it. Don't ask me when, and why he was there in the first place. I don't want to know. And it is probably not important, aside from to put the Horcrux there. Good news is, I found it, and there it is. And now for the fifth one... ah, yes the fifth one. Now this has a story to it. One that hasn't actually ended yet."
Algie picked up what appeared to be a locket.
"Believe it, or not, this isn't a Horcrux, and I didn't find it with the Detector," Algie said. "I found it after doing some research into Riddle's childhood days. He was an orphan, and lived in an orphanage. Well, each year the orphans would go on different outings. One of these outings was a cave. I visited the cave, found a lake in the cave filled with an army of Inferi."
"Oh, Merlin," Lily gasped.
"Don't worry, they're all gone now – a team of Unspeakables wiped 'em all out," Algie said.
"But they used to be people!" Lily said.
"Yes – victims of the Great War – Muggles and magical both," Algie said, sighing, "But not any more, and now they have found peace. Anyway! After getting past the Inferi, I got onto this small island in the middle of the cave. There was a large bowl on a pedestal. In the bowl was Draught of Living Death. I think Voldemort wanted whoever came across the cave to drink the Potion. But I was able to vanish it using advanced Vanishing Charms. And I found this locket. It wasn't a Horcrux. It was a fake. Someone had gotten there long before me, and replaced the locket with a fake."
He opened the locket, and took out what appeared to be a small square of folded parchment.
"Why don't you read it for us, Sirius," Algie said. "Out loud, please."
He handed the parchment to Sirius, who had a questioning expression, as to why he had to read it instead of Harry. He took it, unfolded it, and began to read.
""To the Dark Lord," Sirius said, "'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 -"
Sirius paused and his eyes widened. His mouth gaped like a fish opening and closing.
"Yes, Sirius?" Algie asked.
"R.A.B," Sirius gasped out, "Algernon – please don't tell me -"
"Yes, it is, Sirius," Algie said.
"What, Sirius?" Lily asked.
"R.A.B," Sirius said, "Is Regulus Arcturus Black. My b-brother."
Harry's eyes widened. Sirius rarely ever talked about his brother. The only thing Sirius had ever said about him was that he was a good kid, who went bad, then became a Death Eater, and it was rumored Voldemort might have killed him.
"Well, I found the cave before I made this Horcrux Detector," Algie said, "I wasn't completely sure about who R.A.B was until the Horcrux Detector lead me to Number 12 Grimmauld Place."
Sirius' eyes bulged. "Black Manor. My family home."
"Yes," Algie said. "Problem was. I couldn't get into the house. It was locked by Black Family enchantments, probably after your mother died. I believe it can only be opened by Lord Black. You. I need in that House because I believe the fifth Horcrux – the real Locket – is in there."
Sirius gulped, still looking at the parchment. "Um... y-yeah, sure. We can... we can go tomorrow. If that is alright with you."
Algie threw the locket at Sirius, who caught it.
"Keep it," Algie said, "It was your brother's. According to the note, your brother was trying to redeem himself."
"Like Severus," Lily said.
"Don't compare Snape to my brother, Lily!" Sirius snarled; then he wilted, "Sorry. It's just... if he redeemed himself, I – all these years I've hated him and – damn it! Why couldn't he just be an evil son of a bitch?!"
He sighed and pinched his nose. "Sorry again. Yeah, tomorrow. Meet me at the Leaky Cauldron. And we'll head off to my family home."
"Noon sound good?" Algie asked.
"Noon sounds very good," Sirius said, nodding.
He stared at the note, then the locket. He placed the note in the locket, closed it, and placed it around his neck.
"Once the Locket Horcrux is destroyed," Algie said, "All that will be left is Voldemort, and this last Horcrux – if he made one. It will be a living object – something this Detector can't detect. So, it could be a pet – a familiar. Something he won't let go of too easily. Or let it out of his sight. He'll be protecting it. It is risky enough making a living Horcrux, knowing it could die."
"How do you know there is another one?" Harry asked.
"Horace Slughorn – told you about him, didn't I?" Algie asked.
"Professor Slughorn?" Lily asked, "Our old Potions Master? What's he got to do with this.
"Guess I left him out," Algie said. "Anyway, he was Voldemort's Potions Master too. And his mentor back then. So I talked to him, asked him about Tom Riddle, and he got very tight-lipped about it. So I broke into his mind – and found a vision of Slughorn talking to Riddle about Horcruxes – Slughorn just thought Riddle was asking hypothetically. Like a lesson or something. Riddle mentioned the number seven. If you include the locket, and Voldemort, that is six. So I am sure there is a seventh, and it is a living thing."
"So we won't be able to kill Voldemort unless we kill this living thing," Harry said.
"Yes," Algie said.
"How do we know it isn't a person instead of an animal?" Sirius asked.
Algie grimaced. "We don't."
"Brilliant," Sirius said, sarcastically.
"I believe that ends our meeting – everything I wanted to talk to you about," Algie said. "Any questions?"
"Who all are you spying on using that bowl?" Sirius asked.
"I can't tell you that – I've already told you what I could about that," Algie said, "Dumbledore's Office, Hogwarts, your tent, and even added the Minister's office for good measure."
"I ask you to remove the runes from our tent," Lily said.
"No can do," Algie said, "And don't bother looking for it either. Strong Notice-Me-Not Charms on it, and other stuff."
"We can always collapse the tent, and use another one," Lily said.
"Then I'll put another rune-stone!" Algie said.
"Why?!" Lily growled.
"Because!" Algie said, "You might talk about important things that – while not important to you – may be important to us!"
"'Us'?" Harry asked, "You don't mean the Unspeakables. You mean the Elders!"
"The Elders want me to keep an eye on you so I can know about any plans you make," Algie said. "I'm not forbidding you from returning to America. Return there – take a bit of time to rest. Either way, you will come back ,because the Prophecy says you will. Living and surviving. We have two Dark Lords that need to be taken care of, and until they are taken care of, I'm not leaving you alone to your own devices."
Harry studied Algie for a moment. "Is this the Elders ordering you around? Or you? Who wants Voldemort and Dumbledore dead more? Who wants this Prophecy orb to go dark more? The Elders or you? You're putting a lot on my shoulders here. Apparently Neville and I are both Children of this Prophecy. So don't tell me this is the Elders ordering you around. This is you. You don't want Neville to be a part of this."
"Would you want your mother or sister part of it, Harry?" Algie asked.
"Probably not," Harry said. "But I have enough on my plate with Dumbledore manipulating me. I don't need you manipulating me too."
"Dumbledore wants you dead, Potter," Algie said. "I want Voldemort dead, and Dumbledore either permanently incapacitated, or dead. My manipulations gets two dangerous Dark Lords off your back, and gets you out of this alive. Yes, you'd be doing this instead of Neville. But can you seriously tell me you'd leave this up to Neville Longbottom? Could you hide away in America, and let my Great-Nephew die? Knowing that you could have prevented it?"
Harry sighed. "Fine. But cross me or my family and friends, and I don't care if you are a powerful Unspeakable. I already have to go up against two powerful wizards. Why not three?"
"I won't cross you, Potter," Algie said. "After that prophecy goes dark, our paths will never cross again if that is what you want. Until then, I'll do all I can to help you."
"As long as it is help, and not a hindrance," Harry said.
"Agreed," Algie said, "I believe our meeting is over then. Remember, Harry. Get that Orb in your Family Vault soon."
"We can keep it safe until tomorrow," Sirius said. "Then we'll visit your Family Vault. You can come with me and Croaker to kill a Horcrux, how about that?"
Harry looked at Lily, who sighed and nodded. "As long as you'll safe."
"It will be me and Croaker with him!" Sirius said. "You heard Croaker. He wants Harry alive as much as we do!"
"Alright," Harry said, "I'll go with you."
"Excellent!" Sirius said.
"Great," Algie said, "Then I'll see you tomorrow at noon. And with that, this meeting is adjourned. How about I show you out?"
Well, I wanted a Voldemort scene in this one, but that can take place next Chapter.
Also Next Chapter: Things happened while Harry, Lily and Sirius visited the Department of Mysteries. We discover those things as we travel back a few hours in time.
