Why Did You Do That?
Training with the Prewett twins was most definitely in his favor. Harry had his wand in hand, eyes scanning for danger and waited for that feeling of unease to dissipate, but it hadn't. Looking towards his traveling companion, Harry noted he wasn't the only one feeling uneasy. Dumbledore's piercing blue eyes scanned the surrounding area much as Harry's were.
Harry had never been to Little Hangleton. Had it not been for the very real possibility that one or more of Voldemort's horcruxes were here, he would be more than pleased not to be in the vicinity. As it was, there were two possible locations for a horcrux within the small village: Gaunt shack or Riddle house.
The pair of wizards had apparated to a small clearing some five meters from their destination. Far enough from any accidental Muggle sightings, but near enough that the back of the shack was visible in the distance. The two exchanged a look yet not a word had been spoken since their arrival.
They knew their mission, they knew the dangers they would be facing - or at least the possibilities - and together they walked swiftly towards their destination. While Harry wore jeans, trainers and a light jacket over a t-shirt, Dumbledore wore his traditional wizarding robes and pointed hat. With a quick incantation and a tap to the head, the elder wizard vanished from sight. Harry walked swiftly with the soft sounds of swishing of robes rustling beside him for comfort.
Harry had an odd sense of déjà vu as they approached the shack, even if this was his first time to the town. The memories he watched in the pensieve were too vivid in his mind making it hard for Harry to separate their past with his present. He paused at the short walkway. Harry would have sworn Ogden was mere steps behind him and waited almost anxiously for Marvolo to throw the shack door open in order to sneer at him through thin chapped lips and crooked yellow teeth.
Taking a calming breath, Harry allowed his magic to flow through him to feel his surroundings - ever alert for danger. Harry rubbed his forehead and heard a soft hum in the distance. "There's something nearby. I can hear it humming, much like the diadem did."
Cautiously they approached the shack. Harry led the way - or he assumed he did since Dumbledore was still under a disillusionment spell - towards the front door of the Gaunt Shack. The front door still had a nail hammered into it, but there was no sign of any snake having had been nailed there.
Using his wand Harry unlocked the door, "Alohomora," and was surprised when the faint click came to his ears. "This is too easy. There must be something more inside."
Harry glanced around at his surroundings and steeled himself for what was to come. His stomach cramped and he felt dizzy. Harry opened the door slowly, but stood at the threshold rather than stepping inside immediately.
The stench of the room drifted outwards and Harry instantly took a step back. Before moving forward again, he cast the bubble head charm on himself and moved cautiously towards the door. The magic was sizzling; he could feel something weighing on him as he entered. "Can you feel it?"
No sooner had Harry asked his question, Dumbledore appeared beside him sporting his own bubble head charm. "Indeed. Quite strong, dark, ominous…"
"There's more here than just the horcrux."
"Something guarding the item, no doubt."
"Something sinister, dangerous and it's…" Harry walked towards the far end of the shack where Morfin had stood in the memory, "here."
Harry shuddered with revulsion, resisting the urge to brush off his skin as if insects were crawling on him. Dumbledore's usually sparkling eyes were sharp and searching. There wasn't much within the house, but there was some form of magic almost living, pulsing within the very shack itself.
"There." Harry pointed at the floorboards. "It feels as if the house is alive with magic."
The two wizards crouched low to the ground. Harry carefully reached out a hand, skimming it over the wards around the area. When he spoke, Harry sounded bemused, "It tingles like it is searching for something."
"Hmm, you would do well as a curse breaker. Have you ever considered that as a profession?" Dumbledore struck up the conversation as if they were sitting having tea in his office. The headmaster had his wand in his right hand and without a word, used it to cut the palm of his left hand. "It would come in handy as we searched for horcruxes as well."
"Sir!" Harry reached for Dumbledore's hand, "Why did you do that?"
Squeezing his hand in a fist, Dumbledore allowed two drops of blood to fall to the floor. "No need to worry. The ward over this opening required a blood sacrifice." With a flick of his wand, Dumbledore's hand healed, blood dried and his palm was clean with no sign of any previous injury. The elderly man showed his palm to Harry with an amused twinkle in his eyes. "So if not a curse breaker, Harry. What does interest you?"
Harry rested his knee on the floor as he pried a floorboard loose. "I had thoughts of being an auror. It tends to run in the Potter family."
"That it does. Although learning the art of curse breaking could be beneficial in your chosen field as well. It is never too late to learn," Dumbledore gasped at the sight before him. His hand trembled as he reached out almost in slow motion.
The teenager watched in horror as his mentor reached blindly for the ring. With a quick flick of his wand he did the only thing he could think of, "Protego!"
Dumbledore blinked in stunned silence as his bottom hit the bare wood floor, jarring him back to reality. "I…" He lowered his head, dropping it into his palms, "I'm sorry. That was more than just a bit foolish of me. I… well, I'd like to say that I wasn't thinking, but I'm ashamed of what exactly I was thinking."
Harry held the magic shield over the gap in the floor. He chanced a glance at the item within and saw the ring nestled in a bit of torn cloth. The stone glinted at him, almost as if it winked. Harry tilted his head and peered at the jewelry sitting so innocently in its nest. "You don't have to explain to me what you were thinking, sir. Although I would have much to explain for being off school grounds with the dead body of my headmaster in a run down shack far from Hogwarts, so I'd very much appreciate it if you'd not simply reach for a cursed item."
The old man gaped at the child, mouth opening and closing a time or two before peels of laughter filled the room. His eyes watered and glistened as Harry watched in fascination. Dumbledore waved a hand towards the teen, but Harry wasn't sure if it was to wave off something, fan himself or to help him somehow catch his breath. "Oh, Harry. It has been far too long since I've laughed so thoroughly."
Dumbledore conjured a handkerchief and dabbed his eyes before he continued. "Now then, if you would be so kind as to lower your shield and remove the ring. I believe it is protected with a curse similar to the diadem and only affects one if they were to attempt to wear it."
Harry eyed him warily before lowering his magical shield. He slowly reached into the gaping hole in the ground, removing the ring along with the piece of cloth. The cloth resembled the tunic Morfin had been wearing during the last memory the pair had witnessed which caused Harry to shudder.
"The stone is fascinating." Dumbledore's voice was… dreamy, sing song, as if he was lost in thought. It reminded Harry of Luna Lovegood. Harry stared at the ring, keeping it a safe distance from Dumbledore's grasp. "If I'm correct, the stone is positively priceless - I'm willing to bet that Tom never realized what he had."
