Chapter 53
"So the locket is in Grimmauld Place then," Sirius was staring at Kreacher.
Kreacher had just told them what had happened with Voldemort and Regulus. For a moment, the Black felt a wave of sympathy for the house elf that he had long abused. Harry and Lily were much kinder to Kreacher as a whole. Hermione quickly brushed past them, racing for the fireplace to collect the locket. Sirius had managed to keep Mundungus from pilfering his house by setting up a few traps. All of them had become used to the traps as they had set up the same around Potter Manor as a precaution.
Hermione returned moments later, with the locket chain between her fingers. Sirius took it from her, inspecting it from all sides.
"So now the question is, how do we destroy it?" Ron looked up from the coffee table. They had been eating lunch when Harry remembered that in the summer before fifth year there had been a locket that nobody could open.
"No idea," Hermione restacked the books on Horcruxes, pulling one toward her. She removed the lid from a bottle of ink and pulled out a quill, ready to start marking up the book—no matter how much it would pain her. They needed an easier way to find the information when they had to keep referring back to the text.
The fireplace ignited and they all looked up in surprise. Sirius darted in front of Lily, wand drawn. Harry pushed himself quickly to the side of the fireplace so he could hex them from behind if need be.
"I have been looking for you lot everywhere," it was Remus.
"Remus what are you doing here?" Lily asked, struggling to push herself off the couch. She was approaching seven months in her pregnancy and was finding it harder to easily move around the large manor.
"Dora's pregnant." He said.
-oOo-
"They broke into Snape's office?" Harry asked worriedly.
Arthur had just dropped by, he'd apparated directly into the place to try and deter people following him. He had told them that Ginny, Luna, and Neville broke into the headmaster's office to try and steal the sword of Godric Gryffindor.
"Yes, they were given detention with Hagrid. Why on earth they thought to steal the sword is an entirely other matter, however." Arthur looked around the room.
"It's a good thing he didn't kill them," Lily mumbled. She was more irritable the farther she got into her pregnancy and more annoyed with Severus Snape as a person.
"The sword!" Hermione suddenly exclaimed. "It's impregnated with Basilisk venom from when you killed the giant snake in second year Harry. We can destroy the horcruxes with it!"
"If you need it, you're not going to be able to get it." Arthur told them, unsure what the term horcruxes was in reference to. "Snape sent it to Gringott's to be stored in Bellatrix Lestrange's vault."
"Oh no," she moaned.
"It was a good thought Hermione." Harry offered.
"Hang on, is there any way for us to break into Hogwarts and get some fangs from the skeleton of the Basilisk? I'm sure it's still down there." Ron brought up.
"It's too dangerous to go to Hogwarts. The Death Eaters are running the castle, the lowest punishment is the cruciatus. I was surprised that those three only got a detention with Hagrid." Arthur admitted.
"Could Snape be protecting the students?" Harry asked quietly. All eyes snapped to him. "I understand that he killed Dumbledore, I was there to see it—but I know he loved my mum. If he as a headmaster is giving lenient punishments, such as a detention with Hagrid, then the students don't have to be tortured by one of the three unforgivable's. It's just a thought, but it's odd that any true Death Eater would give up the chance to watch their victim writhe in pain."
"I think our main concern right now Harry is figuring out how to destroy the horcruxes, not trying to solve whether or not Snape is really the good guy." Lily sighed. "I'm too tired to think about all of this."
"Well, I will let you get back to whatever you are working on. When the baby is ready to come Molly has said that she wants to be the midwife, if you'll just shoot us a message." Arthur nodded to them.
"Thank you Arthur, we will be in contact." Sirius smiled at the man as he apparated away.
