After confirming that the literal fire in the Room of Requirement was extinguished (it had apparently gone out on its own once the cabinet had been consumed), Dumbledore turned his attention to the metaphorical fires that had erupted in the wake of Harry's and Ginny's experience. The Obliviators were on the scene at Borgin and Burke, modifying memories of Mr. Borgin and a few others who had seen the flames inside the shop. He spoke to the Aurors about confirming the identities of those who died in the Vanishing Cabinet; in addition to Crabbe, Gregory Goyle had apparently also been inside with both of their fathers, Bellatrix and Rodolphus Lestrange, and Lucius Malfoy.

The Headmaster was preparing himself to speak with Narcissa Malfoy, gathering his thoughts on how to comfort a woman who had lost both her husband and son because of their Dark activities. But an owl from St. Mungo's spared him the awful task. Narcissa had been admitted to the long-term memory loss ward after a disastrous attempt to Obliviate herself had nearly eviscerated her brain.

The deaths of the Malfoys and Lestranges did have one unintended consequence: Harry was now the undisputed heir to the entirety of the fortune of the House of Black, which Sirius had left him upon his death. That fortune included the Lestrange vault at Gringotts and all of its contents, including, according to Harry, one gold cup formerly owned by Helga Hufflepuff and now a Horcrux containing a piece of Voldemort's soul. Using connections only he possessed, Dumbledore made immediate overtures to the Goblins, and within the hour, the cup was sitting on his desk. He shook his head as he looked at it; the series of events that had led to the rapid recovery of two more Horcruxes astounded even him. Setting a number of wards around the object, he turned to the next matters at hand; destroying the thing could wait.

The Pensieve swirled with his thoughts; he knew no better way to try to find the connections that had been tickling his brain for weeks now. The flashbacks, the fog, the Unbreakable Vow, Harry's best sources of power to fight the Horcrux, his incomprehensible escape from Draco's death curse, Ginny and the others. Yes, they all pointed to changes in the Horcrux buried inside Harry, but to what result? How would it react as it neared his true host, Voldemort? And, even more worrisome, did Harry's flashbacks signify a deeper instability in that bit of soul, a conflict from which Harry could never emerge? One which might destroy his own soul or his own mind? No one knew what kind of means of self-preservation Horcruxes possessed; the ones Dumbledore had seen so far were all different and all deadly.

The Headmaster sighed. He would keep his concerns to himself for now; the boy had more than enough to think about already. But Voldemort knowing that Harry had become an unintended Horcrux shortened the timeline for decision making. There was no telling when the Dark Wizard might try to attack; while he would certainly need time to recoup after the loss of some of his most loyal followers, he still commanded plenty. Yes, plans would have to made. Soon.

INTERLUDE: HARRY AND GINNY

"Things are going to end a lot sooner than we thought, now that Voldemort knows I'm a Horcrux."

"I know. It's pretty much all I've been thinking about."

"Do you think the others have figured it out?

"You mean, do you think Hermione has figured it out? Yes, about five seconds after Dumbledore did."

"Yeah, you're right. Your brother probably took a little longer."

"I'd be insulted on his behalf, but you are probably right."

"Ginny?"

"Yes?"

"There is something I need to ask you. About . . .us."

"I know, Harry."

"You do?"

"Yes. It's pretty much the only other thing I've been thinking about. And I have to admit, I enjoy thinking about it a lot more than Voldemort."

"I wouldn't even bring it up if . . . if . . ."

"If you knew you had more time."

"Right. If I knew I had more time. But I don't. So I was wondering. . . "

"Harry, yes."

"Yes?"

"Yes, I think that we should . . . make love to each other. Before everything . . . before you . . . "

"I'm sorry, Ginny. I'm just so, so sorry."

"I'm sorry too. I don't mean to cry; I know it doesn't help anything."

"Cry all you need to. Except, of course, when we are actually . . . you know. Cause that could give me a complex."

"Hmmph. You always have a way of making me feel better."

"I try."

"Do you know when you want to . . .?"

"Soon, I think. I think we should talk to Dumbledore first, make some plans. And there is still Nagini."

"Yes! Nagini! I forgot about Nagini. Nothing can happen while the snake is alive, right?"

"Right. But still, I don't want to wait."

"Of course you don't. Boys."

"You always have a way of making me feel better, Ginny. I love you."

"I love you too, Harry."