Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters.

A/N: Thanks to MaeSilverpaws1, who is beta-ing this story.

Chapter Ninety-Seven

The Ring

Albus was not sure why he was here of all places. After what he had just been through, this place was probably the most dangerous to his mind to go back to. When he closed his eyes he could see them, the images of his parents, not quite real and yet they would have their memories and would be able to tell him that it hadn't been his fault. His sister would be there too, as old as she was when she had died, but she would have none of the madness in her eyes that had been ever present since the day she had been attacked.

Seeing the stone had brought those images to him, and inside the Gaunt House, pledged by a longing to use the stone, it had been a dream. It had been his greatest pleasure the thought of seeing them again. Now the image was haunting him like it hadn't in years. His folly as a young man … his greatest mistake reopened so he felt the wounds as painful as he had all those years ago.

"Why aren't you up there with them?" a gruff voice pulled him from his thoughts but not his troubles as he opened his eyes to look at the only living member of his family left to him. His brother Aberforth was grimacing as he did whenever they were in the same room.

"I fear that if I go up there only trouble will be caused," Albus answered softly, looking at the bitterness in his brother's eyes only served as a greater reminder of what he had done.

"You know the last time the young Snape boy was in here, he was spying on you," Aberforth said as if searching for something to say. Aberforth had never liked uncomfortable silence, but they had little they could talk about that didn't hurt the both of them.

"Yes, I am aware of that," Albus said, when he had asked Severus to come here, it had not been easy to convince his Potion Master to do so. Severus did not want to come to a place that now held so many bad memories for him … to the place where he had heard part of the prophecy of Voldemort's possible defeat and what all of that had lead to. But Albus was not able to go into the school full of students with the dangerous and tempting ring and he needed Severus's expertise.

All for the greater good, the words sounded in his head and he cringed at the thought. How much had he changed from the boy he had been all those years ago?

"What was that thing you brought in here?" Aberforth asked. "Whatever it is I'd really like to see it."

"And if I told you what was in the box was a cursed item that was made to make everyone want to hold it, and would likely kill anyone who tried to, what would you think then?" Albus mused, glad that Aberforth had no idea about the stone and what it could do. He knew his brother had an even greater (and purer) reason to wish to see their sister again … likely their whole family too.

"Of course it is," Aberforth shook his head. "I'm glad you felt the need to bring something that dangerous into my pub."

"I could think of nowhere else that would be safe and free of suspicion," Albus sighed. "I'm sorry."

"I don't need your apologies," Aberforth said, his expression closing off and Albus knew their conversation was done. No matter how much he tried he knew that Aberforth would never accept his apology … not for the past and not for anything in the future. And there would never be a way to bridge the gap that had grown between them.

"Sir," Severus was the one to disturb his thoughts this time and he looked at his Potion Master. "You were right about the potion on the ring …" he went on looking at Aberforth cautiously but saw that Albus was telling him he could talk freely. "It's a slow acting poison, but it would eventually kill anyone that touches it. I would be able to stall the effect of the poison, but it could not be stopped by any means I know of."

"I see," Albus nodded, "and what do you know about the curse that surrounds the ring."

"I cannot break it," Severus frowned. "Nor can the … Lupin," he continued changing what he was going to say when Albus raised an eyebrow at him. "He suggested that the curse might lose some of its effect if we destroy the ring, but would not allow me to attempt to do so, saying he would rather talk to you about what should be your next step."

"Very well Severus," Albus said, "I shall like to talk to Remus now."

Severus grimaced but went back up the stair and soon after Remus came down the stairs.

"How do you pose we should destroy the ring," Albus asked, seeing that Remus already had an idea.

"I think Fiendfyre would be the best, sir." Remus answered.

"Not the sword of Gryffindor," Albus question, that had been what he was planning on using.

"I'm not sure the sword would break the curse or not," Remus reasoned. "But nothing survives again fiendfyre. I think that's the only way we can be sure that no one will want to touch the ring ever again."

"I see," Albus said, wondering if the stone would be destroyed too by fiendfyre. He also wondered if that wasn't for the best. The stone was a weakness to anyone who desired to see any loved one they had lost … it was a great weakness to himself. However, the thought of it being destroyed caused a great sadness to fill him, as if the foolishness of his youth was taunting him again. His longing to become immortal by possessing all three Deathly Hallow … and he had two of them now, and he knew where the third was …

Albus shut his eyes, a humorless smile playing on his lips; it seems the temptation of the ring was still possessing him, as his old longing started to fill him again. He knew better than to believe that having the elder wand made him unbeatable in a fight. It had not stopped Gellart from losing to him. He knew the stone would not make the guilt of his past go away … it would only fill him with despair to see his family trapped between life and death. He knew that the invisibility cloak could not hide him from death … and he knew that he didn't want to exist forever for that would make life pointless.

"Yes, you're right Remus, we should use fiendfyre," Albus said.

Taking as much precautions as they could, Albus, Remus and Severus made their way to a secure location that was far enough from people so that everyone would be safe. Albus didn't walk too closely to the others, trying to keep as much distance as he could from the ring and the temptation it brought to him.

It really wasn't that difficult to raise the protected barriers, knowing the only spell that fiendfyre was vulnerable too. A ward that had to be made before the fire was even started or it might not be effective, but he was sure that they would be fine. Standing back he watched it all. He wasn't sure if it was the curse, or if it was the boy in side of him that had longed for the Deathly Hallows so badly, but it was almost painful to watch Remus cast the charm and to watch the deadly fire devour everything that was in its path.

"Are you okay?" Remus asked, in concern.

"I will be," Albus answered, knowing that he had shown more than a little of his age and his weakness this day, but was pleased that Remus didn't think any less of him. He was also glad that he had decided to take Remus with him and not Sirius, which at the time had more to do with the protection of Harry (knowing that if anything were to happen to Sirius, the strongest protection the boy would have is at his aunt and uncle's house). Though he knew that Sirius would have tried just as hard to help, Remus had always been better at controlling his emotions, which had been the key to their victory today.

Once it was all said and done, Severus performed another test to check to see if the ring was still cursed, but Albus already knew the answer. He no longer felt the longing he had since going inside the Gaunt House. The curse, the Horcrux, and the stone had all been destroyed that day.

"It's safe," Severus answered when he finished his test.

Albus walked over to where what was left after the fire and knelt down, looking at what had use to be the box that he had conjured to protect himself from the ring's effect. The metal of the box and ring had melted together but what used to be the stone had cracks in several places. He looked at it closely, just barely being able to make out the scratching in it that marked that it once belonged to the Peverell family. He muttered some words, his own test to make sure that the Horcrux had indeed been destroyed. When he was satisfied he turned the stone in his hands without thinking. He hated that he was half hoping that something would happen … that he would see them … but of course nothing happened. All magic from the stone had been killed as soon as the fire hit it.

O

"So, what happened?" Sirius asked the moment Remus walked into the house.

Remus looked over to where Harry was sleeping on the couch, clearly trying to wait up for him too. He half smiled before he turned to Sirius, "no hello, how are you Remus? You're just demanding to know what happened."

"That's right," Sirius nodded.

"What did you tell Harry we were doing?" Remus asked.

"Everything," Sirius narrowed his eyes, "and if you keep stalling Remus, I'm going to curse you!"

"Cub, wake up," Remus said nudging Harry awake, if he was going to tell Sirius what happened, and if Harry already knew what they were trying to do it would be best if everyone was in this conversation. He didn't really feel like repeating the story twice.

"Remus," Harry said questioningly and then seemed to remember why he had been on the couch and sat up straight. "What happened?"

"I see you've learned your manners from Sirius," Remus sighed, shaking his head and noticed that Sirius smiled before tapping his foot impatiently on the floor.

"Remus," he warned for what Remus knew was the last time.

"We destroyed it," Remus said, decided to get straight to the point at first. "It was not an easy task; Voldemort had all sorts of protection spell put around the Horcrux …"

Sirius and Harry listened to everything Remus had to say without interrupting him. Somewhat to his embarrassment, they both seemed to be very impressed that he was able to fight against the curse that even Dumbledore had trouble facing. Remus quickly moved the story on to how they were able to get back through Voldemort's protections surround the Gaunt House and then Apparated to Hogsmeade … and into the Hogshead to be more precise. Sirius started to grumble slightly as Remus talked about Severus being there and helping, but didn't say anything loudly enough to interrupt Remus. He finished with how they had used fiendfyre to destroy the ring and how they were now closer to making Voldemort mortal again.

"Do we know how many Horcruxes Voldemort made?" Harry asked after Remus was finished and breaking the silence that had started to build in the room.

"No," Remus answered. "Dumbledore didn't seem to know when we talked about this last time and I couldn't ask him about it … after everything that happened today."

"Didn't he mention that old Sluggy was the key to finding out about that?" Sirius recalled.

"Yes, he did mention that," Remus agreed.

"Who's Sluggy?" Harry asked.

"Slughorn," Remus answered, "He was the old potions master before Snape … he was really quite good and he'd been at Hogwarts for almost as long as Dumbledore before he retired."

"And why would he know how many Horcruxes Voldemort made?" Harry asked next.

"Don't know really, but Dumbledore seems to be sure he does," Remus shrugged. "I think Slughorn was a Professor though … when Voldemort went to school."

"Well, I'm guessing Dumbledore's next step is talking to old Sluggy," Sirius said, thoughtfully. "I mean after the diary, the locket and the ring we've destroy, there can't be many Horcruxes left … right?"

"I don't know," Remus grimaced. "It's hard to believe that a person could split their soul so many times, but I would have said that at two Horcruxes and we know he made at least three."

"That wasn't very helpful, Moony," Sirius informed him.

"That's why I agree with you, Dumbledore will try to find Slughorn, and try to find him soon," Remus said. "And when he does, well Harry, don't be surprised if you might be needed to help persuade him some."

"My help?" Harry asked, shocked.

"Yeah, Slughorn is a collector … and you're just what he's looking for," Sirius said smirking at the horrified look on Harry's face.

"Don't worry it's nothing bad … he just prides himself at being able to sense people's talents and then helping them get good position in careers they might like," Remus said.

"He'll like you for your fame at first," Sirius went on.

"Then I can't wait to meet him," Harry said dryly.