In order to elucidate the mystery, Potions master and inventor, Severus Snape, stayed awake past ungodly hours, and searched up his personal library, with little to no luck, I'm afraid.
"Professor, how come you have so many books about the dark arts, but none of them can tell us what a Horcrux is?" Severus's errant student, one Harry Potter wondered.
Snape gritted his teeth, a bit irritated that his student had insisted he come with him to search for answers, telling him that he will personally get away from the Dursleys in order to search if he didn't let him come along. He was even madder that Albus didn't tell him what a Horcrux was, 'until we can be sure it's true, my boy'.
"I don't know, Mr. Potter. Let me ask the books why they're being obstinate and not cooperating? 'Introduction into the dark arts', do tell, why must you anger Mr. Potter so? No answer? Hmmm, it's almost as if you were an inanimate object."
Harry's lips quirked up " 'Introduction into the dark arts' maybe you would give away all your secrets if we sweep the dust off you."
Severus's cheeks reddened "Naïve child, I'm sure the book would appreciate more if you read through it again, while I look over the darker volumes."
"Hear that, book, Snape thinks about your happiness. It's like he's a book mind reader, a book whisperer."
"I can assure you, Potter, the mind of the book lies into its content, precisely what the author wanted to tell us."
"What if the author was monolingual and because of different terminologies, the translator had to guess which words would fit best into the language they're trying to publish?" Harry challenged.
"What if you wrote the usual essays you hand in for homework, but because I don't speak dunderhead I would not be able to correct your essays?" Snape shot back.
"You somehow still manage to correct them, Snape," Harry responded while gritting his teeth.
"That's your answer, Potter. Dedication. It's needed in order to translate books from other languages and to correct homework, although I must say, my job is infinitely harder than mosts."
Harry snorted, looked around at the sort of walls made of books that surrounded them and couldn't help but ask "Doesn't it get lonely? To be surrounded only by dusty books?"
"Hardly. If I were to choose between Longbottom's company and reading a book, I would choose the latter."
"Well, that's sad professor. Neville's more interesting than 'Poison methods in the middle ages'. "
Snape raised an eyebrow, curled his lips and said "Potter what would I take to counteract poisons?"
"A bezoar, professor," Harry said while rolling his eyes.
"Amazing. You did actually learn something all these years," Severus said mesmerized while Harry felt like taking his anger out on an innocent book.
"In spite of the teacher, I did," Harry said nastily.
Severus frowned and said "Read the book again, Potter."
They spent almost all day, immersed in reading, not a single mention of a Horcrux
"Mr. Potter. I think it's time you return to your relatives."
Harry nodded reluctantly.
Harry entered the house, ignored the murderous looks his relatives shot him, went straight to bed and slept like the dead.
For three days everything was normal, or as normal as being a slave to the Dursleys actually entailed.
He did the myriad of chores, was barely allowed to eat anything, got nightmares about Voldemort visiting him yet again. It was pretty normal until one day, when he was vacuuming, still dirty from dusting and gardening, that Voldemort teleported, literally teleported right beside him.
"Ah, Harry, busy doing chores I see," Voldemort remarked.
"Stay away," Harry said, brandishing the vacuum like a makeshift sword.
"Now there's no need for impoliteness. As I told you last time I will not attack you."
Harry grimaced, being understandably on the weary side.
"How are you, Harry?"
"Dangerous," the boy answered.
"I'm sure you are," Voldemort told him in a sweet, semi-placating tone.
Voldemort circled him, like a shark enticed by blood, looking for meat.
"What malnourished body you have, child." Voldemort said with a knowledgeable gleam in his eyes.
"What scaly complexion you have, grandma. What's your point?" Harry asked.
"Do your horrible relatives not feed you?" Voldemort inquired curiously.
"They don't believe in feeding freaks" Harry spat, in a scornful voice.
"If that were true, you would not have any relatives left, now would you, child?" Voldemort said softly and Harry could not believe what he was hearing.
The Dark Lord went to the fridge, opened it to reveal a tempting chocolate cake, biscuits, unhealthy food and yes, there was tea near the fridge.
He once again arranged the food in the living room, along with the dainty teacups and kettle, he made tea. He looked Harry in the eyes and said "Eat."
"No, thanks"
"Why, Harry, you do not want to brake bread with me. I'm hurt."
"I'm sure you'll survive," Harry said snidely.
"But will you survive, Harry? How long has it been since they've fed you?"
"You don't understand. The Dursleys are like Sherlock Holmes when it comes to food. They notice if one biscuit is out of place," Harry told him.
"One mere biscuit missing is a catastrophe for the muggles. How sad, well fear not, dear one, I have come up with a perfect solution. Simply blame it on Voldemort."
"She won't believe me. She would still only see the missing biscuit," Harry said exasperated.
"I could transfigure her into a biscuit. Then the problem would be solved," Voldemort told him in a perfectly logical voice.
"No!" Harry shouted.
"You're so hard to please, young one. When I am trying so hard to look after your biscuits," Voldemort replied, while biting on a cinnamon biscuit.
Harry rolled his eyes.
Once again, Dumbledore summoned the Order to come save young Harry Potter. The Order arrived yet they were again, impeded from going inside. Except for Severus.
"My Lord," Snape said, relieved that he was once again seeing Potter whole.
"Severus, I demand you adopt Harry Potter."
Harry spit the tea he was drinking.
"My Lord, I…"
'Are you running a fever?' Severus thought.
"Anyone would be better suited to take care of Harry than his blood relatives." Voldemort said.
"But, my lord, don't they worship the very ground Potter walks on?" Severus asked dumbfounded.
Voldemort snorted "They love him so much they give us a run for our money."
"Why should Snape adopt me?" Harry asked.
"Why shouldn't he?" Voldemort countered.
"I can take care of myself."
"Clearly," Voldemort said sarcastically.
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"Well for one you are very disrespectful, understandable in your situation, you are abused and in need of positive enforcement. Severus will provide for you," Voldemort lectured.
"Snape hates me," Harry pointed out, while eating a biscuit himself
"Severus, dear one. Do you hate Harry Potter?"
Severus cursed mentally and responded faintly "My Lord, I could only hate what you hate, adore what you adore. If your feelings have changed concerning Potter, than for sure I will embark on the journey of…fatherhood."
"See Harry, no problem," Voldemort said while gesturing for Severus to take a seat and drink some tea.
"If I agree with your crazy scheme, will you tell me something important?" Harry asked.
"Are you fishing for answers, Harry. There's no need. You must be wondering about what horcruxes are, yes?"
Harry nodded.
" Horcruxes are, in essence, an object in which a Dark wizard or witch has hidden a fragment of his or her soul in order to become immortal."
Harry's eyes widened.
"How do you know, I am…?"
"They can only be created through murder. Our link Harry, your scar, the way I can sense when you're happy or when you're sad, the reason why you can speak Parseltongue though there is no descendent of Salazar in your blood. Have you never wondered?"
"Let's say I'm your Horcrux," Harry said after sighing "Can you take your soul back?"
"At this point, it has merged with your soul, Harry. We have a deep connection, you and I."
"Like cats and dogs," Harry responded.
"Oh but Harry, haven't you heard, all animals used to be friends in paradise," Voldemort said with a chuckle.
"Right. Then you happened," Harry said.
"Are you comparing me to Satan?" Voldemort asked delighted.
"Yes," Harry said flatly.
"How lovely," Voldemort said, continuing to seep his tea.
"I'm still not convinced I should be adopted by anyone," Harry said stubbornly.
It was at that moment that Voldemort grimaced and addressed one of his most useful death eaters "Severus, tell Dumbledore that he will be able to enter, provided that he does not have ill intentions towards me."
"Yes, my Lord," Severus said while getting up.
He went outside, stepped through the magical barrier. Albus Dumbledore awaited for him.
"Severus is he alright?" Dumbledore asked while shaking him.
"He is…alive," Severus said dramatically.
"The dark lord had told me to tell you that should you, temporarily, not have any ill feelings towards him, you would be able to cross the barrier."
Albus nodded, focus hard to rid himself of the hatred caused by his ex-pupil's actions, gave his wand to young Nymphadora Tonks, who looked at him worriedly, then said "For Harry."
''Professor," Harry said while running towards his grandfatherly figure and hugging him tightly.
"Harry," Albus said, while inspecting to see if he was hurt.
"Ah, Albus Dumbledore, what a displeasure to see you"
"The displeasure's all mine, Tom. What are your intentions with young Harry?"
"As it seems, Harry is my Horcrux, you must have found out and searched an entire library about it," Voldemort said while grinning.
"I am already aware of the term, Tom. I ask you again, what are your intentions towards Harry now?"
"Why I'm about to kill my own soul, professor," Voldemort said sarcastically before it dawned on him that he said the title he frequently used in his youth days.
Dumbledore smiled sadly.
"Oh, Tom. If you could only see how many people you've hurt, how many families you've destroyed and tried to make amends…"
"Cease with the sob stories, Dumbledore, they do not impress me," Voldemort told him, while taking a bite out of the devilishly good, chocolate sponge cake.
Dumbledore's blue eyes hardened.
"I forgot only petty cruelty impressed you, Tom,"
"You would know anything about petty cruelty, wouldn't you, professor? You, who told me to get back to the hell that was Woll's during the second World War, despite my desperation and my desire to just live."
Harry listened horrified.
Dumbledore took a deep breath "I was not the headmaster. I could not have let you stay at Hogwarts."
"Poppycock, you could have taken me in yourself for the summer, and yet you didn't."
"I was fighting Grindelwald at that time, Tom. I could not take in an orphan, it was risky for you."
"You are still mad at me?" Albus asked.
"Why, no. I'm clearly more irritated about that time you gave me an E instead of an O. Of course I'm still mad at you! And I shall always be! Anyway take a seat, have some tea."
"These are not your teacups," Albus said exasperated.
"Stolen tea tastes better," Voldemort said while grinning "Harry has got to be moved from his relatives."
"Out of question!," Albus spoke.
"They abuse him, they don't feed him, make him do chores all day, and made him sleep in a spider-infested cupboard." Voldemort reasoned.
"How did you know about the cupboard?" Harry asked.
'I Legilimanced you while you were too absorbed eating biscuits," Voldemort answered carelessly as if they were talking about the weather.
Dumbledore's whole demeanor changed "Is that true, Harry?"
Harry nodded mutely.
"Alas, I would send you away, if it weren't for you and your crazy little followers, trying to kill Harry at every step," Dumbledore said while glaring" While Harry is at his relatives he is protected by the blood words from the greater evil."
"Nice words. Put them on his tombstone the next time they withhold food from him and he dies from malnutrition. And as I have told you , I will not attack Harry any longer. I wish to recruit him."
Everyone's eyes widened.
"You don't believe me, very well, I will make an unbreakable vow that I will not kill or injure Harry Potter and tell my death eaters to do the same unless they, or myself are attacked first. What do you say, old man?"
Dumbledore stared hard, before nodding.
Severus will be our third.
"Do you, Tom Marvolo Riddle, swear to not kill or injure Harry Potter unless you are attacked first?" Dumbledore asked.
"I do," Voldemort said.
" Do you, swear that you will tell your death eaters to do the same?"
"I do,"
It was done. Harry couldn't believe it. He was free of the Dursleys, at last.
"Where should we send Harry instead?" Dumbledore pondered.
"Severus would make a lovely father. He's knowledgeable, knows how to keep children in check, and would not withhold food from him." Voldemort said.
Dumbledore's eyes twinkled "This is a wonderful idea, Tom. Severus, that way, you and Harry might finally get past any resentment and realize how alike you are."
Harry and Severus stared at each other.