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Book 6: Cursed

Albus Dumbledore could hear the crunch of dead leaves as he stepped over them. Dawn had since past but it might as well have been the dead of night. The thick trees blocked most of the sun, forcing the headmaster to rely solely on the light his wand produced. There was a summer breeze, soft enough not to leave a chill but with enough force that Albus felt leaves scratch at his ankles as he continued onward. Aside from the noise he made there was barely a sound as he moved, leaving the headmaster with a vaguely ominous feeling.

They had planned this for months now. The most recent action taken by the Dark Lord practically forced them to act on their plans. Sirius, a beloved member of Albus' Order, was now dead and Harry once again had been placed in the line of fire in spite of Albus' best efforts. It more than compelled the Order to finally make a stand against Tom. Despite the smallest of knots forming at the pit of his stomach, Albus couldn't help but grin. After so many years, it finally felt as if they were making progress towards Tom's downfall. For good this time around.

"What's got you grinning like a schoolboy, Old Man?" Albus heard a familiar voice from a short distance left of his position.

"Edward, you're sure to give this old man a heart attack if you approach so suddenly!" Albus joked easily. "I'm surprised you can even keep so quiet with the leaves scattered as they are."

"Eh, what can I say? It's a gift," Ed teased back in a similar manner. Edward covered the distance and the two old friends continued their trek through the dark woods together.

"So, it's certainly been a while since we could just talk. You got any stories to share, Al?"

Albus could see a hint of mischief in Ed's golden eyes.

'He's come so far since the time we first met. I never knew he was capable of harboring such energy and youthful spirit! He could certainly teach this old man a thing or two. . .'

"As a matter of fact, I heard the most delightful story about a dynamic duo departing my school in a flurry of chaos and fireworks!" Dumbledore spoke as if such an occurrence was to be expected on a daily basis.

"Now this I have to hear!" Ed cackled as the two continued their journey.

o0o

It didn't take much longer until the pair reached their destination. Calling the shack dilapidated was being far too kind. There was growth and weeds crawling up its dirty walls, some roots even penetrated through the boards as they infiltrated the shack's interior. The roofing was damaged, many of its pieces lying amongst the dead leaves. While the trees held an ancient life and the leaves on the ground held the promise of a renewal, this shack seemed to stand as a stubborn reminder of everything in contrast. The stark contradiction made Albus shiver despite the season.

Edward's easygoing grin began to fade. "So, you can feel it too. There are barriers set in place. From here on out we proceed with the utmost caution, got it Al?"

"Without question."

Ed reached into his sleeve and pulled out a thin piece of wood. Albus had seen it a few times before. The black walnut stick harbored hardly any design. Recently Albus had begun to question if such simplicity truly fit this wonderous man but alas, the wand chooses the wizard. Albus smiled softly. 'Or alchemist.'

But now was the time for focus. Out of all the places he could think of, Albus was almost certain Tom would hide a horcrux here, in the Gaunt Shack. It was the home of his mother, a witch and the person that tied Tom to a family once so noble. The magical barriers in place just about proved their theory.

"Please old friend, allow me."

Albus took the lead. The first of the barriers would have been tricky for some of the younger students Albus housed in his school but would have been no issue for some elder pupils, especially ones who were serious about their studies.

'No doubt something Miss Granger could bypass in a heartbeat,' Albus noted with pride. With a quick wave, Albus sent out a wordless command to dispel the enchantment. He turned to find Edward greeting him with a round of applause, his wand tucked beneath his arm.

"Very nice, Al! Most impressive!"

Al's eyes twinkled at his comrade's light teasing.

"I should think so! Alas, there are still more obstacles to overcome. Shall I continue to lead?"

"By all means," Edward gave a slight bow, his bangs falling over his eyes as he gestured with a gloved hand.

Dumbledore sent out more spells, tearing down the invisible walls protecting the hovel. The barriers became increasingly more intricate and some even proved challenging but still nothing Albus couldn't counter. After a few short minutes, Albus deemed it safe to continue.

"It's funny to think so much effort was put into protecting something so broken. The moron is just advertising that he's hiding something valuable inside."

"It's true. He underestimates his opponents, a trait that will surely lead to his downfall."

"Just so long as we don't get too cocky, right Al? Although that may be more of a problem for me than for you. . ." Ed trailed off when they reached the door.

The dead snake pinned to the door made it clear no visitors were welcome. With revulsion disguised better than his companion, Dumbledore pushed the door inward and the two made their way inside the shack.

The inside was no better than the hovel's exterior, with walls lined with roots and mold and pieces of furniture lying as prone as the dead leaves outside. It was dark, illumination coming solely from Albus' wand. Faintly, he could hear his companion mutter "Lumos," and the dullest of lights could almost be distinguished over his shoulder. The two continued their search for the cursed object, not entirely sure what they were looking for in particular. Edward seemed sure he would know once they found it and Albus trusted his friend's instincts.

The headmaster passed over torn pictures, greyed with time and faded to the point where faces were imperceptible. He moved aside more broken furniture blocking his path and was wary of the shattered glass littering the way.

"Al," he heard Edward whisper, "in here."

Albus tread carefully towards his partner, putting out the light of his wand with a quiet, "Nox." Edward was crouched low to the ground by the entrance to what once could have been the kitchen. The room itself was small and disguised in shadow.

"How do you know?" Albus spoke softly, gripping his wand tighter. Ed squeezed his eyes shut as his hand clutched his chest.

"Because I can hear them screaming."

They walked carefully but the floorboards still squealed in protest. Ed seemed to keep his eyes peeled to the floor, head cocked to the side as he searched. Albus squinted his eyes in an attempt to adjust to the dark.

Suddenly, he saw the faintest of movements to his left. Dumbledore paid it no mind, passing it off as the wind. But when the floor gave another groan from the same location when he knew Edward was most certainly in front of him, Albus' eyes widened.

"Lumos!" Albus spun to face whatever made the noise.

It was a woman.

"Oh," she sighed simply, her voice carrying both a youthful spirit as well as an old droll. "You're not exactly who I've been waiting for."

The woman sat in her seat with little grace. Her youthful face and figure didn't agree with her hunched shoulders and the wrinkles under her eyes. She was a creature with characteristics from two different women meshed into one body. What could have been beautiful was marred by the many inconsistencies, like her creator tried to put what is and what once was into one body.

She was hideous. Even from the corner of his eyes Albus could see Ed wince.

"Sorry to disappoint." The alchemist's eyes squinted as he rubbed his chest. The woman sighed.

"No need, I'm sure my master will require my service eventually. Besides, apologies are a waste of breath." She waved her hand listlessly as she spoke.

There was a terse silence as the headmaster and his companion waited for the disfigured woman to continue. When she remained silent, Albus spoke up.

"Are you guarding what we're looking for?" Her lips curled into a lazy smirk.

"That depends entirely on what it is you're looking for, doesn't it?" She rested her head on a wrinkled hand, some of her silver hair falling in front of her face. Ed tapped the headmaster's arm.

"No Al, I think she is what we're looking for." Albus' eyes widened as he turned to the woman.

"You mean this woman is a horcrux?!"

"Of a sort." The soul fragment exhaled before slouching even further in her seat. "While I'm impressed you were able to figure out that detail, I still have my own question: was it my master who sent you to get me or do you seek to take what rightfully belongs to him?"

Her grey eyes shifted slowly from the alchemist to the wizard standing before her. The two shared a look before Edward responded.

"Yeah, no, we're not here under orders to pick you up or whatever but we aren't here to take you by force either. We're here to give you a choice. You can either join us against a master who abandoned you and left you here to rot alone or you can refuse our more than generous offer and we will be forced to destroy you."

The horcrux blinked slowly.

"Hmm, switching sides sounds like too much of a pain. Honestly, I don't mind waiting here. It means I can do nothing and sleep as much as I want with no one to interrupt me. Besides, I'm sure my master will need my help eventually. I'll just wait a little longer until that happens."

Edward frowned at the woman as her eyes began to droop closed.

"You do realize we'll have to destroy you then."

Her eyes opened marginally as she groaned pitifully.

"Fine. It's a pain but I guess I'll have to kill you both before I can take a nap then. I hope you're both ready to die."

Her lazy demeanor left Albus unprepared for the speed and ferocity of her attack. In a moment she was lunging at Edward, the alchemist only barely dodging her punch in time.

"Al, find the object that's holding her to this place! I'll distract her!"

The horcrux sneered.

"You think you can fight me? I'd be surprised if you can even last more than two minutes!" She pushed forward again with a powerful uppercut. The hut shook with the force of her attacks and Albus could hear a flock of birds escape from the sudden change in wind pressure. While Ed was fluid in his movements, Albus could still hear the alchemist hiss when the horcrux landed a hit.

Albus forced his eyes away from the fierce battle in order to find what could possibly be tying this woman to the shabby home. Edward said earlier it was in the kitchen but the cabinets were empty and the only furniture in the room was an old wooden table and the chair the woman had been sitting on before. Maybe Ed only felt her presence? Was the object tying her nearby or somewhere else entirely?

"Edward! I can't seem to find it!"

Albus' head whipped around when he heard a crash from the other room, the room Edward was fighting in.

'Is he alright?!'

Suddenly the alchemist slid across the floor, landing next to where the wizard stood. He was breathing heavily. He held a knife in his hand dripping with blood Albus could only hope belonged to the female soul piece. His golden hair looked damp in the dim light and his left shoulder drooped unnaturally, making Albus wince in sympathy for his friend.

"Are you-"

"No time, Al. She's already regenerating as we speak. The object tying her down, I know it's in here somewhere. I don't think she's able to exist if she strays too far from it."

Albus nodded. "I thought as much. But the furniture holds nothing of value and summoning charms are of no use."

The two twitched when they heard a guttural growl from the other room.

"I'm going to destroy you! Why are you making this such a pain?!"

Ed gave a weak laugh.

"It's got to be in here somewhere Al. Think like Voldydork, he's already hiding something he thinks is precious in this dump, maybe he hid it in a place he thinks no one else would even bother checking?"

Albus didn't get to respond before the alchemist ran back to the other room.

"Hey Sloth! You're brother Gluttony barely put up a fight! In fact, I hear he was defeated by a twelve year old! I'm sure beating you is gonna be a piece of cake!"

The headmaster tried thinking fast, not wanting his companion to be called on his bluff.

"How dare you insult me, runt?!"

"Who're you calling a pint sized midget only capable of crossing the street because he's small enough to fit between the tire treads?!"

Albus smiled. Maybe he had a bit more time than he feared.

The thing wasn't in any of the appliances and after a thorough investigation he discovered it wasn't located in the woman's chair either. Well, if it isn't in a conventional hiding spot maybe. . .

The floor?

Albus crouched quickly to test the rotting wood, seeing if any of the pieces lifted. After a few tries a plank separated with a loud snap and the headmaster had to work to ignore the harsh shriek from the other room his companion was still fighting in.

"Don't you dare!"

The wizard's brows rose and when he found the golden band adorned with a strangely familiar blood red stone. It's simplistic beauty took his breath away. For a moment Albus froze, unsure what to do now that he found it. He and Edward had planned for months and now that the prize was before him he didn't know what to do. Should he take it back with them? Blast the thing to bits?

Albus reached forward, perhaps the best thing was to take it back and study it further to learn more about the other soul fragments and how they were tied to this world. As he slipped the band onto his finger, he vaguely heard a familiar shout.

"Al, STOP!"

The headmaster turned to find the voice but his vision became blurry and his knees went weak. He found himself lying on his back, his hand burning with agony. He managed to hear a woman's soft laughter through the fog.

"You discovered my home and the thing that links me to this world. Your friend foolishly thought he was above my master and now he will pay the price. Even if you can stop the curse it would only be temporary. He will still die a slow and painful death."

For a time everything was too hazy to focus on. Things started to swim back into focus when a mess of tangled golden hair came into view.

"You idiot," the man whispered. "I'm supposed to be the one who makes the reckless decisions, not you. I'm the one who can't die. Besides, we even brought the sword to destroy it."

Albus felt a hand drawing out a lump from deep inside one of his pockets.

"Aren't you the one constantly telling me to be careful? Better safe than sorry?"

Albus had to squint his eyes to see the long metal rod approach his now outstretched hand. He wanted to pull away but even the act of curling his fingers together burned. He bit his lip against the pain that the fire dancing across his palm and digits caused him.

"I'm sorry Al. I promise I won't hurt you anymore." Dumbledore thought he felt something clench his uninjured wrist. "Is there someone who you trust that I can get to help you?"

In a moment of coherency Albus thought of the man he planned to call as a last resort.

"The school," the headmaster managed to croak. "Severus Snape can help."

o0o

After Edward brought the headmaster to his chambers, he had Fawkes call for the potions professor. The black cloaked teacher rushed into the room and headed straight for the barely conscious wizard.

"What happened." It was not a question.

The golden eyed man swallowed, running through his tangled hair with his still functional hand.

"We found the horcrux but the idiot here decided to wear it instead of destroying it. He probably thought we could study it or something. Of all the stupid-"

"So the curse is spreading from his hand?" The potions master cut to the chase. The alchemist nodded, his worry evident.

It was far from a simple process but after many hours the two were able to slow down the curse even further.

"She was right. No matter what we try all we can do is slow it down." Edward stood suddenly and punched the stone wall with a gloved fist. He hissed with frustration (and made a mental note to only punch walls after fixing any and all dislocated shoulders).

"Edward-" the alchemist glared at the seemingly older man. The wizard corrected himself, "Ed. It was my own foolishness that brought this curse upon myself. I am an old man and this was bound to happen eventually."

"But Al, I don't want to lose anyone else. I can't."

While the plea seemed childish, it was clear in that moment which of the two was older. The potions master stood silently as the duo spoke, wondering just who exactly this boy was speaking to the most powerful wizard like they were childhood friends. It was equally touching as it was unnerving to him.

Albus smiled warmly at his companion.

"You know, I've been asking you for years if you would stay at Hogwarts. Perhaps now you will take me up on my offer?

Ed smirked back although it was clearly halfhearted.

"Geez Albus, you really make it so a guy can't refuse." The alchemist cleared his throat before continuing, his voice stronger. "Alright, fine! But don't think I'm going to make this arrangement easy for ya, Al!"

The silver haired wizard chuckled lightly.

"I wouldn't dare dream it any other way!"

o0o

It was opening ceremony night at Hogwarts. Students flocked the once empty corridors and filed into the Great Hall to enjoy the meal and company. There were many smiles as children reunited with old friends. However, there was one face the headmaster couldn't find even as they approached the end of dessert. One man with golden hair and matching eyes never made it to the feast. Albus Dumbledore turned to the potions master. The younger man gave a subtle nod before leaving for the night. The headmaster's heart sank as he forced his hands deeper into his pockets so neither the students or teachers would see them shake.

'Oh dear. They've taken Edward.'

A/N: Gah! I can't believe I finally finished this chapter! And even worse, I can't believe I'm leaving you with a cliffhanger! Please don't hate me!

My sincerest thanks to everyone who favorited and are following this story, and to all those who left such kind reviews! I truly hope you enjoyed this latest installment!

Let me know what you think! Constructive criticism is most appreciated!

There will be more so stay tuned. . .