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

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

Chapter One Hundred Fifty-Two

Missing Memory

Dumbledore felt uneasy. He held up the burnt and broken piece of Hogwarts's history in his hand. It was such a shame that the Diadem had to be destroyed after centuries of being lost. However, he could hardly think of that as he remembered Harry's expression when he had made a similar musing about the Diadem. He wished the boy was still ignorant of being a Horcrux, knowing the truth only seemed to make Harry suffer more. He wished even more that he could tell Harry there was a slight possibility that the boy could survive this death sentence. He wasn't sure if that would help or hurt Harry, but he knew it had the possibility to save countless others in the future if things played out the way Dumbledore expected them to.

Dumbledore closed his eyes, trying not to think of Harry. He wished that he could have kept the boy from all of this but Harry had been placed in the middle of everything since before he was even born. Dumbledore had so many other things that he needed to take care of. Severus's place among the Death Eaters wasn't as good as he wanted it to be, there were too many events that made Voldemort distrustful of Severus, though thankfully not so much that Voldemort would kill him, it was still enough that he didn't receive vital missions information. Dumbledore was forced to allow Severus to leak more information to make his position stronger, which was working, all though slowly.

The Ministry was still posing a big problem as it both ignored the fact that Voldemort was back and actively tried to discredit Dumbledore. He was glad that Sirius was able to get rid of Dolores Umbridge from the castle; she was not someone that should be around children. Umbridge was well known to use whatever means she deemed necessary and cared not about who she used them against. Her replacement, Percy Weasley, preformed his task to the letter of the law, which he expected from the boy. For the most part Dumbledore found that to be acceptable, though his staff found it irritating, especially since Percy had been their student only a few years ago. However, when it came to his assessment to Sybil Trelawney, Percy was somewhat of a nuisance. He had put her on probation, probably correctly, stating that she wasn't a qualified professor. The problem was, for her safety, Dumbledore needed Trelawney to stay at Hogwarts and the pressure that was being put on her was making the poor woman begin to crack.

Then there was the issue with a certain Gringotts vault and how to get to the Horcrux. The cup of Hufflepuff was another piece of Hogwarts history that had been mutilated by Voldemort on his quest for immortality. He was still trying to think of a way to handle this without causing the goblins to revolt. Or at least cause the relationship between them and wizards to deteriorate farther. Some in the Order were still trying to capture one of three people that would have access to the vault but so far that had not been going so well. The longer they were unable to achieve this capture the more likely they would need to turn to some more drastic measure.

Dumbledore wasn't about to allow that to happen at this time, but he knew that the time was coming soon. The problem was he needed a piece of information that has been eluding him for many years, and until he had it he didn't know how critical it was that they get the cup. From the information Harry had given him, he reasoned that the cup was the last of the Horcruxes that Voldemort knew he created now that the diadem was destroy. Dumbledore walked over to his cabinet and opened the drawer that held the diary, the locket, and (underneath them so he couldn't see it) the ring and of course there was the snake that had been killed near Christmas. That meant that five Horcruxes had been destroyed and Harry only knew about one more, the cup. He believe that this was the last Horcrux, but he wanted more proof of that … seeing as if he was wrong Voldemort would never be able to be defeated. He had one option left to him … he was going to have to find an old colleague of his.

O

Dumbledore looked at his surroundings on the street that he was currently walking. It had taken some time to learn where his old colleague was presently. It seems like the old Potions Master had disappeared as soon as Dumbledore had started talking about Voldemort's return. Dumbledore wasn't sure if the disappearance was because he was trying to prevent a visit from Voldemort or from himself. Dumbledore hope that he wasn't the unwelcome guest as that would make things more difficult.

Once Dumbledore arrived at the house that he had been searching for, he knocked on the door and waited for an answer. There was no reply, nor were there sounds of anyone moving around in the house. He waited several more minutes before he decided to let himself in. While looking around the house he noticed that things looked dishevel as if some had packed several things quickly. Upon farther inspection he also was able to deter that someone had Disapparated from the house only minutes after he had came on this block. It seems that his reunion with his old friend was going to have to wait.

O

"Forgive my rudeness," Dumbledore said some time later. The man he was talking to startled and turned to him holding his chest.

"Albus, don't you know better than to sneak up on an old man," the man said.

"You are not quite so old as I am, Horace," Dumbledore pointed out amusingly. "I would have preferred not to Apparate in your house, or I should say the house you are currently occupying, but it seems that you have been avoiding me."

"Some people would take that as hint that they are not wanted," Horace grumbled.

"Oh, I got the hint, I simply ignored it," Dumbledore said.

Horace shifted from foot to foot, clearly nervous before he sighed. "I suppose you are not going to let me be until you get to your point."

"A fair observation," Dumbledore agreed. "Though, slightly understated, I will likely remain here until you have answered my question."

Horace wrung his hands, Dumbledore seemed to be his normal polite self but he had known the old man for too long. When Dumbledore was seeking to know something he could be excessive … he remembered one such type of conversation when he was practically forced to give more information … a memory … than he wanted to. "What question do you want to ask me?"

"Judging by your expression, I believe it is the one that you are thinking about right now," Dumbledore said. "To be more precise, I would like to know more about your conversation with Tom Riddle about Horcrux."

"You are well aware that I did not have a conversation with Riddle about that!" Horace exclaimed. "I have given you that memory …"

"Forgive me Horace, but we both know that what you gave me was not the whole memory," Dumbledore said. "Not to mention there were parts that were clearly altered. You must have known that I would realize that …"

"I don't know what you are talking about!" Horace said turning and walking away from Dumbledore. Then he spun on the spot before falling on the ground.

"I have made it so no one can Disapparate from the room," Dumbledore said trying to help Horace up but he moved away. "I had hoped that it would not be tested but I thought it was a necessary precaution."

"I've had enough of your words Dumbledore! I do not deserve to be imprisoned in my own home!" Horace spat.

"I do not believe this is your home …" Dumbledore started, but stopped when Horace glared at him. Dumbledore sighed, "I am sorry, I do not wish to imprison you, but I realized that you would not want to talk about this subject and I wanted a chance to state my case."

"Why is it only now that you have come," Horace asked, "if you have known all this time that the memory was false, as you put it?"

"I realized that the last conversation we had was rather uncomfortable and I wish to give you space," Dumbledore replied, "and I was waiting for the time that I would need to have this information."

"Did you think that would make me more likely to tell you?" Horace raised an eyebrow. "Sometimes I wonder why you were not place in Slytherin, Ablus. You are more cunning than most of my students …"

"Sometimes I do wonder about that myself," Dumbledore said. "But the Sorting Hat has assured that he picked the right house for me."

Horace rolled his eyes.

"I suppose I should state my case, as I had said," Dumbledore went on and Horace just looked at him coldly. "As you know Voldemort," Horace's cold expression evaporated as he shuddered violently at the name, "had survived the rebounded Killing Curse because he had created a Horcrux."

Horace paled farther, "I don't know what …"

"You probably have already guessed that Voldemort had created several more Horcruxes, taking more steps to keep himself from dying," Dumbledore went on to say, ignoring Horace's reaction. "Or perhaps you hoped that was only a theory …"

Horace open and closed his mouth as if trying to think of something to say.

"If so, then I am here to say that Voldemort had succeeded in making more than one Horcrux," Dumbledore said, "several more in fact."

"You know this?" Horace was finally able to ask.

"Yes, I know for a fact that he has made them," Dumbledore said. "I have seen and destroyed several of them myself."

"You … you have?" Horace asked.

"Yes, three to be more precise," Dumbledore said, only noting the ones that he had destroyed himself.

"Three … he must have really done it," Horace muttered.

"Yes, I assume he has done 'it'," Dumbledore said, "though I'm still not clear what 'it' is. Do you care to elaborate more?"

"No, I do not," Horace said uncomfortably.

"Please Horace, as things are now I can not be sure when Voldemort will be mortal again," Dumbledore said. "Without your help we may never be able to defeat him."

"I wish to remain out of this war," Horace mumbled weakly, "I have so since the beginning …"

"And I understand that, so many of the Death Eaters were your favorites …"

"If you are implying that I …"

"I'm not trying to imply anything, Horace," Dumbledore said. "You are well known for your instincts in noticing talent, and many of those that have become Death Eaters were rather talented. That doesn't mean you knew what would happen … I myself could not have predicted such a thing.

"I understand why you didn't join before, but if you help me now you could prevent the harm and likely deaths of countless people," Dumbledore said. "Please, I need that memory."

"Trying to appeal to my humanity," Horace said shaking his head; Dumbledore really was ruthless when he wanted something, using all his persuasive powers. Horace half believe that Dumbledore would try to use Legilimency on him if he refused. Dumbledore did look rather desperate at the moment, so it wasn't too hard for him to believe that. He had also said that he had waited until he had needed the information, and now the time had apparently come. "It seems that it doesn't matter what I choose."

"It matters, Horace," Dumbledore said gravely. "And you always have a choice."

Horace sighed, he didn't agree with Dumbledore about having a choice, but knew in a fight he would not win. In the end, he gave Dumbledore what he wanted, "do not visit me again Dumbledore, you are not welcome."

"I am sorry," Dumbledore said gravely as he got up and he was, but he knew that this memory was what he needed to confirm his theory and show him exactly how close they were to defeating Voldemort. For the greater good, he thought grimly, it always seems to come to that.