The Nature of Horcruxes
Chapter 2
Dumbledore had told him to finished getting dressed, because they had a busy day ahead of them. Harry emerged from the bathroom, dressed to travel, quite eager to begin to right things. Dumbledore stood, a proud look on his face.
"You have grown and learned so much, Harry. I was very proud of you in the cave. Your idea to give your friends the luck potion, when you could have taken it for yourself, was very selfless of you."
Harry blushed, modestly denying he'd done anything worth mentioning.
"Err…sir? Are you going to let people see you?"
"A few people, yes, but they will be under the misconception that I am a ghost. The fewer people who know my essence is tied to something in this realm, the better."
"Okay, then, where to first?"
"My…I mean, Minerva's office. Request Hermione and Ronald accompany you. If you can't see me, I have merely spread out my essence and am floating above you."
The two of them exited the dorms and emerged into the common room. Dumbledore hovered above them, a barely noticeable cloud of gaseous essence. Only Harry, who knew he was there, even noticed him.
Ron and Hermione were sitting by the fireplace, quietly talking to each other. They were holding hands, and Harry realized with a smile that Dumbledore's death had brought another unexpected benefit. The two of them had finally realized that anyone could die at any time, and now were happily an official couple. Ginny wasn't there, and Harry felt bad that he was glad of it. True, they'd gotten along really well, and he certainly cared for her, but the two of them just weren't meant to be. He didn't know why, but he knew it was something more than his worry for her safety. Unbidden, the thought of Snape flashed through his head.
"Hey guys, can you come with me for just a second? We have to go talk to Professor McGonagall."
"Oh, sure, Harry. Hey, isn't that your traveling cloak? They decided not to shut the school down until the end of this week, you're not leaving now are you?" Hermione questioned.
"I'll explain once we're in the Headmistress' office." Harry flashed them a smile, which caused them to shoot worried looks at each other. They hadn't expected Harry to be so cheerful just a day after the funeral of his mentor.
The three of them made their way to the statue of the gargoyle. The entire way, Ron and Hermione had subtly been trying to question him, but he had merely smiled in lieu of reply. He gave the password, then gestured his friends to go on up. Behind their backs, he smirked at Dumbledore floating above them.
Minerva looked as tired as she felt. The piles of paperwork on her desk were enormous, and the office looked in disarray after the Minister's visit from the night before. She waved at the chairs with her wand almost absently, not looking up from the paperwork in front of her when she said, "Sit, please."
They sat, Hermione and Ron shooting questioning glances at Harry. Eventually, McGonagall looked up and set her quill down. Her eyes were red, most likely from crying.
"How can I help the three of you?" she asked, her hands laced in front of her.
"Someone's here to see you, Professor." As Harry said this, Dumbledore materialized behind the startled Ron and Hermione. Professor McGonagall was instantly standing, rushing around the desk, stopping in front of the two students and looking upon Dumbledore with hope lighting her face.
"Albus…?" Hesitantly, she held out her hand, which Dumbledore allowed, though her fingers merely passed through him. Harry knew he could have been more solid if he'd wanted to, but he was keeping with the guise of being a ghost.
"Yes, Minerva, I'm back. It would appear I have unfinished business. Harry still needs my guidance, so here I am."
"I…I don't know what to say!" Minerva brought her shaking fingers to press against her lips. Ron and Hermione had stood, turning around to get a better look at the Headmaster. Harry remained seated, watching their interaction. Fawks flew from his perch and alighted gently on Harry's shoulder.
"Hey, Fawks. Your song for Dumbledore was really beautiful."
The phoenix trilled softly, nuzzling his bright head against Harry's hand. Harry tuned out for a little while, just stroking the soft plumage and letting his thoughts wander. He was snapped from his reverie when he heard Snape's name mentioned.
"The aurors are hunting him down, Albus. I wished I could have gone with them," Minerva's voice was hard as steel. Albus smiled gently, raising a ghostly hand to pat her shoulder.
"Now, now, Minerva. You don't know everything there is to know yet. I still trust Severus. My faith in him has not wavered."
As if she'd forgotten the students were there, she walked away from Dumbledore, obviously agitated.
"Then tell me, Albus. The Minister is insisting I shut down the school, your death has seemingly drained the Order of all hope, and the Death Eaters are running amok. I need to know what exactly is going on!" She was visibly angry, as she had slammed her hand down on a pile of paperwork for emphasis. Dumbledore's essence looked sad, then thoughtful, and finally settled on resigned. Quietly, he requested the three of them leave the office.
Once they could no longer hear the conversation inside, Ron and Hermione immediately jumped on Harry for information.
"When did he appear, Harry? Oh, this is wonderful!" Hermione gushed, her relief palpable. Ron patted him on the back.
"See, I knew Dumbledore wouldn't let us down! Why does he still trust Snape, though?"
"You'll find out soon enough," was Harry's cryptic reply. "I think, though, that Dumbledore wants the two of us to leave soon. We'll be going after the Horcruxes."
"And to see Snape, too?" Hermione deduced shrewdly. Harry didn't answer. After a few minuets, he felt a little guilty by keeping them in the dark.
"It's a possibility. He's not the traitor that we thought he was. Dumbledore was right about him. Unfortunately, this means I probably owe him an apology. Again."
"I didn't want to believe…I mean, why would Dumbledore have such faith in him? Everyone just wanted someone to blame and to be angry at. I owe him an apology as well. I may not have been as vocal about my dislike, but I probably could have at least tried to defend him, for Dumbledore's sake if not anything else." Hermione was chewing on her bottom lip in a thoughtful sort of way, obviously berating herself for letting everyone else's opinions sway her cool logic.
"I guess we'll just have to take your word on it, mate. You sure we can't come with you after the Horcruxes?" Ron asked half-hopeful.
"No, Mr. Weasley, this is a journey for Harry and myself. I'm sure, though, that you will be put to good use here. The school is to remain open in the capacity as a refuge for Voldemort's victims and headquarters for the Order. I would like the two of you to remain here and help in any way you can. Look up spells for the Order, brew potions for the infirmary, and help people find their way around. Practice your dueling skills with each other. They will be imperative in the coming months, I've no doubt." Dumbledore smiled at them both before nodding at Harry. "I will give you a few moments to say goodbye to your friends, Harry."
Dumbledore disappeared, and Harry waited a few seconds before opening his mouth to speak.
Then he closed it, because he didn't know what to say. The three of them stared at each other for a few moments before Hermione broke the silence by launching herself into Harry's arms. She hugged him fiercely, pulling away only to draw Ron into the embrace.
"We love you so much, Harry. Stay safe, and good luck!"
"Yeah, mate, show Voldemort who's boss."
The three way hug ended, and Harry nodded resolutely.
"Take care of Hogwarts for me, you guys. This is my home, so I don't want to come back and find it blown up or anything. Don't risk yourselves unnecessarily, and if there's an attack, give the Death Eaters hell for me."
The three smiled at each other, then Harry nodded resolutely and strode down the hall.
Ron took his girlfriend's hand, then smiled gently when she wrapped her arms around him and rested her head just under his chin. They watched Harry until he disappeared around a corner, and even then, they stood in the deserted hallway a long time by themselves, just holding on and giving each other strength.
Dumbledore materialized beside Harry when he was outside of Hogwarts.
"We'll walk to the end of the wards, then you can apparate us to Diagon Alley. You will need a few items for our journey."
They had almost made it to the apparation point when a loud crack startled them both. Dobby appeared, wearing a ridiculous assembly of mismatched clothing items.
"What are you doing here, Dobby?" Harry asked.
"Dobby heard the Headmaster and Harry Potter talking in Harry Potter's dorm room, sirs! Dobby wishes to come with you. Dobby can use his magic to help you, sirs!"
Harry was about to tell him to return to the castle, but then the thought occurred to him that having a house elf's magic at their disposal might not be such a bad thing. Dumbledore merely raised an eyebrow at him.
"It is your decision, Harry. I do not mind if he comes."
Harry looked into Dobby's hopeful, tennis-ball sized eyes and smiled.
"That would be great, Dobby. Thanks for offering."
The house elf jumped into the air happily, causing his two, overly large hats to fly into the air. Harry caught one, then handed it back to him. "We'll have to get you some clothing that's more appropriate for traveling, though. We're going to Diagon Alley now. Can you transport yourself there?"
"Yes, Harry Potter, Dobby will be there, sirs!" With another popping noise, Dobby was gone and Dumbledore's very solid hand was resting on Harry's shoulder.
"Mind you don't splinch us, Harry." Harry grimaced, then concentrated. The disturbing feeling of being sucked through a tube passed and he found himself standing in the near-deserted main street of Diagon Alley.
"Excellent. Gringotts first, I believe. Some of your purchases will be a bit costly."
Dumbledore disappeared, but Dobby walked along beside him. Eventually, they came to the large, white bank, and Harry quickly stepped inside. There he was greeted by a goblin, who escorted him to his vault where Harry removed a large bag of galleons. From Gringotts, Dumbledore directed them into a small, dusty little shop Harry had never noticed before.
Inside were all kinds of thick cloaks, weapons, and strange silver things, all very similar to the items Dumbledore had in his office. The shop must have been where he purchased them. Before the shopkeeper appeared from the back, where he could be heard rummaging around, Dumbledore told Harry he would be purchasing a cloak.
The shopkeeper emerged from the back, his appearance shocking. His face, much like Bill Weasley's, was terribly misshapen. He was hunched over in a strange way, as if he had two, bony spines instead of one. His beard was scraggly and forked, and swept at the floor. His eyes were a piercing red.
"Who are you?" He asked gruffly, hobbling around the counter to invade Harry's space with startling swiftness. His red eyes narrowed and his long, crooked nose twitched from side to side like that of a rabbit.
"I…uh…"
"This is Harry Potter, Demetrius. The beard is a nice touch, by the way."
If the odd looking old man was surprised to see Albus materialize, he didn't show it.
"Hello, Albus. So the Horcrux worked, did it? Knew it would – ain't nobody better than me at tweakin' spells!" Much to Harry's amazement, the hobbled old man morphed in front of his eyes to take on the appearance of a younger gentleman, his nose a normal size and his beard a dark, curly brown with a little gray mixed in. It was thick on his chin, and a large mustache covered his upper lip. He now looked to be just a little older than Mr. Weasley.
"A Metamorphagus?" Harry asked hesitantly.
"Not quite, Harry. Demetrius is an Ancient One. He can take on any form, even something inanimate, as long as he has touched it before. It's very advanced Old Magic."
"I've never heard of an Ancient One, or of Old Magic."
"Most people haven't. It's not common," Demetrius replied, a bit of self-pride evident in his voice.
"You mean, I could learn to do that, too?" Harry asked, very impressed. That would certainly be a handy skill to learn.
"Probably. If you had fifty or so years to spare, and an Ancient One that was about to die and was willing to pass you the knowledge," Demetrius answered.
"You see, Harry, the Ancient Ones practice Old Magic. Demetrius can trace his knowledge back to the beginning of the first civilization, and to the very first wizard."
Harry's blank expression told them more of an explanation would be necessary.
"There's a spell, boy," Demetrius began. Internally, Harry winced. He hated being called boy. "This spell is from the oldest magic in existence – the first magic. It was a spell to transfer experience from one wizard to another. In the beginning, there were no wizarding schools, and very few wizards and witches. Knowledge had to be shared, so a spell was crafted in the old language. Just before a wizard would die, he'd cast the spell and pass his experience, knowledge, and all his memories, into the mind of another wizard. Back then, wizards and witches were immensely more powerful. They had enough magic to handle the transfer, as it was a tricky business, very dangerous. So several generations passed, and each generation contained all the knowledge of the generation that went before, thus they had lived since the beginning of time. Do you understand?"
Harry nodded. Dumbledore resumed the explanation.
"This particular type of Old Magic is the foundation for what you know as Occlumency, Legelimency, and pensieves. Horcruxes are also derived from this first transfer spell. Any magic that involves putting bits of yourself into something else can trace its roots to this transfer spell. This spell, however, is much more raw and undiluted. Imagine, in addition to your own memories, having all of mine in your head? Now imagine having three existences stored up there. Now ten, now fifty, now thousands – this is an Ancient One."
"That's…hard to imagine," Harry said weakly, staring at Demetrius in a new light. "How do you…I mean to say…"
"How do I keep from going insane? Most wizards who have tried the spell do – and that is only with one life added to their own. I am simply different. My magic works differently. Despite the fact that magic became diluted as time progressed, occasionally a witch or wizard will be born that was capable of practicing magic of the old variety."
"You mean, they were powerful like the Hogwarts founders?"
"Something like that. The founders could have probably handled the transfer without going insane. It was a great thing indeed that four of them were born in the same lifetime, and happened to meet, and happened to work towards the same goal. Very rare, indeed. Now, I believe there are only three wizards in existence that can tap Old Magic. One is myself, and one is my brother. The other…"
The two men looked pointedly at Harry. After a moment, he spoke hesitantly.
"And who is the other?"
Dumbledore started twinkling.
"We believe it is you, Harry."
He was stunned for a second, then rushed to assure them they had made a mistake.
"I'm not anything special! I'm just average. Hermione's loads better than me at magic, are you sure it isn't her?"
"She may be better than you at modern magic, but that is not the magic we're discussing. We're talking about Old Magic. It's quite different from what is used currently."
Harry gaped at them for a second, then looked accusingly at Dumbledore.
"I thought we were just coming in here to buy a cloak! You might have prepared me a bit for…all this. Is this because Voldemort marked me as a baby?" Harry asked.
"Actually, Harry, Voldemort has nothing to do with this. You're great-great-grandfather on James's side could use the Old Magic. He didn't discover it until he was nearly a hundred years old, and there were no Ancient Ones near death that could transfer their knowledge to him, so nothing came of it. You have the genetic disposition for it. You are young enough to be trained properly, and Demetrius is old enough that by the time you are ready to work the spell with him, it will be his time to pass on."
"I…but…how?"
"Not very articulate, is he?" Demetrius commented snidely. In that moment, Harry was strongly reminded of Snape.
"How do you know for sure that I have this power?" Harry forced out, blushing hotly.
"That is what we are here to see. If you would, Demetrius?" Albus asked pleasantly, as if requesting tea. Demetrius disappeared into the back and emerged with an extremely old book in his hands. Idly, he placed it on the front counter and flipped it open. The page was covered in strange markings, but in the same way he could understand Parseltongue, the symbols just seemed to make sense in Harry's head.
"Here. Read this." Demetrius tapped a sentence, and hesitantly Harry squinted at it.
"Light of the sun, illuminate my way." No sooner had Harry said the words, which sounded like English to him but felt strange in his mouth, a flickering light sparked in his palm. Harry stared at the popping sparks in wonder. He had done magic without a wand.
"That, Harry, was the very first Lumos spell. Amazing, isn't it?" Dumbledore's ghostly form asked, coming to smile down at his tiny ball of sparks. Demetrius smiled broadly at him, then told him to read the next line. The sparks died away.
"Now, Harry, let me show you how a proper Lumos spell is done with Old Magic," Demetrius said with a grin. He rolled up the sleeves of his robes, instructed Harry and Dumbledore to step back, then said the same sentence.
It was like a column of fire had shot up from the center of the store, formed into a miniature sun, and burned brightly as it hovered just over Demetrius's palm. Harry and Dobby had to shield their eyes. Demetrius carelessly tossed the ball from one hand to the other, as if it were an ordinary beach ball. There were no shadows left in the shop. Everything was blasted with light. Thankfully, Demetrius canceled the spell relatively quickly, before Harry's retinas burned off.
"Old Magic, you see, is extremely powerful. It is hard to control. I became an Ancient One when I was forty years old. I am now three-hundred and seventy-two, and it is just now getting easier for me."
Harry couldn't stop himself from saying it.
"If you're so powerful, why don't you kill Voldemort?" Thankfully, Demetrius didn't seem offended in the slightest.
"Because," he replied in a simplistic tone of voice, "it is not my destiny to do so. You are the Chosen One."
"Oh. So you're going to give me all this knowledge, and then I'm going to kill Voldemort?" he asked hopeful. This was just what he'd dreamed of – some special power that would give him an advantage.
"No," Demetrius replied instantly. "I'm going to give you this book, and you're going to start teaching yourself magic all over again. In fifty years or so, after you've defeated Voldemort and worked for me for a few decades, and when I sense it is my time to go, then we will make the transfer. Until then, you'll still be the same wizard you always were, only now with a new ability to explore."
"And just so you do not think I deceived you, Harry, you will be buying a cloak here. Demetrius creates things imbued and protected with Old Magic. He doesn't sell anything really powerful to the general public, but those who know about his shop know that anything purchased from here has amazing abilities. Perhaps you remember my personal collection?"
Harry nodded, looking around the shop again, and suddenly feeling guilty all over again for destroying the expensive collector items.
"What you'll be buying is in the back. Come along." Harry followed Demetrius after a nod from Dumbledore, Dobby bringing up the rear. In the back there were very few items. "I've been working on these things for you for awhile now. Albus told me you might need them."
"Did you and Professor Dumbledore meet when he was fighting Grindelwald?"
"Not exactly. We met at the bowling alley. We both enjoy a good game, you know. We've been bowling buddies for years."
Strangely enough, that simple comment made it easy for him to accept his new ability to do Old Magic as just another strange thing about himself. He was going to be apprenticed to an Ancient One, who just happened to be Dumbledore's bowling partner. Harry smiled and shook his head. Just wait till Ron heard about this one.
"These," Demetrius said and waved at a set of battle robes on a stand, "will be your robes from now on. They'll never wear out, they'll grow as you do, and they'll deflect almost everything."
"Even the unforgiveables?" Harry asked incredulously.
"I said almost. The unforgiveables are the three spells in modern magic that are most closely related to Old Magic. Their power is undiluted – a mixture of new and old. They are in a category of their own. While the robes won't block them, they will greatly reduce their effect. The killing curse will still kill you, however, just not instantly. Crucio should only feel like a mild electric shock, and Imperious won't have as much power."
"That's awesome," Harry praised, gently touching the fabric with his fingers. It felt strange – not like anything he'd ever touched before. It made his skin tingle.
"You can feel the Old Magic on it, can't you? Other wizards and witches won't be able to. It will feel like ordinary cloth to them. Over here we have a wand holster, pretty ordinary, actually, but when your wand is in the holster, and the holster is on your arm, your wand can't be taken from you…unless of course they take the arm with it."
Harry exchanged a nervous glance with Dobby.
"Boots that will give you speed, gloves that will give you strength, and a staff that can work as a wand or a weapon in a tight spot. Nobody makes these anymore. No one, including Voldemort, will suspect that it can be used for such a purpose. When you get better with your Old Magic, you can channel it through the staff for even more power and control. You wand won't be compatible with Old Magic."
"Does the staff have a magical core?"
"Doesn't need one. The wood itself contains stabilizing power. Think of it like the trunk of a great tree. The magic in it extends downwards into the earth, like roots, and above it to amplify, like leaves and branches."
When Harry held it in his hands, it seemed to hum, like it was singing to him in a strange, but comforting language.
"You said earlier that you 'tweaked' the spell for the Horcrux." Harry wanted to know all he could about the Horcruxes. Demetrius nodded proudly.
"Another Ancient One before my time created the Horcrux spell that Voldemort used. It is based on Old Magic, which makes it unpredictable and dangerous. When Albus approached me with the idea, I took to the challenge. I altered the spell for him, and prepared the wand to hold the soul."
After his explanation, Demetrius directed him into a small room where he could change. He emerged, dressed in the perfectly fit battle robes, wand holstered to his arm, staff in hand. He felt invincible – like he could actually fulfill his destiny for once.
He was also pleased to note that Demetrius had outfitted Dobby as well. He now wore a miniaturized, dark blue cloak, with pointed little boots on his feet. He had a small, pointed hat that tied under his chin.
"You look great, Dobby!" Harry complimented. With a knowing twinkle in his eyes, Dumbledore beamed at him.
"As do you, Harry. You look like a proper hero now."
His new attire cost him the entire sack of galleons, but as he walked from the store (the prized book hidden away in his robes) he felt like the purchase was well worth it.
A/N: What can I say? I'm a sucker for giving Harry special powers. I don't know if any of this was believable or not, but I think the whole "you can defeat Voldemort with love" is utter tripe. That's how you get a Snape, not how you kill a Dark Lord! I had to include Dobby, because I thought he was so cute in the new book – arguing with Kreacher and all. I'm loving your reviews. It's great to hear what you all thought about the book. (Was it just me, or did anyone else think Ginny should have died in the end? Not cause I don't like her, just because that would have fit. Anyone? Anyone?) Alright, well, for those of you who have read my old stuff, I do plan on finishing it. I'm writing the seventh chapter of Now Hiring as we speak.
Specific Replies:
Ivorybrowneyes – I was hoping I would surprise someone with Regulus Black. I certainly didn't figure it out until I was writing the first chapter and the realization (especially considering I'd made it – I'm usually so dense) completely blew me away.
Lord Localfreak – I love your name, and I loved your review. It made me laugh out loud. I, too, couldn't bear the thought of Snape being evil, so this story was born.
SweetAngel99 – Tonks and Remus? Ugh. I'll pass, too. I like Tonks, and I like Remus, but not with each other. I did like the Bill/Fleur pairing. Notice Harry wasn't all googly over Fleur like Ron was, why's that? Because he's gay, that's why. -grins-
Lilith- Yeah, and why, if he was begging to be saved, did he petrify Harry? Wouldn't he have wanted Harry to try and protect him if that had been the case? No, he wanted to be killed, and he wanted Draco to live to see another day.
Wwwendy – That's how I was after OotP. I couldn't write for ages after Sirius died. That one completely shocked me. I guess I've always expected Dumbledore to die, but Sirius broke my heart.
Sir Chris – I apologize, but slash is what I write. This will be slash. I realize my summary was cut off, so you didn't know the pairing before you started reading, but that's just how the cookie crumbles. I think Harry and Severus have way too many passionate feelings for one another, be it hatred or love, to ignore such a delicious dynamic. I hope you'll keep reading anyway, and maybe even enjoy it.
Piper of Locksley – I'm sorry it feels rushed. I am not so great a writer that I can fix myself, I just write how I'm writing at the moment. So, err, sorry. I did want to get this out fast, though. I can't bear the thought that this book will ruin the lovely SS/HP community out there! He's not evil! He's not, he's not, he's not! We all must have faith in Dumbledore, and give Sevvie the benefit of the doubt. After all, he has to be convincing to trick Voldemort, right? But we know better. If we all look deep in our hearts, I think we know that Sev is on the right side.
Shaldana Blackwater – I love that you picked up on that! That's exactly the scene I was imaging, too! Dumbledore: I'm fine, really. I think I'll just take a walk…In fact, I drew a comic of it and I'll probably post it on my website if I can get my scanner to work.