Disclaimer: I do not own anything in the Harry Potter realm. That belongs to someone with the initials JKR and since mine are LDJ it obviously doesn't belong to me. So, I won't make any money on this, pity…
Warning: HBP spoilers.
AN: I've made detail changes following reviewers pointing out an error. Thank you for your reviews.
Aftermath by Eagle-Eyes
Chapter 2. Plans
Harry woke later than he usually did at the Dursley's, sat up and put his glasses on. Hedwig had just arrived back from a night of hunting. She hooted softly and pecked gently at his finger before settling into her cage for a nap. Pig hadn't returned from the Weasley's and Harry didn't expect him back until that night or even the next day.
Ron turned over at Hedwig's hoots and said sleepily, "Five more minutes, Mum."
Harry threw a pillow at him and said, "Get up, Ron. Let's go get breakfast."
"Harry, Ron, are you up?" Hermione said softly as she knocked softly on the door.
"Well, we're awake." Harry said. "Give us time to get up and dressed. We'll meet you in the dining room in 10 minutes."
As Harry and Ron were going down the stairs, they overheard Hermione talking to Aunt Petunia about her parents.
"But, Mrs. Dursley, just because I'm a witch and can do magic, doesn't mean I'm a freak."
"Don't say that word in this house." Aunt Petunia cried.
"What, magic or witch?" asked Hermione. "My parents are muggles, you know. Non-magic like you. They don't think I'm a freak. It took them time to get used to the idea, but now they like my differences. They think it's neat that I've had the opportunity to go to Hogwarts and learn about the wizarding world."
"Give it up Hermione," Harry interjected. "Good morning, Aunt Petunia. Shall I fix breakfast for everyone?"
"I'll help, Harry." Hermione said as she stood up. "Will Mr. Dursley and Dudley be joining us this morning, Mrs. Dursley?"
"What? Uh, yes." stuttered Aunt Petunia. She watched keenly as Harry and Hermione went into the kitchen and began to cook bacon and eggs.
Ron opened the window and took the Daily Prophet from the owl that was tapping on the window; thankful they had learned how to pre-pay for their copies. He glanced briefly at the headlines, and said, "It seems calm today. No major outbreaks of violence. They're still looking for Snape. The school governors are scheduled to meet next week to discuss the schedule for testings this summer."
Hermione and Harry placed breakfast on the table as Uncle Vernon and Dudley entered the kitchen. Hermione had enlarged the table so all six of them could sit together. Aunt Petunia had been staring at them dumbfounded the entire time. Dudley and Uncle Vernon started to sputter as Harry, Ron and Hermione sat down at one end, but Hermione stopped them with a simple, "It's okay. We cooked it in the way my parents, my non-magic parents, taught me to cook. They're dentists, you know."
Following breakfast and a quick "scourgify" by Hermione, the trio headed up the stairs to Harry's room. There they sat on the floor with parchment and quills out. It was time to begin their planning.
"First of all," Hermione began. "What is a 'Horcrux'"?
"According to Professor Slughorn's memory Professor Dumbledore showed me in the pensieve, a Horcrux is an item that can contain a part of your soul." Harry said. "Professor Slughorn had a conversation with Tom Riddle during his 6th year about Horcruxes. Tom asked about them, how they were created and how many a person could create. Professor Slughorn said that in order to create one, a person would have to commit a crime of great evil, such as murder. He said that a portion of one's soul could then be placed in the Horcrux. Tom suggested that if one was good why not seven as that would be the magically perfect number. Professor Slughorn couldn't imagine anyone wanting to commit one murder, much less more. The memory ended there and I was unable to speak with Professor Slughorn about it."
"Well, I'll need to do more research on those," Hermione began. "But, where? I don't know if we'll be allowed in the Hogwarts library this summer or where there might be another library."
"What about Grimauld Place?" asked Ron.
"Sure," Harry continued. "The Black family had a large library and most of the books were about the dark arts. There's got to be something there."
"Okay. Let's put that aside for now. Tell me about your lessons with Professor Dumbledore. Specifically, what was the main thing you learned from him? What was he trying to tell you this year?" Hermione wanted to everything into a neat list of things to search for.
"Well," Harry began. "He wanted me to know about Lord Voldemort. His childhood, what was important to him, that type of thing."
"Then start at the beginning." Hermione suggested.
"Okay, we'll begin with Tom Riddle before he became Lord Voldemort. Tom was an orphan. His mother was a witch by the name of Merope Gaunt. Her father, Marvolo, brother, Morfin and she were the last descendents of Salazar Slytherin. All of them spoke in Parseltongue. They lived in a hovel in Little Hangleton. Morfin had received multiple warnings about misuse of magic from the Ministry of Magic. Merope was little more than a squib."
"Lord Voldemort, half-blood and his magic parent almost a squib." Ron laughed. "And to think he's the one touting all this pure-blood nonsense."
"Yeah," Harry continued. "Her father teased her about it. I saw the memory of the head of the Misuse of Magic department. Marvolo Gaunt was very proud of their heritage and waved a ring and a locket in front of the ministry representative, claiming the locket was from Slytherin himself. It had an ornate 'S' on it. The ring had a family crest on it. Following this visit, Marvolo and Morfin were sent to Azkaban. It seems Marvolo attacked ministry representatives and Morfin had received multiple warnings about his use of magic in the presence of and on muggles. Merope had always fancied Tom Riddle, a young man who lived in Little Hangleton. Now that she was alone, she decided to go after what she wanted. She used a love potion to get Tom Riddle to marry her. At some point after the wedding, she stopped using the love potion and Tom left her. Alone and pregnant, she fell into the practice of not using magic, again behaving as if she was a squib. Penniless, she went to Borgin and Burkes and sold her locket for 10 galleons. She ended up at a muggle orphanage where an hour after she gave birth, naming her son Tom Marvolo Riddle, she died."
"Blimey," said Ron. "So he really is the Heir of Slytherin."
"What do we know of his childhood?" Hermione asked.
"According to Professor Dumbledore's memory, Tom Riddle was pretty much a loner. He was a something of a bully according to the orphanage worker. He also liked to steal things, usually from those he'd bullied, almost like a trophy. Professor Dumbledore made him give those items back before he could start school. Professor Dumbledore said he wanted to keep a close eye on Tom Riddle while he was at school. Unlike most muggle raised wizards, Tom had realized he had a special gift and was consciously using it."
"What do you mean, 'consciously using it'?" Ron asked.
"The way Tom asked Professor Dumbledore questions was almost like he was demanding an answer, or when he suggested Professor Dumbledore do something, it was like he expected it to be done."
"Almost like he was using Imperious?"
"Yeah, something like that." Harry explained. "I'm not sure if it was, I didn't ask Professor Dumbledore about it, but that's almost what it seemed like."
"History tells us he killed his father and his father's parents. And we know his mother died right after he was born. What about his uncle and grandfather?" Hermione was always one for getting all the facts.
"Well, Marvolo died shortly after he left Azkaban and Riddle killed Morfin." Harry paused. "It was the way he did it. He went to Little Hangleton as a teenager to find out about his family and met his uncle. He interrogated Morfin, found out about his father; then modified Morfin's memory so that the next day when Tom Riddle, Sr., and his parents were found dead, Morfin confessed to the murder. Even his wand was deemed to have been used for the murders."
"Wow," exclaimed Ron. "What a nightmare."
Hermione glared at Ron.
"Speaking of nightmares, had any lately?" Ron continued.
"No. Professor Dumbledore seemed to think that Voldemort realized my mind was connecting with his with no effort on my part, so he closed his mind to me. Now, my nightmares are normal ones. You know, Snape yelling the killing curse, Dumbledore falling, me trying to get Snape, but missing, Snape ridiculing me." Harry paused then added quietly, "Voldemort going after Ginny again."
"What's going on between you and Ginny? I thought you two were getting close before we left Hogwarts, but she didn't even try to join us on the train. Did you have a fight or something?" Ron asked.
"Something." Harry began. He paused and then said "I can't get close to her right now. Everything in my heart says to. I've never been happier than when I was with her, but I can't take a chance. Look what Voldemort did to her back in second year with her just being the sister of my best friend. Think of what he could do if she was my girlfriend."
"I thought it might be something like that," Hermione volunteered.
"Yeah, just be careful you don't hurt her." Ron threatened. "Best mate or not, you hurt my sister, you'll pay for it."
"That's why I told her we couldn't be together right now. After this is all over, if she's still waiting for me, then -- " Harry paused.
"Let's just wait and see what happens, okay Harry." Hermione finished for him.
They sat quietly for a few minutes while Hermione read over her notes.
"How did you know Riddle was a teenager when he killed Morfin?" Hermione questioned.
"He was wearing Marvolo's ring when I saw him in Professor Slughorn's memory and that's the only time he could have gotten it." Harry responded.
"Let's see now." Hermione started again. "What did you find out about the Horcruxes that Voldemort used? Do we know how many, what they are, where they might be located?"
"Well," Harry said thoughtfully. "Professor Dumbledore seemed to think that Voldemort probably planned on making seven. We believe he used his diary as one Horcrux. That was destroyed back in second year in the Chamber of Secrets. He also used his father's ring. Dumbledore destroyed it. That's what happened to his hand."
"We wondered about that. Everyone said it had to be a curse or something, but no one wanted to believe Professor Dumbledore could be cursed to that extent." Hermione stated.
"Professor Dumbledore seemed to think that Voldemort would want trophies or well-known relics to use as his Horcruxes. You know, like his father's ring, Slytherin's locket, Hufflepuff's cup, something of Gryffindor's or Ravenclaw's."
"Slytherin's locket?" Hermione interrupted. "I thought his mother sold it before he was born."
"Yeah, how did he find that? And what about Hufflepuff's cup?" Ron asked.
"Well, before Riddle left Hogwarts, he asked to be allowed to stay on as the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. The headmaster felt he was too young and suggested he gain some experience. Professor Dumbledore showed me a memory where Riddle was working at Borgin and Burkes. Everyone thought it was a waste, someone of Riddle's caliber working there. Most people thought he'd go far in the Ministry. One day he was sent to a patron to purchase some artifacts. She was bragging on what she had and showed Riddle a cup with a badger engraved on it that she claimed to have belonged to Hufflepuff. She also showed him a heavy gold locket containing an ornate serpentine 'S'. She commented that Mr. Burke had told her when she purchased it that the ragged looking girl he bought it from didn't know its value. She died two days later. Her old house elf confessed to accidentally poisoning her. The cup, a family heirloom since she was descended from Hufflepuff, as well as the locket were missing. Professor Dumbledore seemed to believe Riddle was responsible."
"That's very likely." Hermione said. Then she tapped her quill on the parchment. "I sure wish we could see those memories. Any possibility that they are still in the headmaster's office?"
"I don't know. We could owl Professor McGonagall and ask." Harry said, picking up parchment and quill. He quickly penned a note to Professor McGonagall asking if they could come visit her in a few weeks to ask some questions he had about Professor Dumbledore's death. He didn't want to go into details in a letter, but they would probably need her help to find some of the Horcruxes. If not her specific help, at least help from the Headmaster's old office. After all, his pensieve was still there and it was possible so were the memories he had shown Harry.
'Besides,' thought Harry, 'who knows how much help Professor Dumbledore's portrait might be.' He kept that thought to himself. Not wanting to give false hope to his friends.
The trio spent several days going over every aspect of everything Harry and Professor Dumbledore spoke of and did over the year. Hermione made meticulous notes and interrogated Harry continually.
The next few weeks were interrupted by a visit from Hermione's parents. She had called them and told them where she was staying and suggested they drop in for a visit. She didn't mention this to the Dursleys. Aunt Petunia was shocked that "such a nice couple would have a freak daughter like you." Hermione just ignored her.
The trio enjoyed exploding snap, chess and outings in the park. The spoke to Mrs. Figg whenever they saw her and did their best to avoid Mrs. Dursley, but managed to terrorize Dudley often enough. They felt Aunt Petunia couldn't complain too much. After all, they did most of the cooking and cleaning. Ron even helped Harry mow the grass and weed the flowerbed, exclaiming at how much muggles could do without the use of magic.
Professor McGonagall responded to Harry's owl and asked Harry, Hermione and Ron to stop by Hogwarts following Bill and Fleur's wedding. Hermione made her list of what needed to be researched and the most likely places to start.