A/N I'm very happy no one took me up on my offer to write in a catfight between Minerva and Hermione. I could have done that, but since the entire story has already been written in my mind from the very first chapter to the last, I would have had to make some room. Oh yeah, I actually know where I'm going with this story. Quite a relief, right? ;-)
Excessivelyperky: I will try to keep your nitpick in mind. I wouldn't want you to loose track, of course!
Harry, Ron and Hermione stayed for three more days. Then they felt they were prepared enough to go after the fifth Horcrux. I stayed, burrowing myself in books. Dumbledore explained to me that the lapis pendant I now wore could do two things: I could use it as a portkey directly to Severus, or I could use it to summon him to me. Well, summon…I could call him. He could do the same.
Finally, just as I thought there was nothing to be found in the library, I stumbled upon something. As I pulled a book from a shelf in the restricted section, I saw a button behind it. I wondered if I should go and ask the headmaster about it, but I'm afraid my common sense abandoned me for just a minute. I pressed it. The ground under my feet suddenly moved…downwards. Before I had recovered from my fright, I was in too deep to climb unto safer ground. It took forever for the elevator kind of device to stop. I stepped off and looked around.
From what Harry had told me about the chamber of secrets, I knew I must be in some place near to that. But it didn't look like the chamber of secrets at all. It was brightly lit, for one. Secondly, there wasn't a serpent in sight. In fact…I saw eagles. Apparently Slytherin wasn't the only one who had built a secret chamber. As I saw the endless rows of books, I realised this was Rowena Ravenclaws private library.
"You are the first in decades to enter here."
Oh Merlin. I thought my heart stopped on the spot when I heard the voice. I turned around, and saw the Grey Lady.
"Only two others have ever entered this library, child," the ghost said, "the button reveals itself only to those in urgent need of knowledge."
I was reminded forcefully of the Room of Requirement.
"Yes, that room is connected to this one," the Grey Lady continued, "But if you seek knowledge, this is the place to find it. What are you looking for, young man?"
I swallowed. "I need information on the Horcruxes, particularly how to destroy a Horcrux that is human, without killing the person in question." The Grey Lady closed her eyes.
"Severus Snape." She said. I nodded.
"There is information about that in here, for sure, young wizard." Three books flew towards me.
"Why have you not helped Severus himself with this, Lady?" I asked.
The ghost sighed. "I can only help those who come in here. Severus did not have the desire for the knowledge you seek. You wish to save him. He wished only to save the rest of the world, and cared not what would become of him personally. Hence, he never found this room."
"Why couldn't the Dark Lord have chosen someone else for this Horcrux business," I mumbled, as I picked up one of the books. It opened in my hands and turned to page 394.
I began to read.
'….Humans can be vessels for Horcruxes as well, however, suitable humans for this are hard to find. It requires strength of character to even survive the ritual, a cunning and intelligent mind, or the Horcrux will be destroyed prematurely. Although in this case, the soulshard would return to the owner, it would be a waste of time and effort. The human in question must also have a strong sense of self-preservation. Humans prone to loose themselves in obsessions or other indulgences are less then adequate hosts…"
"Well, that explains why he didn't choose Bellatrix or one of the other Death Eaters. The only one that fits this description besides Severus is Lucius, and I doubt anyone would want a soulshard in him. Too much of a threat to a Dark Lord, I imagine."
Ghostly laughter behind me made me remember I was not alone.
"Very true, young human."
I picked up the other book, a bit embarrassed. This one dealt with dark creatures. I searched for 'Horcrux' and it opened on the page dealing with Inferi.
'Two kinds of Inferi exist, though none are natural. Lesser Inferi are corpses that have been animated. They are truly undead; they are driven by the will of their master, and have no mind or soul of their own. They are commonly created by those who master the Dark Arts.
Greater Inferi are extremely rare. Only three have been rumored to exist in the course of history.
In Egypt, the man who was once the genius Imhotep was rumored to have turned into a Greater Inferius after his death. He laid ruin to the land for many years until the Five Great Wizards of Alexandria managed to destroy him.
The second Greater Inferius was reported to be Yax Kuk Mo. He was destroyed by Raven, a native American Wizard who locked him in a tomb by extremely strong wards and collapsed it on top of him.
The origins of the third are unknown. He was destroyed by Merlin, although this might be a myth. Merlin himself was never sure if the being he destroyed was in fact a Greater Inferius.
Greater Inferi are created in one way only. When a Dark Wizard unwittingly performs the ritual to create a Horcrux on a human being, he creates a potential Greater Inferius. Should the human be killed after the ritual is completed and the Horcrux created, the soulshard remains in the corpse. The Greater Inferi are uncontrollable. They follow orders from no one. The character of the corpse in life is irrelevant; Greater Inferi are always dark and evil, but have no mercy on fellow dark creatures either. This is perhaps the thing a human can fear even more then death; this perverted undead life…'
I closed the book in horror. "Severus! If Severus kills himself, or lets himself be killed, he will become…"
"A Greater Inferius," the grey lady said.