Les Notes: I'm kinda in a writing slump now – I dunno what to put in between the horcrux chapters. Usually I could put something like a quidditch match, but since Harry isn't in school –
Grr… I'm having a bad day. Some other site wants to merge with mine and it isn't working out at all. I'm about ready to call the whole thing off…
I know you all think I'm going to fast with this story, but I really have nothing to post in between. So here comes the next horcrux.
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"You're going to look at the memories again?" Ron asked Harry, sounding very excited.
"Yeah, I guess." It had been nearly a month since their last try, and Harry hadn't gotten any closer to another horcrux. "It couldn't hurt."
"Can I go?" Hermione asked.
"Sure, why not." Harry opened his trunk and pulled out the bottles. "You pick one, Ron."
"Me?" Harry nodded. "Okay." He pulled out one of the memories and handed it to Harry, who poured it into the pensive.
"Come on." Harry said as he lazily put his head into the memory, sure that it was going to be useless again. He landed and waited for Ron and Hermione.
"Wow." Hermione said "This is – wow."
"You shouldn't be so descriptive Hermione." Ron muttered. Hermione stepped on his foot. "Ow! Hey, you -"
"That's enough." Harry said crossly. He had just remembered which memory this was – the one where the snake was nailed to the door….
"What is that?" Hermione asked when she saw the snake.
"Come on." Harry said, sliding into the open door. He looked around for any signs of a horcrux (besides the locket and the ring), but Ron and Hermione were watching the conversation. "D'you mind helping?"
"Sorry." They said. Hermione walked over to where Voldemort's mother was.
"Is this his mum?" Harry nodded, searching a shelf. "Wait – that's the locket! Oh… So that's where it came from!"
"Nothing escapes you." Harry mumbled.
"Sorry Mr. Negative. I was only trying to help."
"If you want to help," Ron said "then talk less and look more." The talk erupted into an argument, with Ron and Hermione shouting over Voldemort's father.
"Shut up!" Harry screamed. "Both of you shut up! If you're going to argue then you can go back!" They stopped arguing and went back to searching, but they didn't find anything. "I knew it." Harry said when they were out of the memory.
"I think there might have been something there." Hermione said.
"There wasn't."
"No, not then. I mean now."
"She's being vague again." Ron mumbled to Harry.
"What I mean," Hermione said, glaring at Ron "Is that maybe Vol – Voldemort – has something hidden there now. He wasn't even born yet in the memory. But an old house behind all those trees that hasn't been inhabited for years might make a good hiding place."
"That's true." Harry said absently.
"Well then, let's go." Ron said. "What's the harm in taking a look?"
"It'll be booby trapped." Harry said, half hoping to talk them out of it.
Ron put his hand on Harry's shoulder. "Whenever you're involved, Harry, something's always booby trapped." Very true, Harry thought. "We've made it through before and we'll make it through again."
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Harry popped near the old house. It looked the same from the outside, except the snake had long since fallen off the door. Hermione popped next to him.
"Where's Ron?"
"He's coming." Just as she said this, another pop was heard, and Ron appeared so close to Harry that he fell over.
"Sorry mate." Ron said, helping him up.
Harry went up to the door. "Stay back." He told them. "If something happens -"
"Save yourselves." Ron said. "We know. Go on." Harry smiled and poked the door with his wand. Nothing happened. He touched the door handle. Nothing again. Harry grabbed the door handle and threw open the door.
There was so much dust everywhere that it was hard to tell the color of anything – everything was gray. Harry walked in cautiously, and Ron and Hermione followed. Hermione sneezed loudly, scaring Harry half to death.
"Sorry. I'm allergic to dust."
"Then hold your nose." Ron said, pushing past her.
"Don't touch anything." Harry warned them. They spread out and searched the room. Hermione went for the two doors on the back wall.
After several minutes of searching, Harry gave up. "There's nothing here…"
"Harry?" Ron said.
"What is it?" Harry snapped, rather annoyed at the whole situation.
"I found something." Harry turned to look at where he was. Ron was over by the old fireplace, looking at the shelf above it.
"I already looked there, Ron. There's nothing there."
"Yes there is."
"Ron -"
"It would seem odd that an old dusty house that used to have poor people in it would have a large gold cup, wouldn't it?"
"It might just be some old family heirloom." Hermione said, coming out of the back rooms and sneezing again.
"I've lived in an old dusty house with poor people my entire life." Ron said, looking at them over his shoulder. "I know what's supposed to be there and what's not."
Harry sauntered over toward Ron and looked on the shelf. All the way in the back was a dull gold something. He squinted at it in an effort to see what it was…
"Both of you, get out." Harry said, still staring at the gold.
"But -"
"Out! Wait outside."
"Okay." Hermione said, pulling Ron outside. "But we won't be too far away."