A/N: Well, I'm recovering nicely. Things are well, though somewhat unpleasant. Still, even though I ruined our destination, I can still finish the journey. I've spent some time writing these past couple months, not much, but enough to splurge some plot out. Though some of it is rehashed, we can actually move onto the plot of book 7, which is, as my stories tend to parody, the horcrux hunt.

Chapter 5

Moody gave a long and drawn out sigh. "Nothing. The aurors don't have anything for us. What about you Severus? That mark give you any hints?"

Severus Snape and Alastor Moody were both standing in Snape's kitchen. Snape's home, inherited from his mother, at Spinner's End was a drab place, but it was adequate for his needs. The professor spent most of his time at Hogwarts anyway. Moody had spent the last day going through his contacts in the aurors attempting to gather intel on Voldemort's whereabouts. Snape had been subjecting his dark mark to various potions and tracking spells to see if he could subvert its connection from Emily to her horcrux.

"No luck. All locations continue returning me to Potter's home. So unless Emily Potter is hiding her horcrux in the basement, all of my attempts have failed."

Moody's grizzled face turned to a sneer. With a repeated clunking he made his way over to a chair and took a seat. "Wouldn't that be the treat? If she's pulling the wool over our eyes and has her horcrux with her in the bloody basement?"

"It would be unexpected, but also unlikely. The Dark Lord's final horcrux is worth more to her being publicly executed than alive."

"I still don't understand why the bint can't just make more of them. Capping the amount at seven seems stupid." Moody took a moment to bring his flask out to sate his thirst. Moody's knowledge of arithmancy was weak and his understanding of soul magic was obscure at best.

"It is possible for her to make more hocruxes. But in doing so, she would have to give up what she prides more than her very own life. Magic is intrinsically tied to the soul, if she were to go beyond seven horcruxes her magic would become unbalanced. Worst case scenario, she'd become a squib. Best case scenario, she would a large amount of her magical ability."

That caused Moody to laugh. "So we want her to make another horcrux, then. Make her easier to handle."

Severus cut off his line of thinking. "Such a mindset is why being an auror is so high risk. You fail to realize the bigger picture. The Dark Lord may very well be willing to make a final horcrux, now that she is married to Potter. Potter's skill with magic is certainly adequate and under the his wife's tutelage, he is more capable than he has any right to be. Factor in the boy's only singular talent, his speed and dexterity, and we may one day be stuck with a force that won't be dwarfed by the Dark Lord in her prime."

"I always said the worst case scenario we'd face was two Dark Lords, but no one ever listened to me. Said I was barking, but the lot didn't understand just what we were facing. So as long as she's strong, she hasn't made another horcrux, and should her magic falter, we know she's done the deed." Moody was, thankfully, quick on the uptake.

Snape nodded his head. "That, or should she simply stop doing magic and have Mr. Potter with her at all times, we can assume the same. Right now, the Dark Lord would rather work alone, than risk Potter."

"Do you actually by that load of hippogriff dung? You can't really believe that psychopath actually loves that kid. She's using him, plain and simple. He'll be dead as soon as he's filled his purpose."

Snape felt that was certainly a possibility. One that both he and Moody had repeatedly voiced to Dumbeldore. But the old headmaster remain steadfast in his belief that what Harry and Emily shared was not only love, but it was a bond of love so powerful that it had changed the witch for the better. Over time, he began to believe in the old man's words. Believed in them enough to where he had been willing to shelve his desire for revenge and leave the continent. He had honestly expected to remain overseas for years, before acting on Dumbledore's final gambit, if he ever had to at all. He had not expected to return so soon.

"I bore witness to the Dark Lord risking life and limb to regain possession of Harry Potter at the ministry. You went down rather early and did not witness the scene that I did. She completely ignored me and my spells, only bothering to fling random curses in my direction. Had I not been so foolish, I would not have gone down in that fight. But I raced to the boy as fast as she had, and I was hit by an organ rotting curse. Realize the fact that I was what the Dark Lord despised the most, Alastor. I was a traitor. And she paid me no mind, instead zoned in on Potter so completely that she didn't even take note of Albus Dumbledore returning to the fray."

Alastor grunted. "I'm aware of the horcruxes now, and what they mean. Her love for him isn't quite consensual now, is it? She's forced into it, thanks to her idiotic attempt at immortality. How long do you think the most powerful dark witch in the world will be content to be muzzled by her husband? How long until she breaks free from those chains?"

"It could be today for all we know. But, and if you dare even speak a word of what I say, I will make certain you never speak again," Snape regarded Moody with such a severe look the ex-auror was nervous about the information he was about to hear. "As a man, who has been restrained by similar chains for two decades, I can see why she is willing to remain bound."

Silence reigned over the room for several minutes afterwards, until the opening and closing of a door announced the arrival of the two men they had been waiting for. At the entrance of the drab room entered Remus Lupin, followed by Sirius Black.

"Severus, you've a quaint house. Rather cozy." Lupin, ever the diplomat, politely complimented Snape's home.

"It was a shit hole when I was born here and it will be a shit hole when I die here. Don't bother with any pleasantries, Remus, you won't be here often. The Dark Lord has had access to both of Sirius residences and Alastor's home is no secret, despite its protections. Leaving my home our temporary meeting place. I assume Black has filled you in?"

"On the necessary parts, yes. Harry's wife is Voldemort, she's turned over a new leaf. But she's also unleashed her horcrux as a scapegoat and had planned on defeating it, giving her a level of fame and public approval comparable to Harry. Things didn't go according to her plans and the new Voldemort is now a loose canon." Lupin paused, and Snape could tell the man was putting his thoughts into words. "We, the four of us alone, are going to assist in tracking down the new Voldemort as well as make certain the old one remains... tame. Anything I missed?"

Snape sneered. "I'm not aware that the three of you had signed up for the long term."

"I don't exactly have much of a choice in the matter," Sirius chimed in. "The woman is a part of my family now, and as loathe as I am to admit it, I have to play nice to a small extent in order to remain in my godson's life."

"As for myself, my feelings are mixed." Lupin spoke softly. Had the room not already been small, it would have been hard for all the occupants to listen. "The name Voldemort is certainly not a positive one to me. But I cherish Harry greatly. He and Sirius are the last remnants of a past were I was accepted. Emily released Sirius from prison and with her own hands, meted out the judgment to Peter that I had wanted to administer from the day the truth of Lily and Jame's deaths came to light."

Lupin looked away from the group as he and Sirius took the last two remaining seats in the room. "I also might have a real future in the magical world, should Emily Potter run the ministry."

This statement caused Moody to lash out. "Don't even think about that, Lupin. She won't deliver on her promises to the werewolves any more than she did to the rest of her followers."

"Perhaps in the past. But now, there is a person that holds her accountable. A young man that I happen to be on rather good terms with. Emily has always preached for magical supremacy over muggles." Lupin looked back to Moody now, staring the old auror down. "She has never excluded a magical being from a chance to follow her, be it the werewolves, giants, merpeople, or centaurs. I may fall below the social standing of the purebloods in Emily's magical world, but at least I would be a person, and not a beast."

"So you'd throw your lot in with a woman who'd sooner wipe the muggles and muggleborns off the face of the earth than let them be?"

Lupin smirked. "That's where the trust comes in, doesn't it? I am willing to put my trust in Harry to prevent that. Harry was raised by muggles. He has had friends who were muggles when he was a child, certainly. Though his upbringing by the Dursleys was unpleasant, I don't see him falling into the genocide camp. He is too... good, for that."

Snape cut the conversation short at this point. With a sour look on his face he said, "Now that we are certain of the founding member of Potter's fan club, let's move this discussion onward. Lupin, we've brought you into the fold because we want you to mingle with, as you put it, the beasts of magical society. Find out if our new Voldemort starts recruiting. Potter's wife is certain she won't, but I'd rather leave no stone unturned."

Harry entered his home with a grim mindset. If Emily hadn't shown up, it could have meant a multitude of things, mostly of the horrible and unspeakable variety.

"Emily, are you here?"

He couldn't place the feeling exactly, but he was certain she was home. It was something in his heart that tugged. It was instinctual almost. He made his way past the sitting room, only to pause, and slowly lean back to view into the room a second time. Emily was seated, though not in her favorite chair, nor was she laying on the love seat she complained to be too short to lay on, always having to tuck her legs to lie on it. No, she had a found, or more likely conjured, and placed a spindly black chair next to the window and was gazing outside. Harry observed her looking outside, wondering what had her so distracted.

"Knut for you thoughts?"

Emily didn't move, but he made out a smirk from her profile. "I'd rather sell them for a sickle. They're worth far more than a knut."

"So are many things, but that doesn't change the price people pay for them. I'm offering the standard rate here."

At this she turned from the window to smile at him. "You know that there is nothing standard about me, I should clearly be getting premium rates, from you of all people."

Harry inwardly sighed, if she could crack a joke, then things weren't too serious. Still, something had to be off with her. Emily was never prone to pondering.

"Well, let's discuss price later. What's going on? Why didn't you show back up?"

Emily shrugged, and Harry was almost about to blame her ditching them on a flight of fancy until she spoke. "I ran into Ms. Weasley. She and I had quite the interesting conversation."

"Please tell me you didn't put her in the hospital wing?" Harry groaned. Emily laughed, shaking her.

"Ms. Weasley is fine, but she's going to have quite the migraine tomorrow. I've found that she is far

more than what we believed."

Harry looked at Emily strangely. Normally you couldn't get 'Ms. Weasley' and just about any explicative in the dictionary separate from a sentence Emily spoke. But now, Emily was referring to his friend in an almost… respectful manner.

"You feeling sick, or something, Emily?" Motioning for Emily to join him on the small love seat, he kept the conversation moving.

"Nasuea. I've been nauseous for hours. Nauseous over what could have happened had I not acted as I did from the beginning. Nauseous over the feelings of pity I have for someone I want to set on fire. And, in the end, I am nauseous of how disgusting of a human being Albus Dumbledore managed to be."

Harry couldn't help the small smile that cracked on his face. Even in death Albus wouldn't find respite from Emily's ire.

"What have you found out about him that has made you angry now?"

Emily scoffed, turning her gaze back to the window from her new seat. "Apparently Dumbledore was manipulating Ginevra ever since the moment she relinquished control of my diary. Training her, making her strong. Strong enough to kill me, should I have ever returned, or so it seemed."

"Wow, okay, not really following you here. Is there some other kind of prophecy I didn't know about?

Because I don't really understand why Ginny is involved in all of this." Harry wasn't sure if she had finally tipped over the rocker in her head that had always been teetering, or if she was actually being legitimate. He gently caressed a strand of her long ebony hair.

"Turns out Dumbledore's far more a shrewd chap than I thought. Knew quickly that Ms. Weasley loved you and has since the very beginning. He used those feelings against her. Turned her into a weapon. A weapon for you to slay me with once the time came. "

"That tells me nothing about the deeper plan Emily, or the reasons behind it. Not that I'm finding the basic idea believable either, mind you." Harry didn't engross himself too deeply into what she was saying, focussing more of the feel of her silky locks in his hand.

Emily huffed at him, apparently annoyed at having to explain it to him. She didn't try to move his hand from her hair, though. "What did your headmaster always say was the 'power I knew not'?"

"Love. He always said it was love. I always thought it was stupid, because I was never going to hug you to death, but then our current situation came about and now… can't help but think he was sort of spot on."

"Yes, I suppose when one's tenth plan comes to fruition, it makes perfect sense to an onlooker to see brilliance instead of nine failures and one success."

Harry shook his head, she was going off on another tangent without explaining things again. But she now had his full attention. "Hey, uh, Emily. It's me, Harry, and I am, uh, still clueless over here. What does Ginny being another 'plan' have to do with me loving you to death?"

Emily sighed. "You think too laterally, though to be fair, you are young. I can't expect you to pick everything up immediately. It's not about your ability to love Harry. It's about the ability for others to love you. That is the power I never knew. No one has ever truly loved me. No one, except for you."

Emily gave a dark chuckle. "And let's be honest here, I had to hold you at wandpoint for months to get that from you. No, your true power is the loyalty and love you receive, not the love you give. Dumbledore knew it too."

Harry was dumbfounded by her statement. He had always felt that he would fulfill the prophecy by loving Emily, not by being loved by her. It threw his perspective of the present at an angle. Emily continued undaunted by his changing thoughts.

"Dumbledore discovered this early on with Ms. Weasley and didn't hesitate to manipulate her feelings for you. Honestly, I couldn't tell you which of you would win in a duel. She's been under the tutelage of Dumbledore for much longer than I have been educating you. And from her memories, the old man was not an easy task master. He worked her into the ground. I should've noticed that her advanced skill couldn't have only been attributed to her brush with my horcrux years ago. I dismissed her, she wasn't a threat, so I didn't look too deeply into it."

"So, Dumbledore made Ginny into a weapon?"

"Yes. All for you."

"But… why? She's been at this for years. Years, years she's been investing into protecting me, all for

me to turn to you. It's..."

Emily sighed, "Don't feel pity for her Harry. She made her choice. She shouldn't have been a coward towards you. Had she approached you with even a fraction of the spine that she had during her training, then I would be the one on the outside looking in."

"I know, I don't feel pity. Well, I mean, I guess I do. It's a rough situation, but like you said she made her choice. Dumbledore didn't force her to do it."

"That doesn't mean Dumbledore is innocent in this debacle Harry. He never should've asked a child as young as Ginny to do that. She should have focused more on healing, and not learning how to fight."

Harry shook his head. "I have to side with Dumbledore on this one, Emily."

Emily scoffed. "Of course you do, you always do. Why am I even surprised here?"

"What do you expect from me? I wish he'd had treated me like he did Ginny sometimes. Ginny lost everything in that Chamber, Emily. Your horcrux took everything from her. So, I understand why Dumbledore chose to give her something to fill that void. It probably was the only thing she could cling to while finding who she was."

Emily looked aghast. "I am floored by the lengths you're willing to go to paint that bastard in a decent light."

Harry chuckled. "And I'm amazed to the lengths you're willing to go to paint him as a villain."

"I don't portray him as a villain, Harry. That is obviously my role. I portray him as a terrible human being, because that was what he was."

"Agreeing to disagree, then."

"Oh? Not going to push for compromise here?"

Harry shot her a smirk. "Some things, Emily, I know you won't bend on."

"You know me so well. As you should, I am your beloved wife."

"Without whom, surely I would be lost. So what do think Ginny plans on doing?"

Harry watched as Emily shrugged. "She'll ally herself with the three stooges. Of course, as long as they keep your godfather in their confidence, I'm not worried about treachery. But I fear that Severus and Alastor may cook up something behind the scenes. Though, in all honesty, I believe Severus and I have reached an uneasy truce. As twisted as his love for your mother was, I don't feel he will attempt to kill her daughter in law."

"Bit of a stretch in thought, but you know him better than I do. Why do you think his love for my mother was twisted?"

"He was willing to have the woman's son and husband die with an ignorant belief that he could pick up the pieces of her shattered heart."

Harry listened to his wife's words. At one point, he'd have agreed with her assessment, but now he knew better. "I don't think Snape was that foolish. I think he was far more... realistic. I think it all boiled down to him trying to save what he was capable of saving. I'm certain that he'd already given up on my mother at that point. Snape was smart enough to know he had no place in my mother's heart anymore. Not a true place."

Emily stayed silent, contemplating his words. "Perhaps. Or perhaps not. Love can allow one's sensibilities to become abnormal. For instance, Ginevra Weasley was aware that you and I were, and still are, quite in love with one another. But that did not prevent her from making an attempt to woo you."

Harry laughed. "She never made an attempt to woo me, Emily. She was a teenager who had a shot to indulge in something she... coveted, I think that's the word. So she took it. But she also was willing to give me back."

"Only on the end of a promise to steal you away if the opportunity presented itself. I distinctly remember the phrase 'Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife' from my childhood at the orphanage. If even the muggles know that something is disgraceful, then a witch should certainly know better."

"I don't recall us being that close to the Burrow, nor was I aware that I was your wife."

Emily scoffed at him. "Don't be daft, Harry. Its the principal."

Harry nodded. "Its one of the ten commandments. I've heard them many a Sunday that the Dursleys took me to church. By the way, the majority of which I am certain you've violated."

Harry was joking when he spoke, but all too suddenly he found himself underneath Emily, his hand finally losing its purchase on her hair. The motion wasn't too out of the norm, though Emily was rarely this assertive outside of their nighttime activities. "You're mistaken then, love. You're the only thing I've ever violated." For several blissful moments Emily distracted his focus expertly with her lips.

Emily pulled away from him and Harry's wits returned. In the beginning of their relationship, he'd have been a puddle at her feet when she took his breath away like that. Marriage, however, built up a tolerance for that thankfully, and although she could certainly disorient him with a sudden kiss, it was no longer as stupefying as it used to be.

"Enough of this. I don't like speaking of other women and their relationships with you. Ms. Weasley will do whatever she does, and so long as it doesn't interfere with us, I could care less. The real question, Harry, is what are we going to do now?"

"What do you mean?"

"Voldemort remains at large, though I am using all the tools at my disposal to track her down. We are at a time where we've nothing imperative to do, so what are your thoughts on the matter."

Harry pondered what she said for a while. She had a point, honestly, but he had no idea what they should be doing, so he said the first thing that came to mind. "Why bother with letting Lucius or Sirius doing all the leg work? The both of us should be far more effective at tracking down your other self. You are her, in a sense, so... where would you go?"

Harry watched in silence as Emily thought. He was unaware of the exercise in patience that it was going to take, however, as the minutes stretch into the better part of an hour.

"She's not me anymore, Harry. Not really. I'm not the same person I was, I have you now. You are my very reason for living. I can't make a judgement on her actions, because she isn't enraptured by you."

"She has Bellatrix, though. Does that give you any clues?"

Emily hummed for a moment. "I suppose. Bellatrix is most certainly alive. Unicorn blood is a incredible substance, after all. But her condition will be severe, meaning Voldemort will want to keep her in one place. I know for a fact her heart and lungs were crushed. Lungs can be regrown, but the heart is far more complicated. Even I have no idea what could be done to repair it. So either Bellatrix makes a horcrux and goes through a ritual for a new body, which is unlikely in her condition, or Voldemort finds out how to regrow a heart."

"Okay, so then, where does that lead us?"

"Austria," was Emily's reply, without missing a beat.

Harry laughed. "There's no way Voldemort moved Bellatrix to Austria, Emily."

"You are correct, of course. We will most certainly not find Bellatrix in Austria, and it is unlikely my horcrux will be there either."

"You're doing that thing where you don't really tell me what I want to know again. What is it that we will find in Austria?"

"Nurmengard."

"Bless you."

Emily groaned. "Do you know so little of magical history? Nurmen-"

"Yeah, yeah. Grindewald's prison built for his enemies. I read that history text you told me to read for my NEWTs. He was locked up there himself, right?"

"Indeed. And if there is anyone who knows of magic that can repair a heart, it would be Gellert Grindewald himself. I'd wager that Voldemort has either already been to see him, or she will go there eventually. We'll pay the old man a visit."

"Grindlewald. We are going to speak to Grindlewald? Emily, that's a person who went toe to toe with Dumbledore in his prime? Are you sure you want to speak to that guy?"

Emily scoffed. "Dumbledore was on the decline Harry and the man was in far better condition than Gellert Grindlewald. The wizard's been in a prison for decades after all. We will have nothing to fear. Just in case, we'll use the visitor's entrance."

Harry couldn't tell if she was being serious or not.