Chapter 7: The Next Horcruxe
Harry thought he'd faint.
"Sirius," he finally answered to his audience which had waited patiently to hear.
"There must be some mistake," Lupin said, quite breathless.
"Harry," he began reading it aloud, "It took me a while to figure out how I could send you messages so if you get this please send back a reply quickly. Don't send Hedwig; I don't want her to go past the Point of No Return. I also want you to know that I've also included a mirror in the box along with the memory. It works similarly to the one I gave you which I know you've broken. But no hard feelings, it was useless after that day in the ministry anyway. Please send an owl back soon. All you have to do is tell the owl to find me and he will. I'm not sure what will happen to him if he passes the Point…that's why I don't want you to send Hedwig, she's much too valuable."
At the bottom was the familiar scrawl of Sirius signature.
Harry looked up at everyone, "Is this someone's idea of a sick joke?" he asked.
Everyone stared blankly back at him, shaking their heads, "Wow," he whispered, looking down at the note again.
Suddenly he lunged toward the box and searched for the mirror, knowing that his desperate attempts to talk to Sirius would be successful this time.
He pulled out a small round mirror that had an unusually long handle on it. It was silver, old and a lot heavier than Harry had expected.
He turned it over and saw his own pale reflection. He could barely breathe he was so excited.
"Sirius," he boldly said, his stomach sinking as nothing happened.
Then, just as Harry was about to put it down he saw the slightest of movements.
"Harry?" asked a tired voice.
Harry held the mirror so close to his face that it started fogging up.
"Sirius?" he breathed.
"I was beginning to wonder when my letter would get to you," he said, yawning.
Lupin walked over and looked over Harry's shoulder.
Sirius looked even more pale and gaunt than when he had died and his hair was limp and untidy.
"Where are you?" Harry asked.
He saw Sirius look around for a moment, "Uh, well, I…don't exactly," he said as he looked at Harry, "Not exactly sure," he finished with a mixed expression of concern and confusion.
"It's so good to see you, Sirius," Lupin said, a bit breathless.
"Moony!" Sirius heartily said, "It's good to see you too!" he said with a wide smile and his infamous bark-like laugh. Harry thought his heart would burst with joy.
"I missed you," Harry said, "We all did."
"How is everyone?" he asked, "Is Dumbledore with you?" he asked.
Harry shifted uneasily, looking up at Hermione as Lupin slowly walked away, "Uh," he said, looking back down at Sirius, "he…he passed away a few days ago."
Sirius looked shocked, "No!" he said, "What happened?"
"Well, Malfoy let some Death Eaters into the school…" Harry began.
"Lucius did?"
"No, Draco. Anyway, Dumbledore and I were headed back from getting a horcruxe and the Dark Mark was above the school…" and he launched, for the very first time, into a fully detailed description of what had happened, excluding the adventure of the defective Horcruxe. Everyone was listening with rapt attention.
"I always knew Snape never put his full effort into helping Dumbledore but to think, he had been waiting years just to kill him."
"And the horcruxe ended up being faulty any…" Harry began.
It was Lupin who interrupted this time and yelped, "What?" as he turned toward Harry again.
"The locket that Dumbledore and I thought was a horcruxe…it's faulty. Somebody else took it, they left a note inside of it."
"Where is it?" Lupin asked, looking very frightened.
"Here," Harry said, taking it out of his pocket and handing it to Lupin, "I'd like it back when you're done with it," he said though he doubted Lupin heard him.
"Faulty? Which one was it, Harry?" Sirius asked.
Harry was about to answer when he was interrupted for a third time.
"Harry don't tell him," Hermione suddenly said.
He looked up at her, "Why not?"
She rolled her eyes as if it were obvious, "You don't know if you're talking to a Death Eater or not. Lestrange could have easily pulled some hair off of Sirius when she was fighting him and they could have been planning this for ages. Common sense, Harry," she said, "Think about it. He doesn't know where he is, how did he get a mirror like that much less got another one to you?" she asked.
She was making too much sense and he didn't want to listen to it but he figured it was best to.
"Ok, but what does it matter if he knows which horcruxe it was? If it's already been taken and I don't know by who then it won't help Voldemort any…" Harry argued.
"No, she's right Harry, you'd better not tell me just incase," Sirius said, though he was smirking, telling Harry she was completely wrong.
"Thank you," she said.
"Yeah," Lupin absent mindedly agreed, fully engrossed in the locket.
"Well my Dark detectors aren't picking anything up," Moody growled.
"Really?" Harry asked, his heart lifting drastically.
"That doesn't mean you can go and spill all information to him Harry," Hermione continued.
"Alright alright alright," he said, irritated, "But Hermione, if Death Eaters were taking Poly Juice Potion wouldn't he look the same as he did when he died? He looks different."
Hermione shrugged, finally stumped.
Harry went on, "And obviously they can't keep doing this if they really are because Sirius fell through that veil thing so they can't keep getting hair from him."
"Harry just listen to her," Ron spoke up.
Harry goggled at him.
He shrugged, "It'll get her to shut up."
Hermione glared at him, "That was real nice Ronald," she said in a hurt tone.
Sirius was smirking, "So has anything big happened? Aside from the obvious," he asked, rolling his eyes toward Ron and Hermione so only Harry could see.
"Not really. Malfoy's dad is in Azkaban and Malfoy and Snape went and joined Voldemort," he said as Ron winced, though it might've been because Hermione had just hit his arm, "Ron and Hermione…" he quietly said, turning away from them, "Are kind of…you know…an item and Ginny and I were going but I broke up with her."
Sirius raised his eyebrows, "Why'd you do that? Honestly I thought it was a bit obvious even two years ago that you guys were going to get together."
Harry looked away, "I don't want Voldemort to get to her. You know, he's killed you and Dumbledore, then Cedric, but he didn't really do it, it was Wormtail."
A flash of fury crossed Sirius face, "I wish you would've let Moony and I kill him."
"Me too," Harry suddenly realized.
"You should get back together with her, Harry," Sirius advised.
"Why?" Harry asked, "Voldemort has killed most of the people I have been close to thus far, what's to stop him from taking Ginny too?" he asked.
"I see. Noble though you are Harry, haven't you given Ron and Hermione any thought? They have to be the two people you're the closest to. Why haven't you severed ties with them?" Sirius pointed out.
"I tried. They already said they wouldn't let me do this on my own and no matter how rude or mean I am…" Harry began.
"No no no, Harry!" Sirius said as Hermione and Ron's argument reached a new level of volume, "You're going about it all wrong!"
"Oh? Well then how do you purpose I go about it?"
"Don't be rude, just tell them you don't think it's a good idea that you three are friends. Just tell them you need some time alone."
Harry looked past the mirror to his two best friends who were facing each other, both breathing rather hard and red in the face. Lupin was trying to reason with them while Tonks and Mad-eye were deep in conversation.
He looked back to Sirius.
"Alright," he said.
"I don't think this is such a good idea, though, Harry…" Sirius began.
"WHAT?" Harry stormed, causing everyone to look around at him, "You just got finished telling me how to go about it and now you're…" he began to argue.
"Ah, but I never said I thought it was a good idea. In fact, I think it's a horrible idea. Worst idea you've ever had including trying to rescue me from the Department of Mysteries."
"But…"
"It's in the past, Harry, don't try to argue with me about it."
Harry looked away from him.
"Well, my time's about up. Harry, if you need me, no matter what the situation, feel free to contact me, alright? It doesn't matter what time it is."
Harry nodded, "Alright. I guess…talk to you later, then?" he asked.
Sirius nodded, "Definantly. Keep me up to date on everything that is happening, alright?" he added in a whisper so that only Harry could hear.
Harry nodded.
With that Sirius was gone.
"Harry, Tonks and Mad-eye are going to stay in the front room so they can keep an eye…er…literally…on the front door. I think we should all stay in the same area as far as rooms go…" he started.
Ron suddenly turned toward him, "Are you kidding? I wouldn't stay on the same side of the house as her," he said, pointing a finger into Hermione's face.
She looked from his finger to his face, her whole body ridged and her mouth gaping open. She looked for a moment as if she were going to burst out in tears, but suddenly she shut her mouth, looked from Ron to Harry and back to Ron, everyone watching as if it were a movie, then, to everyone's surprise, she slapped him hard in the face.
"You'll be lucky to even be in the same country as me if this continues," she said, glaring at him.
Ron looked affronted but content all the same, "Well…fine then!" he said, "Go on! Go to Africa, or Scotland! Go! I'd love to see the backside of you…"
Harry let out an involuntary snort, which caused Hermione and Ron to stare at him again. He quickly turned it into a violent cough.
Ron turned a very dark shade of scarlet very quickly, "Harry, don't you start too!"
"What?" Harry innocently asked.
"You!" Hermione growled, pointed into Ron's face. He went cross-eyed trying to focus on it and backed up two steps, "You are so tactless and subtle and…and…and a thoughtless, insensitive, inconsiderate, clumsy git!" she yelled at him, so much fury burning in her eyes it was starting to scare Harry.
That night was very awkward and uncomfortable for those whose names were not Ron or Hermione
Though Harry was almost used to this by now and barely had an excuse to be this uncomfortable with them rowing like this, he had other reasons to be uneasy that night.
It was at twelve past one in the morning that the pain in his scar had started. Though the aching was sharp, it didn't wake him. Instead he was floating down several steps as if he were a ghost…
Harry floated down step after step, looking everywhere but the center of the room. Though there wasn't anything interesting about the room, he was still fascinated by it. So many steps and benches, all leading to one little dais in the middle of the room. This dais held something Harry was familiar with, something so mesmerizing that once his eyes fell upon it, he couldn't look away from it until he was upon this enthralling object. It was a crumbling stone arch that had a fluttering drape hanging from it. It was as if Harry were seeing it for the first time although he knew he had already seen somebody fall through it almost two years ago. It looked as if it were so frail it would disintegrate if it made contact with his breath. Harry reached out to touch it. Just from the air from his hand moving the arch way gave way and fell, the drape gracefully descending to the ground. Not a moment later hundreds of ghost-like subjects erupted from where the drape had stood. They surrounded Harry, all of them chanting something incoherent until they joined hands, "The Point has been demolished…you shall die…" Through the haze of souls Harry could see Sirius's blank, chanting face and white, vacant eyes staring right into his own as if he were some stranger being condemned for committing a murder, "The point has been demolished…you shall die..."
"NO!" Harry yelled, sitting up. He recoiled from the pain in his scar and buried his forehead into his pillow. He stuffed a corner of his pillow into his mouth to keep himself from yelling out in pain. He sat up again, earning an amazing head rush, and ironed his hands over his scar, "Stop stop STOP!" he yelled through his clenched teeth.
"Harry!" someone shrieked, "Harry stop! You're going to scratch yourself!"
"What's going on?" asked a frantic voice, "Is he alright?"
"Harry open your eyes," the first person said as someone laid his or her hand on his shoulder, "Open your eyes Harry."
Harry began to breathe quickly. He had always experienced pain in his scar, even worse than this, but it had never lasted this long.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!" he yelled.
He felt something tickle around his naval, giving him the impression he was being port-keyed somewhere, but then he felt something painful hit his right shoulder.
"Harry settle down," said a third voice, "You'll be alright, just settle down. Someone go get a cool wash cloth!"
The pain was not getting worse, but there was pressure building behind his scar as if something were going to burst out from behind it.
It seemed like seconds later something cold was being pressed against his forehead.
The stinging pain immediately ceased and the pressure quickly ebbed away.
He opened his eyes and found himself on the floor beside his bed with Hermione, Lupin and Tonks standing around him.
"Harry…are you alright?" Hermione asked with a reproachful, yet concerned, expression.
He nodded, wiping the sweat off of his face with the washcloth.
"Did you dream?" she asked as Lupin helped him sit up.
He nodded.
"Harry, that's not good…" she began.
"I know it's not good, Hermione," he impatiently interrupted, "I think I was dreaming with Voldemort again."
"Dumbledore said he would close his mind to you so it wouldn't happen again. He said Voldemort recognized how dangerous it was for himself," Tonks said, "I don't think he would risk to let you into his mind again…"
"Even the most powerful of wizards can make mistakes, Nymphidora," Lupin calmly stated, "What did you dream, Harry?"
Harry quickly recalled the dream to the three of them before he could forget it again.
Lupin suddenly looked pale.
"Professor…" Hermione began.
"Please, Hermione, I don't teach anymore, call me Remus," he said in an exhausted voice.
"R…Remus," she stuttered, "What do you think?"
His brow furrowed, then he looked at Hermione with a frightened face and whispered, "I think we've found another horcruxe."
