Chapter 17
The next day found Harry, Ron and Hermione in the library researching. Hermione had stopped insisting they go to lessons, now that Harry was out of the hospital wing, but even Ron agreed that her idea to check the Hogwarts archives for anything that could be a horcrux, was a good idea. So far they had been at it for nearly four hours and there was not so much as a mention in all the millions of books they had checked.
"This is bloody useless!" Ron cried slamming 'Wizarding warlocks of note' shut on the desk. "There's no mention of any place you-know-who has been that we haven't already thought about! It's impossible!"
"Nothing is impossible Ron." Hermione murmured without looking up from 'So you're going to die…' Harry didn't like to comment but he was inclined to agree with Ron. The task of locating another horcrux, with nothing to go on except Dumbledore's belief that it belonged to either Gryffindor or Ravenclaw, was starting to look impossible. Suddenly Harry stood up,
"I'm going for a walk." He stated wearily,
"Want some company?" Ron asked, oddly considerate. Harry shook his head,
"No. I'm fine thanks. I'll be back in a while." Hermione looked up and smiled, then returned to her book. Ron nodded and grabbed the next book from the stack in the centre of the table. Harry turned and walked out of the library. He had gotten used to timing his wanders through the castle with lesson time so that he would not be caught in the crush between lessons. He strolled slowly down the corridors, no particular place in mind, but enjoying the free time. He found himself on the Defence against the Dark Arts corridor and thought he would see if Remus wanted a cup of tea and a chat so he strolled down the empty corridor until he approached Remus' room on the left. The door was open and Harry could hear nothing from the inside except the sound of the occasional quill scratching. Harry strolled into the room expecting to see Lupin hunched over his desk marking papers. Instead he stopped dead as he entered the room and the heads of about twenty students looked up and stared at him. Lupin, who had been standing at the front of the class, smiled slightly. Harry felt his face heat up as he wondered what he was going to say,
"Can I help you, Harry?" Remus asked, there was a twinkle in his eyes, "My 6th year class are just sitting a mock exam paper." Harry could have cursed aloud. No wonder the room was so quiet. As he glanced at the students he noticed most had stopped their task to smirk at him. He spotted Ginny at the back shaking with suppressed laughter. He felt himself go even redder.
"I…eeer…just wondered if you had a book I could borrow?" Harry made up, looking back at Lupin. Remus finally gave in,
"Let's go into the corridor," he grinned, Harry sighed and they walked through the door into the empty corridor.
"What did you really want?" Remus asked him, his arms folded, and eyebrow raised, and a grin on his face.
"Just got fed up in the library and thought you might want a cup of tea." Harry shrugged feeling extremely stupid. Lupin chuckled,
"I guess that'll teach you to knock next time?" Harry nodded,
"Definitely."
"Well, I'm sorry I can't have a chat…" he paused, looking at Harry shrewdly, who became uncomfortable under the mans penetrating glare. He was suddenly reminded of Dumbledore. "…is the…search…not going to well?" Remus asked delicately. Harry knew Lupin was referring to the horcruxes. He shook his head,
"We've hit dead ends everywhere." He sighed, running his hands through his messy hair unconsciously. Lupin was silent for a while.
"I don't know what to say, Harry. I don't think I can really be of much assistance. I mean you're welcome to sit in on a few of my lessons." He grinned, Harry knew he was joking, but he actually wouldn't have minded being part of a normal lesson for once.
"Thanks, Remus, but I really should get back to work." Lupin nodded, and turned to go back to his class, but he turned quickly before he re-entered,
"I know you have a policy of involving as few people as possible in this, but maybe you should tell Minerva McGonagall. She could be a valuable resource, if you tell her what's happening, she could help. And I hardly think you need to be worried for her safety. She's in as much danger as possible at the moment, probably more." Harry considered his words and nodded,
"I might just do that, Remus. Thanks." Lupin nodded and disappeared back into the classroom. Harry heard him scold someone for talking, as he moved past the open door. What Remus had said made sense. It was time to ask McGonagall for help. Who knows what she may have found out, being Dumbledore's most trusted friend. He sighed to himself, he had no idea how she would react when he told her everything, but he needed her help, and he was not so proud as to hide that fact. He found himself walking down the corridor with the entrance to her office at the end, and thanked his lucky stars that he was not affected by it as badly as the last time. He walked swiftly to the end of the corridor and stood facing the immobile griffin that was blocking his way to McGonagall.
"Sherbet Lemon?" He asked hopefully, praying the password had not been changed since the last time he had come to see her. The griffin did not move a muscle, even to laugh at his feeble attempt to gain entry. Suddenly McGonagall's voice echoed strangely by his right ear,
"Can I help you?" She said,
"It's Harry Potter. I was wondering if I could talk with you?" There was no answer but immediately the Griffin sprang aside revealing the spiral staircase that led up to Dumbledore's old office. Harry sighed as he began ascending the staircase, he was hoping that either Dumbledore's old office was exactly as it had been when he was last there, or else McGonagall had changed it so much it was unrecognisable.
It turned out that Dumbledore's office remained pretty much the same. McGonagall had added a few personal items, but all of Dumbledore's spindly silver instruments remained, along with the ever present tin of lemon sherbets.
"Yes?" asked McGonagall, seated behind the desk. Harry sat down opposite her without waiting to be asked,
"If you want to know everything, then I'll tell you." He stated without preamble. He didn't need to explain what he was talking about. She had been waiting to hear the story for a long time.
"Why the sudden change of heart, Mr Potter?" Harry looked down at his hands in his lap.
"We're having a bit of trouble. I'll explain more in detail in a minute. It's just I went to see Remus and he couldn't help, and he suggested I come to you, explain what was going on and see if you could help." McGonagall nodded almost imperceptibly.
"I see. Well Remus has always been very wise. If I can help then of course I will. I need to know everything, however. Leave nothing out." Harry nodded and started from the beginning. He told of Dumbledore's private lessons with him the year previous, how Harry had come to learn a lot about Voldemort and how Dumbledore had come to explain his suspicions that Voldemort had made 7 horcruxes. At this point McGonagall drew a sharp breath.
"Seven horcruxes?" She questioned and Harry nodded, "One would have been hard enough, but seven?" She shook her head wearily. "Go on." Harry told her all the horcruxes they knew of and the fact that one was an unknown that was a relic of Gryffindor or Ravenclaw. He explained that he had unintentionally destroyed one in the Chamber of Secrets in his second year and that Dumbledore had destroyed Marvolo's ring. He told how Dumbledore had taken Harry with him to the caves on the night of Dumbledore's death and how Harry had been forced to make Dumbledore take the potion. He explained how he had found out that it was a fake horcrux in the caves only after it was too late and how they had destroyed the real locket at Grimmauld Place after the altercation with Snape.
"And that's as far as we've got. We still need to locate this unknown relic, then Hufflepuff's cup and then go after Voldemort and deal with Nagini while we're there." He finished. McGonagall stared at him for a moment, stony faced, before commenting.
"I'm sorry Potter; I don't think I know of anything that could assist you. I found no documentation whilst clearing out Dumbledore's desk, and I know nothing about horcruxes except their basic theory, which you already seem to understand." Harry nodded dejectedly, anticipating the end of the meeting, but McGonagall spoke up, "However, you should ask Dumbledore, he may have something more to say on the matter. Harry started, wondering what on earth the new headmistress was talking about. She rolled her eyes at Harry's confused expression, "The portrait, Potter…" She sighed, and Harry glanced up to where he now remembered he had seen Dumbledore's portrait. Albus Dumbledore sat on a comfy chintz armchair on the left hand side of the painting. He was watching Harry with a small smile. Harry looked away quickly,
"How much like Dumbledore is that painting?" he asked. If there were going to be discrepancy's in the paintings character it would be very painful to hold a conversation with it.
"Very similar. It has the same knowledge as Dumbledore had. It will recognise people that Dumbledore would have and to a certain extent feel about them the same way Dumbledore had. It's similar to a ghost, only the real person may pass on, and the portrait can only move around in his frame or frames." Harry relaxed. It was strange to think that portrait could replace Dumbledore for so many people. Not him though, it could never replace the real man. Never again would he feel that same aura of power radiating off anybody, nor feel as implicitly safe with anyone else. "I will leave you alone with Albus for a moment." She said as she stood and exited the office through a door on the left at the back of the room. As the door closed, Harry stood up and moved to stand in front of the portrait. Still Albus simply stared at him for a while, that small smile on his face.
"Well, my boy. I did wonder how long it would be before you came to see Minerva." Harry remained silent. It was extremely unnerving to talk with someone you knew was dead. Albus cocked an eyebrow at Harry's silence. "Are you alright, Harry?" asked the portrait (Harry refused to call it Dumbledore, it was just too strange.)
"I'm okay." He answered. The portrait looked sad for a moment.
"I'm magical enough to realise that I'm not really Dumbledore. We aren't exactly the same either, although McGonagall doesn't notice. You do, don't you?" Harry nodded. The portrait was different. "I still remember every one of Dumbledore's memories though, and I know everything he did, so if you want to ask me something, then by all means, ask away."
"I was just wondering if there was anything Dumbledore knew about…about horcruxes that he never told me?" Harry asked carefully. The portrait looked thoughtful, and Harry waited with baited breath. Finally the portrait shook it's head.
"Sorry, my dear boy. There wasn't anything he knew that he hadn't told you." Harry stood up, preparing to leave, but the portrait spoke again, "However," Harry paused, as he pushed the chair out behind him, "He did have a suspicion that I believe…that he believed was correct."
"What?" Harry asked eagerly. The portrait didn't answer, but it's gaze shifted from Harry's face to stare behind him. Harry spun on his feet and looked at the opposite wall. There was glass cabinet and inside rested…
"Gryffindor's sword!" Harry gasped,
"Exactly. Now, I think I'll take a nap if you don't mind…" He did not wait for Harry's consent as he drifted off to sleep. Harry stood staring at the sword. He didn't know how he could have been so stupid a second time. First the locket and now this? He had pulled this sword from the sorting hat in his second year, Dumbledore had told him it was Gryffindor's. He guessed Riddle must have 'borrowed' it, during his time here. Harry rushed over to the other side of the room and pulled open the cabinet, luckily it was not locked. He carefully lifted the sword down from it's brackets and looked at it carefully. It still had red blood stains from the basilisk in his second year.
"This is it…" he muttered, "The next horcrux…" and with that he sprinted from the office.