Chapter 8: Ron And The Dream

It had been nearly two weeks since Ron's attack and he still lay in a coma. Classes continued to be scheduled like normal but during one of the Defence Against the Dark Arts classes Professor McGonagall made her presence.

'Potter, Granger come to the Hospital Wing. Mr. Weasley has awoken.' She said as the three of them headed out of the class, hurrying down the stairs towards the hospital wing. She opened the large doors, entering the room where Ron lay awake.

'Ron! You are alright!' shouted Hermione, running to him and giving him a hug.

'Hermione... Get off! I need to explain some things!' Ron shouted, and Professor McGonagall conjured chairs so they could sit. 'I was in the hallway and I was blasted from behind. No idea who though, but as I was in the hospital wing I could hear the voices from the real world, but I couldn't get there. I was in my mind or so it seems and I found it! I found the Horcrux!'

'But how Ron? Are you sure it isn't part of the dream?' Harry asked.

'No. It was real. Well, it happened before. You see, it was much like me standing there, but I couldn't talk to myself and anyone else, but I heard Sirius at Grimmauld Place talking about his family. His brother is R.A.B.' Ron explained.

'But how can you be sure? We weren't told his middle name.' Hermione said to Ron.

'Alphred. He is named after Sirius' uncle. The one that gave Sirius money and was then blasted off the list. I am sure of it. It is in Grimmauld Place somewhere.' Ron told them, trying to sit up but was to weak to do it.

'We threw lots of stuff out though. It could be one of those!' Hermione shouted, trying to prove Ron wrong.

'We didn't throw out anything from Regalus' room. It cannot be unlocked using spells. But maybe I can use a knife of some sorts. Possibly Sirius' knife!' Harry said after a minute of thinking before standing up and running out of the Hospital Wing.

'Harry Wait!' shouted Hermione and stood up to run after him but was stopped by McGonagall.

'Let him go. He didn't even really want to go to school this year and I am sure that Mr. Weasley would like some company.' McGonagall said before leaving.

Harry grabbed the knife and ran out of the dormitory, making it to the Griffindor fire place. He decided to travel by Floo Powder and picked some off the ground that was dropped by Dean when using the Floo Network to talk to someone from Ravenclaw. 'Number Four, Grimmauld Place!'

Harry landed in the House of Black and walked around, checking if anyone was there which there wasn't. Harry approached Regalus' room, shoving the knife in, and heard a clicking sound eventually which meant that the room had been unlocked. Harry entered it and found a neat room, and on the pillow of the bed in the middle was a letter. Harry opened it, revealing a letter.

Sirius,

I know that you are the only one who can make it into the room since it can't be broken by any spell and you got that knife. I just want to say that I am helping you and my death won't be account of being a coward as many will think. The Dark Lord has made many Horcruxes, you know, the pieces of soul and I found one. I brought Kreacher along so he could be some kind of sacrifice if there was something dangerous, and I made him drink some potion. At the bottom was a horcrux incased in this locket. Slytherin's locket to be exact. I know the location of another Horcrux too. I have researched about the Dark Lord, learning that he put it in items that were about Hogwarts, or something of his own possession. One is a Diary, a diary of T.M. Riddle. Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy hold this one, and I know the most valuable Death Eaters hold them. Another one is in a cup of Hufflepuff which is locked away in the Riddle Manor I believe. Cousin Bellatrix holds a Horcrux with her, I believe it is Ravenclaw's ring. Those are the only ones I know. Luckily, I heard him talking to your friend Peter, yes! Your friend Peter is a Death Eater! I don't know what his mission is, but I know that The Dark Lord had just finished making a Horcrux inside of a cave by the ocean. I stole it and I destroyed it, injuring my leg and my arm. They are badly burned as if they are dead or something and I am slowly dying. I am going now, and I will be killed by the Dark Lord himself because I will tell him I want to back out.

signed,


Regalus A. Black

Harry dropped the letter and looked at the envelope. Inside of it was a locket with a snake on it making the shape of an 'S'. Footsteps are heard and creaking of the stairs are heard as well. Harry quickly jams everything back into the envelope and shoves it in his pocket before drawing his wand. The person continues walking up the stairs, and Harry has no idea who it is so he rolls under the bed, watching as someone walks by and up into a room at the top. Harry climbs out and runs down to the main room and floos back to Griffindor Common Room.

Harry rushes down the stairs, finally making it back to the hospital wing which McGonagall is still in but on the other side of the room with Aberforth Dumbledore and Madam Pomfrey.

'Lavender Brown was attacked an hour ago and we are awaiting the healers to transfer her to St. Mungos.' McGonagall explained to Aberforth. Ron was asleep, most likely due to a potion and Hermione was gone. Harry took a seat and finally four healers entered and took Lavender off.

'Professor McGonagall, what happened?' Harry asked.

'It seems after you left, an attack happened. Me, Mr. Weasley and Ms. Granger went to my office to discuss what has been happening and I dismissed them, going to find you. Mr. Weasley and Ms. Granger returned to the Hospital Wing and then we came in with Lavender, Ron laying in bed.' McGonagall explained to Harry.

' Well at least I got a horcrux. And a note from the destroyer. Regalus Black.'

'That cannot be right. There is no way -'McGonagall said before Harry handed her a letter. She examined it and knew right away that it was indeed, Regalus Black's handwriting.

'Potter, you may leave but you must head to the Griffindor Common Room straight away.' McGonagall told him sternly.

As Harry walked down the hall he heard a yell and he saw yet another Griffindor. This time it was Cormac McLaggen... Found dead. Harry ran into the common room and flooed Professor McGonagall.

'Professor McGonagall! There has been another death!'

'Yes, I have already been informed of the death of Mr. Smith.' she said gravely.

'Smith is dead? I found Cormac McLaggen dead outside of Griffindor common room.'

'Then we have no choice... Hogwarts will be closed down.' McGonagall said with sadness in her voice, 'It seems you will get to stay away from school as you wanted Harry. But I cannot believe it would be this way. As Head Boy I want you to go to each common room in the school and inform the prefects. Miss Granger will get the girls and you will get the boys. And since Mr. Weasley is injured, leave Mr. Longbottom in charge of the common room, along with Miss Weasley.'

Harry nodded before waking Neville. He explained to him quietly and told him not to wake everyone until Hermione knew. Harry thought about how to get into the girls dormitorys and then decided to attempt to get up anyway. He succeeded most likely because of his Head Boy status. Harry entered a dormitory, seeing some empty beds, meaning it must be the seventh year room because Lavender was injured. Harry pointed his want at Hermione who he finally spotted, and non verbally said Evernate. Hermione woke up immediately, and Harry quietly told her to get dressed and meet him down in the common room.

'Yes Harry, what do you want? Neville, shouldn't you be in bed?' She asked.

'Hermione, he is in charge of the Common room, along with Ginny. And I think she should be out here any second,' Harry said, and just as he thought, Ginny walked down the stairs and stood in the group. 'Okay, here's the thing. Ginny, Neville, you are to awaken all the Griffindors, starting with the eldest, and onto the youngest last. Hermione, you will come with me.'

Harry pulled Hermione towards the portrait hole and ran out of the classroom. Filch was in the great hall area and he just nodded and pointed towards the dungeons. The Bloody Baron was seen hovering at the end of the hall and he lead them to a portrait Harry had seen once in his Second Year.

'Basilisk Fang.' The Bloody Baron said as Harry and Hermione entered the Slytherin Common Room. After an hour of walking and talking, they had told all the prefects what to do, and apparently, every student was packed. Parents were informed that night, and most awoke the next day, with a letter. In the afternoon at Hogwarts, all the students lined up in their common rooms to head home by Floo Powder. Finally, only Harry remained, and as he was getting ready to floo out, he heard a voice. From behind him, Remus Lupin arrived. He looked tired and pale, yet he smiled faintly.

'Harry, I have located something that might be of importance to you. A cup... Hufflepuff's cup.' Lupin told him, holding out something covered by some ripped cloth.

'But how?'

'Never mind that Harry. Just head back to the Burrow, and we will try to figure this out.' Lupin replied, as Harry walked into the fire and held tightly onto the cup as he shouted his destination.

Harry landed in The Burrow, still holding the package. He looked at the room to see nobody was here and must be in their rooms. Harry pulled a piece of parchment out of his pocket and reached for a quill in his trunk, as well as the inkwell. He quickly wrote two notes and sent one by owl to Hermione and went up to Ron's room and slid it under his door before quickly returning to his belongings. The note basically told the two that he was going to figure out how to destroy Horcruxes and claim the last ones.