Disclaimer: Not mine. Burrowed only from the great JK Rowling – not that you didn't already know.

A/N: Forgot to tell you all that the translation of "Schatten-Geheimnisse" is German for Hidden Secrets. Aptly named if I do say so myself. Saarbruken is the Capital of Saarland, Germany.

Through the Furnace

Previously in Through the Furnace theme song plays

"Harry, is not Helga's cup a horcrux that you are searching for?" Godric prodded gently.

Harry nodded wearily.

"Then maybe it is here somewhere," Ravenclaw suggested evenly.

"Perhaps," Slytherin conceded. "Perhaps not."

Harry's eyes lit up. "The only way is to search for it ourselves," he said glaring at the large building. "I bet anything that it is!"

Chapter Thirteen Mercury Messenger of the Gods

Harry's trudge up to the Hufflepuff manor house did not take too long despite Slytherin's complaining that they ought to apperate to save the bother. Gryffindor grinned genially down at Harry and rolled his eyes. Harry grinned back at the elder wizard whose boyish humour was evident in his dark brown eyes. Gryffindor like himself was not bothered by the exercise.

Reaching the decaying rust encrusted gates the five companions stopped and looked at the dismal pile of rocks.

"It is certainly not how I remember it," Helga said tilting her head slowly from side to side. "What would mother say if she saw her grand castle now?"

Harry could not help the snort of laughter. He had no way of knowing if Hufflepuff was being completely serious or was simply trying to lighten the mood. A quick perusal of the other founders told him they were wondering the same thing.

Without much ado, Harry slipped through the bars into the dreadfully overgrown courtyard.

"Harry do be careful," Ravenclaw's voice floated after him.

Harry turned and grinned at the scholarly founder. "I'm just here," he murmured before casting his eyes around the ruins. Weeds grew in abundance, through the cracks of rocks, through the brinks on the wall. They were absolutely everywhere.

Slytherin pressed his gloved hands on the rusty bars feign patience. Hufflepuff was practically bouncing from one foot to another in anticipation. Ravenclaw gave the impression she was mildly bored.

Gryffindor however was the one to wink at Harry and brandish his wand. "I suppose that leaves me to do the honours." He swished his wand through the air and the iron gate gave a horrible screech and a shudder so that Slytherin jumped back several feet. The gate stood for a moment longer wavering in the air before crashing to the ground.

"Ladies first," Gryffindor announced and with a sweep of his hand he replaced his wand in his holster.

Ravenclaw passed through the opening with an air of grace and superiority but was passed by eager Hufflepuff who bounded through despite the layering of skirts she was wearing. "Oh my," Hufflepuff exclaimed happily clapping her hands. "I'm home."

Godric turned towards Salazar Slytherin and with a suggested shrug invited his companion through first. Glowering the snake founder swept passed Gryffindor as if he was no more than a fly. "You could have warned me before you demolished the gate," Salazar grumbled."

"You should have been ready, my dear cousin."

Needless to say, Hufflepuff was in her prime and confidently took the lead. She reminded Harry of an over enthustatic tourguide. "And this ladies and gentlemen was the courtyard. This is where my brother Heinrich 'borrowed' father's warhorse and…"

Harry rolled his eyes and drifted off during Hufflepuff's unnecessary lecture on medieval Hufflepuff life. Only Godric was pretending to listen politely to Helga's stories.

"… and father was ever so mad," Helga concluded.

"Well he did steal the horse, trample the hunting hounds, frighten the villagers and flattened the new stables," Salazar muttered dryly. The snake founder paused a little pretending to be deep in thought. "But still, Helga I can see your point. No reason to get angry."

Harry chuckled and caught Slytherin's eye. "Not even I could get into that much trouble," Harry whispered back.

Slytherin sniffed in a dignified manner and glanced coolly in the other direction. Harry beamed recognising this as a small gesture of forgiveness a message of understanding; an agreement to disagree. It was a start.

"Well where on earth would this Voldemort hide the cup?" Ravenclaw inquired of no one in particular as she glanced around from one spot to another.

Harry shrugged his shoulders and took a seat on a discarded boulder. "Well, we know he looked for significant artefacts to harbour his soul in. He goes back to significant places like the cave near the orphanage he grew up. The horcrux is likely to be guarded by some magic, but not against underage wizards, because I'm not nearly dangerous or intelligent enough, ha!"

"So it likely won't be in the open," Gryffindor commented.

"Stating the obvious," Slytherin muttered wryly.

"Stating the obvious can sometimes reveal the not-so-obvious." Slytherin stared hard at Helga's turned back. "I do it all the time," Helga added merrily. "Oh look a crow!"

Harry was about to open his mouth and ask what was so special about a crow of all creatures. But as he turned to look in the direction where Helga was pointing it became clear what was so special about this bird that warranted a mention.

It was much larger than the crows and rooks Harry had seen before. It was more the size of a largish owl. It swooped down lazily landing on the boulder gracefully narrowly missing Harry's head. Deep haughty yellow eyes pierced Harry's own emerald orbs and the horrid creature gave a deep reprimanding squawk. Harry fought the urge to block out his ears when he noticed the crow was holding out his leg for him to take a piece of parchment.

"How quaint," Harry couldn't manage but drawl. "What shall I call you, Mercury the messenger of the Gods?"

The crow tilted his head to the side and ruffled his glossy raven feathers in a huff. Harry sniffed and snatched the parchment.

Harry turned the parchment over experimentally. Sensing no magic he thumbed the black inky seal which Harry did not recognise: three writhing snakes in a Celtic pattern. Harry looked ruefully at the crow whose hard eyes did not relent in its staring contest.

"Well open it," Helga said bouncing up and down. "Well I like getting mail!" she protested after Harry and the remaining founders started staring at her incredulously.

"Very well," Harry sighed and then with a flourish broke the seal and unfolded the parchment.

"What does it say?" a breathless Ravenclaw demanded.

Harry skimmed his eyes over the parchment and then cleared his throat dramatically. Godric Gryffindor could have sworn he saw the large crow roll his eyes at Harry's antics but his attention was soon diverted to Harry's voice as he began to read.

"Potter," Harry paused dramatically and lifted his nose from the parchment. "What no Dear Mr. H Potter? Who wrote his rubbish?"

Slytherin cleared his throat.

"Right. Potter," Harry continued. "Let me express my shock at your somewhat success with the mission. Dumbledore would no doubt be rejoicing in the grave. Git! I tell you this is rubbish!

Although only you with your inflated Gryffindor superiority could possibly have the Dunderhead idea of bringing the founders to the future with you. One can only surmise you did not use that small insufferable brain that resides in your thick skull. What were you thinking, or more accurately what weren't you thinking? (Hate to break it to you buddy was not my idea.)

You will have to forgive my tardiness in contacting you but I rather thought you would not turn up to Schatten-Geheimnisse to find the remaining of the Dark Lord's missing souls.

On the far side of the ruins is a well."

"Is that it?" Gryffindor demanded once Harry raised his eyes from the parchment. Harry nodded.

"Harry where are you going?" Helga called.

Harry had started walking in the other direction. He paused and glanced back. "The well is this way."

Feeling somewhat stupid and uncomfortable because the crow was watching, he turned and walked in the direction where Helga was pointing. "To the well."

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"And she just flew away with your letter?" Hermione finished succinctly. Ron sat opposite her cross legged on the floor. His fingers were wrapped tightly around the rug's fraying edges. Predictably it was Slytherin green and silver.

"I told you already," Ron sighed.

Ginny sniffled in the corner, her legs stretched out before her. She had taken Harry's disappearance hard. She had been close to Harry. Heck she still felt close to him, even after the 'break up' at Dumbledore's funeral. The heart wrenching fact remained with her that she understood Harry. She understood why he did what he did and why he needed to. But that did not mean that she could not hurt.

"What does that mean?" Ginny asked shaking her head so that auburn locks smacked her flushed cheeks.

"One can only assume Hedwig didn't take the first letters because Harry was unavailable," Hermione stated calmly.

"But how is that possible?" Ginny sighed. "How could he be unreachable and then suddenly he reappears? What's happened to him?"

Ron laid a hand over Ginny's, with a rare show of understanding comfort, which she had began to wring in her lap.

"I don't know," Hermione admitted sadly. It wasn't often she didn't know something. "I just don't know."

'

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To Harry's utmost disgust the crow had taken a liking to his shoulder. Harry's disdained for the feathered messenger only seemed to please the creature further. He looked quite smug riding atop Harry's bony shoulder squawking now and then in his ear. To Harry credit he had tried to tip the horrid beast off him, but long clawed talons digging into his thin shoulders was the consequence.

"This is the well," Helga said finally after fifteen minutes of walking.

"A glorified hole in the ground?" Slytherin drawled. "I knew I should have stayed at home."

"Who is going down there?" Ravenclaw asked nervously wringing her hands.

Harry glanced down into the gaping blackness. In essence Slytherin was correct it was just a large and very deep hole in the ground.

"I'll go," Harry volunteered but continued when Gryffindor opened his mouth to protest. "I'm the smallest and I'm a gentleman." Harry took a sweeping bow forgetting about the crow on his shoulder. Unfortunately for the crow he was tipped right off and had to fly to a low lying branch from where he glowered at Harry acidly.

"Sorry, Mercury messenger of the Gods," Harry said with very little sincerity in his voice. "Forgot you were there."

The crow did not look pleased.

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"Got it!" Harry yelled from the bottom of the well. He tugged on the silver rope Godric had conjured to lower him down. A moment later he was being lifted up.

Harry reached the top of the well and waved the golden cup. "See I got it!"

"Yes we see," Salazar snapped while Godric pulled Harry bodily out of the well. "We're not blind."

The snake founder held out his hand for the cup, which Harry immediately relinquished. For a moment Slytherin stared at the golden object. Then Harry felt something stir in the air. A loud clap followed in which he clamped his hands over his ears. A strange black mist dripped from the cup which was now cracked in half in Salazar's hand. A flourished hand gesture and the small mist disappeared.

"My cup," Helga murmured sadly her joyous eyes filling with tears as she took her artefact from Slytherin. "My precious cup!"

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Yay quick update! I'm going away for my 21st so I'm very busy with party plans and I will be gone a week without access to a computer. So I will be back on 20th of February maybe with something written while on holiday…