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

Horcrux Count Down

7- Tom Riddle's Diary (destroyed)

6 – That horrible ring Dumbledore wore (destroyed)

5 – Helga's lovely cup (destroyed)

4 –Something of Gryffindor's or Ravenclaw's (my case a shield)

3 – The snake (or so Dumbledore assumes)

2 – The locket

1 – Voldemort himself - read the excerpt below if you are doubtful

'But firstly, no, Harry not seven Horcruxes: six. The seventh part of his soul, however maimed, resides inside his regenerated body. That was the apart of him that lived a spectral existence for so many years during his exile; without that, he had no self at all. That seventh piece of his soul will be the last that anybody wishing to kill Voldemort must attack – the piece that lives in his body.' Dumbledore in the Half Blood Prince

Through the Furnace

Previously in Through the Furnace theme song plays

"Harry… Harry… are you alright?" A voice slice through his consciousness and Harry winced involuntarily. His hands were released and strong arms snaked around his middle as he was lowered to the cool floor.

"What's wrong with him?"

Harry opened one eye slowly. Pain laced through his scar and he clutched his forehead writhing but not screaming. Strong hands held him down.

"Great evil lurks here."

Chapter Fifteen Voldemort's Wondrous World

"Breath Harry, just breath." A cool palm lightly touched Harry's warm forehead. "His scar it's burning."

"Here let me see him." There was the rustle of cloaks moving and then two gentle hands clasped Harry's cheeks. "Open your eyes," a voice imperiously demanded.

Harry struggled to open his eyes but as soon as he managed small slits he clasped them down again. "I Salazar Slytherin command you open your eyes." Harry rallied himself to open and opened his eyes slightly looking up into Slytherin's face with a pain expression.

"With all your expertise with dark magics what do you suppose ails him?" Rowena asked wringing her hands in front of her. For once in her long life she didn't understand and it was not at all comforting.

Salazar leaned back on his knees and regarded Harry as if he was some sort of specimen. "I have not seen the like before," the snake founder answered in a measured tone after a long pause. "But the evil here is linked to him somehow."

"Linked?" Hufflepuff twirled around. "What do you mean linked? Godric you never said he was evil."

Godric sighed and kneeled by Harry head. "That is because he is not evil. He is linked in the most innocent of ways." Feather fingers traced Harry's throbbing scar and Godric smiled sadly to himself before pulling Harry to a seated position.

"Oh go away you horrid bird."

Harry cracked his eyes opened once more to see Ravenclaw waving her hands about trying to shoo 'Mercury'. 'Mercury' glanced at her with his imperious dark gaze communicating he was not amused.

"Birdbrain," Harry muttered cynically. "I bet you bring nothing but bad news."

'Mercury' tilted his glossy black head in Harry's direction and snapped his beak in annoyance. Harry rolled his eyes in response and pulled his knees to his chest. 'Mercury' ruffled his feathers and took flight before landing before Harry's feet.

One moment Harry was looking at the annoyed raven the next he was staring wide eyed up at his formidable ex-Potions Master.

"You!" Harry attempted to stand and scuttle back several feet while searching for his wand.

Snape merely sneered and glanced disdainfully at the founders. "It never amazes me how you botch the simplest of assignments, Potter."

Harry shoved his wand virtually up Snape's nose. "Murderer," Harry hissed venomously.

Snape looked down at Harry's wand as if it was no more a threat to him than a fluffy pink bunny rabbit. "Surely you have learnt by now that false accusations…"

"I WAS THERE! MURDERER!" Harry roared forgetting his new resolution to keep his temper in check. Crimson and gold sparks flashed from the end of his wand and Snape actually visibly flinched.

"Ah I hate to break up this happy reunion but we have an incredibly evil wizard to bump off," Helga said mildly wrapping her finger securely around one of her curly locks. This statement earned her twin glares from both Snape and Harry.

Snape snarled inwardly before sweeping himself into an elegant bow. "Ma'am that is why I am here." He ignored Harry's contempously snort of 'No. And I thought you were here to feed us to Voldemort like a good clever pet snake you are,' and then inclined his head towards Slytherin. "Milord must understand how difficult it is to stamp out such impertiance and rash behaviour from Godric's finest. The boy does not use his intelligence nearly enough."

Slytherin 'tsk' his approval while Harry clamped his jaw shut: he would not be baited.

"And what is it you have to tell us Master… erm…?"

"Snape," the ex- Slytherin head of house replied to Ravenclaw polite inquiry. Ravenclaw smiled in response and waited from Snape to reply.

"I'm here to guide you to the horcruxes and to make sure the all-mighty saviour of the wizarding world doesn't kill himself in the process."

"Gee. I didn't know you cared," Harry muttered under his breath.

"I don't," Snape said in response looking distinctly disinterested. "But Dumbledore did force me to promise to look after his 'golden' boy."

"Really?" Harry tilted his head to the side appraising Snape with cold emerald orbs. "Because I don't…"

"Harry, it would be wise not to antagonise a potential ally," Godric growled, placing his hand on Harry's shoulder.

Snape merely smirked.

"Where are we?" Helga asked the wall.

"Welcome to Lord Voldemort's humble home."

'

'

'

Harry found himself on the floor blinking up into Salazar Slytherin's bemused face. He inwardly groaned realising he must have fainted dead away when Snape told them where they were. He pulled himself up and glanced towards Godric Gryffindor for guidance only to find the older wizard smouldering in his anger. This pointed him towards Snape whose nose seemed distinctly a little more bent.

"Oh the wittle Gwiffindor can't handle Voldemort's name."

"Shut up Snape," Harry growled. "You do a poor impersonation of Bellatrix Lestrange."

"Don't wet your pants Mr. Potter," Snape snarled returning to his normal cold self. "I was about to explain that his Lordship isn't home at the present time."

"Great. Let's rob the bastard and get out of here," Harry snapped. "Oh wait a minute how many little minion friends of yours do we have to get around first?"

"It's deserted," Snape said dryly crossing his arms against his chest. Now Harry was not in school it was not nearly as intimidating as it used to be. "You need to trust me." There was a dangerous gleam of hope in Snape's obsidian eyes.

"Trust you, Snape!" Harry laughed incredulously. "You honestly expect me to follow you willingly? Fat chance there professor!"

Snape graced Harry with a glare from his glory days when he was able to scare First Year Gryffindors into submission. It only looked half hearted to Harry. Being neither a first year or easily intimidated, Harry was not particularly bothered by the gesture. After all he had plenty of time at Hogwarts to get used to Snape's mannerisms.

It was in the ensuing moments that Slytherin acted, much to Harry's shock. Harry was so dumbfounded when Slytherin touched his shoulder he froze unable to shake the founder off.

"We've hit a stale mate much as I am loathed to admit so," Slytherin murmured sliding his thin elegant finger across his lips as if deep in thought.

Godric nodded his head wearily. "True," he muttered glancing first at Snape and then to Harry as if by doing so he could gauge the lesser of the two evils.

"I'll be frank Mister Snape is it?" Salazar Slytherin said after a moment suddenly becoming business like.

Snape's head snapped up as if he was only a school boy caught not paying attention to his teacher in class. Even in the dour circumstances Harry could only find this analogy amusing.

"I am listening, Lord Slytherin," Snape replied carefully in his best crafted submissive tone. It would do him no good to run ill of Salazar Slytherin.

"Then I am happy," Salazar returned dryly. "Give me an oath on my name: that of my house and upon your soul that you will not lead us to any trap or intend any ill."

If at all possible Snape became even paler in the dim light. Harry thought his ex – professor was going to faint. But slowly he nodded in acquiescence.

Snape proffered his wand and waved it about murmuring an incantation Harry could not hear. He was surrounded by a green light and was soon engulfed in its brightness. Beyond the light came Snape's voice at first weak but it became stronger by the end of his oath. "Then I swear in the name of Slytherin that I intend no harm. I swear in the name of Slytherin comradeship that there is no trap. Lest my life and soul is forfeited."

The light faded and Snape was left standing in the middle of the room looking a little perturbed. Salazar was leering at him in victory. "Lead the way, boy," Slytherin commanded before turning to his companions. "A Slytherin oath is highly binding he cannot do us any ill."

Snape nodded slightly ruffled and turned on his heel. Of all the strange things Harry noticed was that Snape's cloak did not billow about him as it usually did as he exited the room.

Slytherin followed on Snape's heels closely followed by Helga and Rowena until only Godric and Harry was standing in the room. "I guess we follow," Harry muttered.

"I guess so," Godric agreed.

'

'

'

"And this is the torture chamber!" Snape gloated waving his fine hands about like some type of morbid tour guide.

Harry saw Helga delicately place her porcelain hand over her mouth and breathing through her nose. Even after all he had seen in his short life Harry wanted to relieve his stomach of all its contents just thinking about what happened down here.

Snape had led them straight down into the bowels of the place which unfortunately meant the dungeons. Harry hated the dark confides and the stale stench in the air. Wrapping his cloak about his shoulders carefully he shivered feeling the evil that lurched in the darkness.

As if sensing Harry's great discomfort Godric made sure to stand close. The light of his 'lumos' spell cast twisted shadows upon their pale faces.

A sudden chill spiked down Harry's spine. He stood petrified on the spot. He could feel the coldness of his sweat dripping down his arms and forehead. His heart was beating erratically in his chest. He swallowed with difficulty and turned his head towards Godric. Harry was somewhat surprised to see Godric's lips moving frantically but he could not hear him. He felt he was in a glass coffin and the world was caving in around him.

Snape billowed over his face a picture of pure annoyance. A pale hand flicked back and connected with Harry's cheek.

Forcibly snapped to his senses Harry raised his hand to his stinging cheek glaring into Snape's cool expression.

"This is not a time for your foolish games boy," Snape hissed. Harry barely heard him instead he glanced up at Godric.

"Trap," Harry gasped. "It's all wrong. It's a trap."

"You as arrogant as your stupid father," Snape jeered. "I made a Slytherin's oath. It cannot be broken without me loosing my soul."

"Trap," Harry inisited staring wide eyed at Slytherin. "You must believe me it's a trap."

Godric took Harry shoulders and squeezed. "He hasn't been well after getting here. Do you suppose his strange behaviour has something to do with the spell."

Slytherin glanced imperiously at Harry and then back to Godric. "It's a distinct possibility."

"Truly," Rowena murmured, being a smart witch she always had to put her two knuts worth in. "He seems a little addled."

"Or he knows something we don't know," Helga returned lightly.

Meanwhile Harry kept mouthing 'trap' over and over. He dearly wished he could run away the temptation was almost too much. When Godric started to steer him further the dungeon's Harry barely noticed he was moving at all.

'

'

'

"The horcrux should be down here somewhere."

Harry came to his senses blinking finding he had little idea of where they were and why they were in the dark. A moment later he was staring into the honey gold of Hufflepuff's kindly eyes.

"You had a panic attack dear," Helga informed him in a whisper. "Godric believes it might have to do with the 'attack' you had earlier."

"I hate this place," Harry replied. His voice sounded alien and distant to even himself.

"Hmm. I know what you mean. This Lord Voldemort could really use a woman's touch," Helga murmured glancing around at their surroundings.

They were standing by a dead end.

"I don't understand," Snape was saying. "It all points to this wall."

Slytherin was unsuccessfully hissing at the stone wall in parseltongue. Needless to say it was not working.

Godric was scratching his beard distractedly tying to look like he was coming up with a solution and failing miserable. Rowena was testing the wall with her hands as if she could sense the physical strength.

"Blood," Harry gasped.

Godric whirled to look at him.

"Blood is the key."