The Apprentice
Chapter 6
Summary: Finally, after the Battle of the Department of Mysteries, Harry asks (demands) Dumbledore to train him for his inevitable battle against the Dark Lord.
Ghordil: This is chapter 6, so right now. But if you are asking for chapter 7 it's going to be around 3 hours after chapter 6.
Guest 1: Thank you! And I will continue.
Harrypotterpercyjacksonfan90: Thank you! Yeah, that's a typo, its fixed.
BROMBROS: Typo, its fixed.
EMachado04: Thanks!
OkBoomer147: Thank you!
Guest 2: Thanks!
Cole the Demon Hunter: Thank you!
Dillonga2: Well, it's here.
Time313: I sometimes wish I got the same meal service :( Thanks though.
F13rc3D3ity: Yes, Harry has an intricate and complex plan, that he will follow. I have made an outline of the story which will make Harry powerful. Yes, I think switching POV makes the reader understand from the characters point of view. Yea, I don't like those stories where Harry just tells everything about himself. Their (Harry and Daphne's) progress will be somewhat slow, because I am going to be focusing on Harry's training.
Romedov: It does. Also, Dumbledore is Harry's master. And Harry is entitled to do anything that he asks, as his apprentice. Their relationship will progress slow. Thank you!
The Edible Scump: The "Harry gets everything" element was only for the first few chapters and it makes sense. Dumbledore is saying sorry for the 11 years of torment Harry got from the Dursleys hands and the sorry is by preparing Harry for his inevitable showdown against Lord Voldemort.
CaskettFan5: Yes, for Harry it will be hard for him to interact with his friend, namely the Weasley's, Tonks and other Order of the Phoenix's members. But that will be another challenge for our hero and he will have to overcome that as well.
Firstly, I apologize for such a late update. My schools started last week. The first week was all preassessments and preparing for those took a lot of my time. And this week were the elections for the school government. There were campaigns, elections, speeches and people trying to force to vote for them. Secondly, as I am updating after such a long time, chapter 7 will come around 3 hours after this chapter. And chapter 8 will come tomorrow or later today after chapter 7. Thirdly, I hope you enjoy this story, I might write a one-shot, which had been coming in my mind for the past week.
X
Daphne sat on her bed, staring out the window. It was the morning after her disastrous dinner with Potter, and she felt completely lost. For the first time in her life, she didn't know what she was going to do next.
Her entire life, she had always had a plan. She knew who she wanted to become and what she wanted to accomplish, and she was confident that she would succeed. Even when she had found out about the marriage contract with Potter, she was confident that she would be able to use it to her benefit. Now, however, she didn't know.
She bit her lip as she thought back to the previous night. Potter had thrown her for a complete loop. Not only did he look completely different physically, but even his personality seemed different. He was much more confident and cunning than he had ever been at Hogwarts – she suspected he had even used Legilimency on her the entire night. Even more, it appeared that he was the lord of three major houses! She feared that no matter what she did now, she would always be stuck in Potter's shadow.
She was torn from her thoughts by a knock at her bedroom door. Before she could tell whoever was at the door to come it, the door opened to reveal her best friend, Tracey Davis.
"Hey Daph! I'm back!" Tracey said cheerfully as she barged her way into the room. She stopped suddenly when she saw the look on Daphne's face. "What is wrong with you?" she asked.
Tracey had been on vacation with her family in France for the last two weeks. She had left immediately after getting home from Hogwarts and had only returned the previous night. Daphne had not yet informed her best friend of the marriage contract.
Daphne sighed and bit her lip nervously, not wanting to respond.
"Okay, you are seriously scaring me now," said Tracey as she took a seat next to Daphne on the bed. "What happened?"
Daphne took a deep breath before replying. "I'm betrothed due to an old marriage contract," she confessed.
"What?" exclaimed Tracey. It was obvious from Daphne's mood that this was no joke. "To whom? How long have you known?" she demanded.
"I found out two weeks ago," said Daphne.
Tracey nodded. "Who is it?" she repeated.
"Harry Potter Black," Daphne murmured so softly, it was almost a whisper.
"What!" Tracey exclaimed in a high-pitched voice. "You're engaged to Harry bloody Potter?"
Daphne nodded, avoiding Tracey's eyes.
"Wait, since when is his name Potter Black?" asked Tracey suspiciously.
Tracey's eyes widened in shock. "No way. He is the lord of two houses now?" she asked.
Daphne shook her head. "Not two. Three."
"Stop it!" exclaimed Tracey. "You're just messing with me now."
Daphne shook her head.
"Wow," was all Tracey could say. "I heard he is Dumbledore's apprentice too. What is the third house he is lord of?" she asked.
Daphne shrugged. "I don't know."
Tracey gave her a hug and smiled. "Well, look on the bright side. Your future husband is already incredibly powerful and filthy rich to boot. With him supporting you, you'll be the most powerful and beautiful witch in Britain. He'll fall in love with you so fast," she said assuredly.
"I'm not so sure of that," said Daphne uncertainly.
Tracey frowned. She had never seen Daphne act like this in her entire life. "What else happened? What aren't you telling me?" she inquired.
Daphne sighed. "He came over for dinner last night," she admitted. Tracey raised her eyebrow, signaling Daphne to continue.
Daphne proceeded to relate the events of the previous night. She explained how different Harry looked and acted, how he had casually revealed how powerful he truly was but made it clear that he was still keeping secrets. Most importantly, she explained how she had tried to impress him but how he had seemed completely uninterested and immune to her flirtatious behavior. She told Tracey how she suspected Harry of using Legilimency on her and how he probably knew all of her plans.
"The worst part is that I couldn't seem to control myself around him," she concluded.
"What do you mean?" prodded Tracey.
Daphne hesitated. "I felt so nervous around him the entire night. And every time he smiled at me, I would blush," she admitted.
Tracey began laughing next to her. "You are falling for him already!" she exclaimed, echoing her father's words from the previous night.
"I am not!" denied Daphne. Inside, however, she was worried about that possibility. She had never reacted this way with any other guy before, and that terrified her.
"Stop lying to yourself!" chuckled Tracey. "He must have made quite the impression for you to be falling for him already."
"Stop it!" said Daphne angrily, shoving Tracey away from her.
That only caused Tracey to laugh even more. She had never seen Daphne show this much emotion. Usually, she was very guarded and kept her emotions in check.
"Potter must have gotten really far under her skin," Tracey thought to herself.
"It's okay for you to like him," said Tracey after she stopped laughing. "You're going to be married to him, you know. In fact, it's a good thing you like him. It'll make your marriage that much easier!"
Daphne didn't reply. She just bit her lip again and stared out the window. After several, long moments of silence, she spoke up.
"What happens if he doesn't end up feeling the same way about me?" Daphne asked. "What if I have to live the rest of my life in his shadow? I don't want to be a trophy wife."
Tracey put her arm around Daphne. "This is Potter we're talking about," she said. "He is the most honorable Gryffindor to ever live. There is no way he would ever treat you like a trophy wife."
Daphne shook her head. "That was the old Potter," she said. "The Harry Potter that I saw last night was different. Plus, he likely knows how I was planning on manipulating him."
Tracey was silent for a moment before she replied. "You will have to change your strategy, then."
"What do you mean?" asked Daphne, confused.
"You tried to be cunning and manipulate him and that backfired spectacularly. Now, you need to try being honest and sincere," Tracey suggested. "Let him get to know the real you. There's no doubt that he will fall for you so fast."
Daphne shook her head. "I don't like it."
"There's nothing to lose!" exclaimed Tracey. "You said it yourself. He is already holding all of the cards and if you keep trying to manipulate him, it will probably only push him further away! Being honest and being yourself is the only real play you have here."
Daphne sighed in defeat. "What does that even mean, to be myself?"
Tracey gave her a small smile. "It means showing him who you are. Tell him about your plans and dreams. Maybe he will open up to you as well, but you need to take the first step."
"I'm not sure about this," said Daphne, still uncertain.
"It'll work, trust me," said Tracey. "I have an idea to get the whole thing started…"
X
Harry sat in the Potion's classroom, anxiously waiting as Snape evaluated his potion. He had just made the Draught of Living Death, a notoriously difficult potion that was taught during sixth year.
"As much as it pains me to admit it, Potter, this potion is outstanding," said Snape.
Harry smiled slightly. Over the past few weeks, Snape had slowly warmed up to him. Every day, his potion-making ability seemed to improve, as well as Snape's attitude towards Harry. It seemed that Snape's hatred for Harry had only been exacerbated by Harry's poor performance in his class.
"Thank you, sir," said Harry respectfully. His respectful tone surprised even himself. Only a few weeks ago, he had loathed Snape with every fiber of his being. Now, however, it was much easier to tolerate Snape. He would probably never like the man, but he understood how useful the man could be. For Harry, it was yet another example of how his personality had shifted since his absorption of the soul fragment at the Ministry.
"If you continue progressing at this rate, you will be able to take your NEWT by the end of the summer," Snape said. "And anything less than an O would be a disappointment. Your mother achieved an O on her Potions NEWT, and I know she would be disappointed if you didn't do the same."
Harry nodded, deep in thought. This was the first time that Snape had ever mentioned his mother's name. He had learned from Sirius that Snape and his mother had been friends in school, but Snape had never given any indication of that. This was the first time.
"Of course, sir," said Harry. "I won't let you or my mother down."
Snape stared at him, evaluating his sincerity. Finally, he nodded sharply. "Very well. You are dismissed for the day. Do not forget to complete the 12-inch essay by tomorrow."
Harry nodded, gathered his belongings, and left the classroom in direction of the Great Hall. As he walked, he thought about his dinner at Greengrass Manor the previous evening. It had gone perfectly. He could tell that the family was shocked by his new appearance, Daphne in particular.
He had been amused by Daphne's attempts to flirt with him. He had read her surface thoughts the entire night without being detected. He knew exactly what she was doing and why she was doing. For some reason, however, he was not angry that she was trying to use and manipulate him. He was doing the exact same thing to her, after all.
He smirked as he remembered how he had allowed Daphne to get a glimpse of his three lordship rings. When he had flooed away, her face had been one of extreme shock.
She was a beautiful girl, but he would need to be careful around her. She had proved to be ambitious and conniving. He needed to know who she truly was first, and that would take some time.
He arrived at the Great Hall and sat across the table from Dumbledore, who was already eating.
"Good afternoon, Harry," Dumbledore said as Harry sat down. "How were your classes this morning?"
"They went well," said Harry simply. "I came to a decision today. I have decided that I will take my NEWTs in Potions, Transfiguration, Charms, Defense against the Dark Arts, Herbology, and History of Magic at the end of August, just before the new term begins. In addition, I believe I will be prepared to take my OWLs in Arithmancy and Ancient Runes by then."
Dumbledore nodded in approval. "Very good. You are progressing very quickly. Have you been doing additional studying for Herbology and History of Magic?" he asked, knowing that Harry was not taking lessons in those subjects currently.
Harry nodded. "I have been rereading all of my previous textbooks, as well as the textbooks for sixth and seventh years," he said. "I feel like I am prepared. It is much easier for me to absorb new information now."
Dumbledore smiled, his eyes twinkling. "Indeed, it is. I expect nothing less than Outstanding on each of your NEWTs," he said, echoing Snape's sentiments.
Harry nodded in agreement.
"I have some news for you," continued Dumbledore. "I was instructed to inform you that your Charms and Transfiguration lessons will be combined today. You are to meet Professors McGonagall and Flitwick in the Charms classroom."
Harry nodded, curious about what they had planned for him. He quickly finished his lunch and hurried up to the Charms classroom.
"Hello, Mr. Potter," said Flitwick as Harry entered the classroom. McGonagall stood next to Flitwick, wand in her hand.
"Hello, Professors," Harry said politely. "What will we be doing today?"
"Today, we will be dueling," said McGonagall simply. "Up to this point, you have dueled using charms and transfiguration separately. Today, we wish for you to use them in tandem. As before, you are not allowed to use any spells or curses. Only Charms and Transfigurations."
Harry nodded, stepping up to the dueling platform that had been set up. McGonagall stepped up as well, ready to face off against Harry.
"On the count of three, the duel will begin," said Flitwick. Harry got into his dueling stance – shoulder towards his opponent at a ninety-degree angle, wand foot slightly in front of the other foot. He gripped his wand tightly, holding it at about waist height.
"One, two, three!" exclaimed Flitwick.
Harry burst into action. "Avis!" he said softly. Immediately, a flock of birds burst out of Harry's wand like a cannon, heading in McGonagall's direction. Not waiting to see her reaction, he continued casting. He quietly said, "Aguamenti," causing a powerful jet of water to burst out of the tip of his wand. As the water began to fall around McGonagall, he yelled, "Glacius!" causing the water to turn to ice.
Suddenly, he saw dozens of knives flying towards him. McGonagall had transfigured the birds into knives and had redirected them at him. He quickly waved his wand and vanished them, only to see thousands of shards of ice flying at him. Harry quickly summoned a wall of fire around him to melt the ice before they could reach him. With a flick of his wand, he sent the wall of fire flying towards McGonagall.
Before she could deal with the fire, he cast a Disillusionment Charm on himself, causing him to fade into the background. In addition, he quietly whispered, "Fumos," as he created a smokescreen around himself. Hidden by the smoke and his Disillusionment Charm, he quietly moved to another section of the dueling platform.
He quietly conjured two large rocks, which he quickly transfigured into lions and sent running in McGonagall's direction. As soon as he did that, he cast the Carpe Retractum charm, which sent a rope in McGonagall's direction, which would bind her and incapacitate her. As soon as the ropes reached the spot where he knew McGonagall was, the smoke cleared, and he realized that the professor had disappeared.
Suddenly, he felt ropes wrap tightly around him, causing him to drop his wand, which was quickly summoned by McGonagall. He turned his head and saw her behind him.
"Very good, Mr. Potter," said McGonagall. "However, do be aware that when you cast a charm to hide your location, it can also hide your opponent's location."
Harry nodded, frustrated that he had been defeated so easily. McGonagall vanished the ropes and returned his wand. He quickly got to his feet and returned to his dueling stance. He was ready to go again. He hated losing and wanted to improve immediately.
"You did very well, Mr. Potter," said McGonagall, sensing Harry's frustration. "I daresay that you would be able to defeat any other Hogwarts student, as well as quite a few recent graduates. I, however, am not a typical Hogwarts student."
Harry nodded sharply but did not respond. He remained in his dueling stance, ready to continue.
Sensing Harry's stubbornness and determination, McGonagall prepared to duel again.
For the next few hours, Harry continued to duel. He switched between dueling Flitwick and McGonagall. He was defeated every single time, but in the last few duels, he came very close to defeating McGonagall. The professors could perceive his rapid improvement, even from just a few hours previous.
"Good work," said Flitwick as Harry gathered up his belongings and wiped the sweat from his face. "You are improving very quickly. Soon, you will be able to defeat us. When that happens, you will duel both of us simultaneously. We will have these combined lessons twice a week moving forward."
Harry nodded and left the classroom, headed for his lesson with Moody. When he entered the classroom, he was surprised to find Dumbledore there as well.
"About time you got here," grumbled Moody when Harry arrived.
"Hello to you too, Professor," said Harry sarcastically. Dumbledore merely chuckled at their antics.
"What are you doing here, Headmaster?" Harry asked Dumbledore.
"I am here to help you learn how to Apparate," said Dumbledore. "I have temporarily disabled the anti-apparition wards in order for you to practice."
Harry grinned and set down his bag, eager to begin. Dumbledore had already set up two rings on opposite sides of the room.
"Apparition is an extremely useful skill," began Dumbledore. "Not only is it useful for travel purposes, but it is also extremely useful in duels. When Apparating, it is important to keep in mind the three D's: determination, destination, and deliberation."
Dumbledore spent the next few minutes explaining the fundamentals of Apparition to Harry. Finally, it was time for Harry to practice. Dumbledore directed Harry to stand in one of the rings and to Apparate into the other ring.
"Remember what I taught you," said Dumbledore.
Harry nodded. He cleared his mind and imagined himself standing in the other ring. Nothing happened. Frustrated, he tried again. This time, he imagined the feeling of when he had side-along apparated with Dumbledore.
All of a sudden, he felt a great pressure from all sides, like he was being pushed through a tube. With a loud crack he appeared in the other circle.
He stumbled, trying to get his bearings. He turned and looked at Dumbledore with a huge grin on his face.
"Well done, my boy," said Dumbledore proudly. "Now Apparate back."
Harry nodded. He focused and after a few moments, disappeared and reappeared once more in the other circle.
"Very good," said Dumbledore. "However, there is room for improvement."
"What do you mean?" asked Harry.
"You are using too much magical energy," explained Dumbledore. "That is why you hear a loud crack when you appear. If you need to Apparate stealthily or arrive without anyone knowing, you need to know exactly how much energy it will take."
Harry nodded and focused on Apparating again. For the next hour, he worked on using less and less energy during his apparitions. By the end of the lesson, only a faint pop could be heard when he apparated.
"I expect you to keep practicing," said Dumbledore. "You need to get it to be completely silent."
"You will also be practicing dodging using Apparition," said Moody. "If there are no anti-apparition wards, Apparating can be a damn useful strategy in a duel."
Harry grimaced. He already had a headache after Apparating so much. He wasn't looking forward to practicing again.
Harry and Dumbledore walked down to the Great Hall together for dinner.
"After dinner, I would like for you to accompany me on a visit to an old colleague, Horace Slughorn," said Dumbledore while they walked.
"Of course, sir. What is the purpose of the visit?" Harry asked.
"We will attempt to persuade him to take up his old post as potions professor," Dumbledore replied simply.
Harry was shocked. "Potions professor? What will happen to Snape?"
"Professor Snape," Dumbledore corrected. "He will be the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor."
Harry's mouth gaped open in shock. Snape teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts? He didn't know what to think.
Dumbledore chuckled at Harry's reaction as they sat down for dinner. They were piling food on their plates when an owl flew in and landed in front of Harry.
Harry promptly untied the letter from the owl's legs and opened it up.
"It's from Daphne Greengrass," he said in response to Dumbledore's inquisitive stare. Harry unfolded the letter and began reading.
Dear Harry,
Thank you again for coming to dinner last night. I enjoyed getting to know you a little bit. However, we still know next to nothing about each other, but I really would like to get to know you better. For that reason, I would like to invite you back to Greengrass Manor next Sunday to spend the afternoon with me and to have dinner with my family. Please let me know if that works for you. I'm looking forward to it.
Sincerely,
Daphne Greengrass
Harry put down the paper in surprise. That was not what he was expecting from Daphne, especially after what he had discovered last night. It was very casual, a stark contrast to the formality that he had seen last night. In addition, she seemed much sincerer in the letter than she had seemed the previous night.
"That must be her new strategy", he thought to himself "Faux sincerity"
Harry was still wary. He knew from his Legilimency probes that she was very ambitious but also manipulative. If she was trying to act casual and sincere, there was a reason for it.
He looked up to see Dumbledore staring at him with an amused look on his face.
"Ah, young love," Dumbledore said with a smile.
Harry snorted. "I don't know about that," he replied.
"What does Miss Greengrass want?" Dumbledore inquired.
"She wants me to spend the afternoon with her and have dinner with her family next Sunday."
"A most intriguing development," joked Dumbledore. "She must have been impressed with your intriguing choice of fashion."
Harry shook his head in annoyance. Dumbledore had a very dry sense of humor that could be very annoying sometimes.
"I am not eager to spend the entire afternoon with her," Harry said.
"It would be quite rude to decline her invitation," warned Dumbledore.
"I know," said Harry. "I think I will tell her that due to my training, I can only come an hour before dinner."
"That sounds acceptable," replied Dumbledore. "However, I do not believe that Miss Greengrass is as malicious and devious as you make her out to be. If you gave her a chance, I believe you would be pleasantly surprised."
Harry grunted and shook his head. "After last night, she has a long way to go to before I trust her."
"Just keep an open mind," Dumbledore suggested.
The pair finished the rest of their meal in silence. They stood up and prepared to leave.
"I will be Apparating us to visit Mr. Slughorn," said Dumbledore, offering Harry his hand. Harry grabbed it and immediately felt the now-familiar sensation of apparition.
Moments later, he was standing on a dark street in a quiet, residential neighborhood. Dumbledore began walking down the street, forcing Harry to follow.
"Why do you need my help with this?" Harry asked as they walked.
Dumbledore smiled. "Horace has always enjoyed teaching talented and influential individuals," he explained. "Although he may resist initially, I believe that he will be unable to resist the temptation of being able to teach the Chosen One," he finished with a smirk.
He was interrupted as they arrived in front of one of the houses.
"Wand out, Harry," warned Dumbledore. As Harry looked at the house, he noticed the front door had been kicked in. He took out his wand and stealthily walked forward, ready for the first sign of action.
There were signs of a struggle all over the houses. Broken lamps, overturned chairs, smashed tables. Dumbledore illuminated his wand as they examined the house.
"Something feels…off, sir," said Harry.
"What is your opinion?" the headmaster asked.
"There are signs of a struggle, but I can't sense any dark magic in the air," Harry replied. "It's almost as if…"
He paused as he came to a weird, misshapen armchair. Suddenly, it clicked. Harry gave Dumbledore a look, signaling what he was about to do. With a wave of his wand, the armchair transformed into an older, portly man. Harry kept his wand aimed between the eyes of the man.
"Ah, Horace, thank you for the warm welcome!" said Dumbledore sarcastically. He signaled for Harry to put away his wand, which he did hesitantly.
"Dumbledore!" the man said in a shaking voice as he rose to his feet. "You surprised me!"
"You weren't waiting for someone else now, were you?" asked Dumbledore suspiciously with a knowing look.
"No! Of course not!" Slughorn exclaimed. "I mean, yes, perhaps. The Death Eaters have been trying to recruit me for a year now! Do you know what that's like? I am constantly on the move! I can't stay anywhere for more than a few days!"
Dumbledore merely nodded. "Do you mind if I use the loo?" Dumbledore asked suddenly.
"Yes, of course," said Slughorn irritably. "Down the hall and to the left." As Dumbledore walked to the loo, he called out to Harry.
"Would you mind fixing the place up, Harry?" Dumbledore asked.
"I know why you're here, Albus. The answer is still no!" shouted Slughorn after Dumbledore's retreating figure.
Harry waved his wand and cast the Reparo charm silently. All of the broken furniture and lamps began to knit themselves back together seamlessly.
"Silent casting? Impressive," said Slughorn. "You must be Harry Potter."
"Actually, sir, it's Harry Potter Black," Harry corrected him. "It's an honor to meet you."
Slughorn raised an eyebrow in surprise. "You know why Dumbledore brought you, don't you? He's using you to convince me to come back and teach at Hogwarts."
Harry hid a smile. Slughorn wasn't as clueless as he thought. "I can't blame him. I could really use your help to get my Potions mastery," he said.
"Potions mastery?" exclaimed Slughorn. "Aren't you starting your sixth year in September?"
"Yes," confirmed Harry. "I am planning on taking my NEWTs before the term starts, so I can focus on getting my mastery."
Slughorn's eyes widened in shock. "Well, it seems you inherited your mother's skill for Potions! She was an excellent brewer, your mother," he said.
Just then, Dumbledore reentered the room. "Ah, I see you have met my young apprentice," he said, putting his hand on Harry's shoulder. "However, I see that I will be unable to change your mind about coming back to Hogwarts. We had best be on our way, then. Harry has a lot of training to complete tonight."
Harry nodded at Slughorn as they prepared to leave. "It was an honor to meet you, sir. I am sure we will cross paths in the future, after I have my mastery."
The pair turned and began to walk out of the house before they were stopped by Slughorn's voice.
"Alright, I'll do it!" shouted Slughorn after them. "But I want Professor Merrythought's old office. And I want a raise!"
Dumbledore smiled beside Harry. "Done!" said Dumbledore. "I will see you at Hogwarts before the term starts!"
"Well done," complimented Dumbledore.
"It was almost too easy," boasted Harry with a smirk.
"Why don't you Apparate back to Hogwarts on your own?" suggested Dumbledore. "It will be good practice. Meet me in front of the gates of Hogwarts."
Harry grinned, eager to try. He focused his magic, spun on the spot, and disappeared.
He appeared at the front gates of Hogwarts, followed soon after by Dumbledore. With a wave of his wand, Dumbledore opened the gates and the pair began the walk to the castle.
"I have one more item of great importance to discuss with you tonight," said Dumbledore as they walked. Harry nodded and followed the headmaster up to his office.
"Up until now, I have focused on improving your magical and combat skills," said Dumbledore in a serious tone as they sat down in his office. "Those will be of the utmost importance when you face Tom for the final time. However, there are things that must be accomplished before you can face him."
Harry sat up straighter. From Dumbledore's tone, he could tell something very serious was happening.
"As you already know, when Voldemort tried to kill you, the Killing Curse rebounded back on him and blasted apart a part of his soul, which latched itself onto you. You became an accidental Horcrux," said Dumbledore seriously.
"What is a Horcrux?" asked Harry, almost dreading the answer.
"A Horcrux is one of the evilest, foulest magics in existence," answered the headmaster. "A Horcrux is created when a wizard commits murder in cold blood. By doing this, he is able to split his soul and place part of his soul in a physical container. Thus, he can gain a measure of immortality. As long as that soul fragment survives, he cannot truly die. That Horcrux will tie him back to the physical realm."
Harry felt sick. "So, I was keeping Voldemort alive?" he asked.
"In a sense, yes," replied Dumbledore honestly. "However, you were not the only thing keeping him alive."
Dumbledore pulled out a black book from his drawer and placed it on top of the desk. Harry immediately recognized it as Riddle's diary that had possessed Ginny and opened the Chamber of Secrets.
Harry's eyes widened in shock. "The diary is a Horcrux?" he asked.
"It was a Horcrux," Dumbledore replied. "You destroyed the soul fragment when you stabbed it with the basilisk fang."
Harry breathed a sigh of relief. "So, Voldemort had two Horcruxes? He split his soul twice?"
Dumbledore shook his head. "No," he said solemnly. "It is my belief that Voldemort made yet other Horcruxes. It is our job to find those Horcruxes and destroy them. Only then will you be able to truly kill Voldemort."
Harry sat back in his chair in shock. Killing Voldemort had already been an almost impossible task. It had become even more so now.
"How are we going to find them?" Harry asked. "They could be anywhere! And we don't even know how many there are!"
"That is true. We do not know how many there are," said Dumbledore. "However, there is someone who, I believe, does know."
Dumbledore smirked at Harry. "The new Potions master."
"Slughorn?" Harry exclaimed. "How would Slughorn know?"
"Horace Slughorn was Tom Riddle's professor and head of house when he was at Hogwarts. I believe that Horace may have inadvertently given a young Tom Riddle information about Horcruxes that aided him in his quest. In the coming days, I will show you exactly what I am talking about. It will be up to you, however, to convince him to tell you what exactly he told Tom all those years ago."
Harry nodded, accepting the responsibility placed on him.
"As to your other question. I believe that I have discovered the locations of two other Horcruxes," admitted Dumbledore. "With your help in the coming weeks, I hope to find and destroy them."
Harry smiled, grateful at the trust Dumbledore was placing in him.
"As for the other Horcruxes, I can only guess. However, I will be showing you various memories from Tom's early life that will help us to understand him better. With this deeper understanding, I believe that we can find the other Horcruxes."
"I understand," Harry replied, slightly overwhelmed by all the information he had just learned.
Dumbledore gave him a pained smile. "This is, perhaps, the most compelling reason for which I accepted you as my apprentice – to accomplish this quest. I will be placing even more responsibility on your shoulders, for which I am sorry. However, I have faith that you will be able to handle it."
Harry looked back into Dumbledore's twinkling blue eyes. "I will not let you down, sir," he said with determination.
Dumbledore's eyes twinkled with unshed tears. "You never cease to amaze me, my boy," he said with a voice full of emotion.
"I could not agree more!" said a voice suddenly. Harry turned quickly to look at one of the paintings behind Dumbledore's desk. "You represent the Black family well!"
Harry chuckled. The painting was of Phineas Nigellus Black, his third-great-grandfather and former Lord Black.
"I am glad to have earned your approval," Harry said with a chuckle.
"Over the coming weeks, I will share all that I know with you concerning Voldemort and his Horcruxes," promised Dumbledore. "Now, however, I believe it is time for you to sleep. You have a long day of training in front of you."
Harry nodded. He got up and walked back to his dormitory. As he lay in bed, he pondered all that he had just learned. He felt overwhelmed by the sheer odds he faced, but he promised himself that he would win this fight.
X
In a place far away, a man sat on a black throne, calling him a man would be an insult to the word man. He was an abomination. He was Tom Marvolo Riddle, or commonly known as Lord Voldemort. Voldemort was torturing Lucius Malfoy, for losing the diary Voldemort gave him.
"My dear friend Lucius, this will teach to follow Lord Voldemort's instruction next time. You will follow them next time, won't you? Crucio" Lord Voldemort said.
After getting tired of torturing him, Voldemort said, "Send Bellatrix in. And next time follow my instructions."
Lucius nodded and said, "Of course my lord".
After kissing the helm of Voldemort's robe Lucius went to call Bellatrix.
Bellatrix came, kissed the helm of Voldemort's robe and asked, "You called for me my lord?"
"Ah yes, Bellatrix. Do you remember a golden cup I gave you for safekeeping? I want you to bring that for me," said Voldemort.
Bellatrix nodded and said "Of course my lord"
"You are dismissed," said Voldemort.
After kissing the helm of Voldemort's robe, she left. This left Voldemort alone in his room. Soon Voldemort started laughing, a cold shrill laugh that of a maniac.
"Soon, very soon, I will kill you Harry Potter" said Voldemort while laughing.