Last time, Harry, Ron and Herminoe meet the Guardians of the Veil, Will, Irma, Taranee, Cornelia, and Hay Lin. Ron didn't believe that the five could help, but was soon put to right. On with the Show!

Chapter 10: The Third Horcruxes

While Will pondered over the map, trying to locate Huffelpuff's cup, the other guardians told Harry, Ron and Herminoe their story: How they learned about their powers from Hay Lin's grandmother; their first meeting and rescue of Calib; the fight against Phobos; the plight of Elyon; and the liberation of Meridian. "Everything was finally returning to normal," said Cornelia, "Well, as normal as it can, when The Stranger appeared and told us to come here and help you."

Harry then told his story: How Voldemort began his career as the most dangerous wizard in the world; the prophecy concerning his birth; how Voldemort murdered his parents, and destroyed his body; Harry's childhood; his years at Hogwarts; and finally, his encounter with The Stranger. "He told us that you were coming." Said Harry. "What bothers me," said Taranee, "Was that The Stranger said that there would be more from other worlds." They all thought over this. The silence was broken when Will shouted, "I've got it!"

They all rushed over to will. The crystal was pointing to an area of the map. It zoomed in to reveal a house near Blackburn, Lancashire. "Isn't that where they found enough holes to fill the Albert Hall?" asked Irma. Everyone except Ron laughed. "What's so funny?" he asked. As Harry, Ron and Herminoe prepared to apparate, Harry asked Will "How are you five traveling?" "We have our own means." Replied Will.

So Harry, Ron and Herminoe apparated to the house in Blackburn, Lancashire. Will and her friends appeared seconds later. They stared at the huge house where the map said the horcruxes was. "Are you sure we have to go in there?" asked Ron. "We have to." Replied Harry. As soon as they all went inside, Herminoe immediately said, "This must be one of the Death Eaters old bases."

Sure enough, there was proof that the building was once occupied by the enemy. Dark Marks were painted on the walls. The floor was littered with dust covered torture devices, as well as several other dark magic items to evil for words. "We must be the first people to be here since the end of the last war." Said Herminoe. "So," said Cornelia, "Where do you think the cup is hidden?" "I honestly don't know." Replied Harry.

Will held up the picture of the cup, as well as the crystal. It glowed, and pointed to a door. "This way." She said She tried to open the door, but couldn't. "Locked," said Will. "I've got it." Said Ron. He pulled out his wand, tapped the doorknob, and said "Alohomora!" The door unlocked itself, and opened. "That sure brought back memories." Said Harry, remembering his first year, and the encounter with Fluffy, the three-headed dog."

Will and her friends stared at Ron. "What?" he asked. "It's just that," said Will, "I did not know you used wands." "Well how else would someone case spells?" asked Herminoe. "We've fought against magic users who don't need wands." Replied Hay Lin. "Interesting," said Herminoe. "Let's go." Said Harry.

They found themselves looking inside a long, wide, dark hallway. Harry, Ron and Herminoe instinctively pulled out their wands. "Lumos!" the said simultaneously, and the tips of their wands lit up. There was nothing in their way in front of them. "Looks clear to me." Said Ron, but Will stooped him. "Something doesn't feel right." She said. She looked ahead beyond the wand light, and then turned back to the group. "I need more light. Taranee, if you please?" she asked.

"I'm on it." Replied Taranee, as she snapped her fingers. Several small fireballs ignited, and were scattered down the hallway. "Bloody Hell!" exclaimed Ron. "Wow!" said Harry. "Incredible!" said Herminoe. "Aw, it's nothing." Said Taranee. "Just as I thought," said Will, pointing down the hallway. Several tripwires were illuminated by the fireballs. They were criss-crossed at random angles.

"Brilliant," said Harry. "We couldn't see them with just our wands. Anyone who tried to go down the hallway, they wouldn't see any of the wires, and would set off one of the traps." "The question is," said Irma, "Is what kind of booby-traps are we talking about?" "Let's find out." Said Will. She returned to the main room, grabbed a chair, and threw it down the hall. It hit a tripwire, and was crushed by a huge bolder that drooped from the ceiling

"Bloody Hell!" exclaimed Ron again. "I'm guessing that at the end of the hall is a device that deactivates the wires," said Will "All we need to do is get someone to the other side." Will, Irma, Hay Lin and Taranee looked at Cornelia. She starred back before saying "All ring, I'll do it. Just don't say I never did anything for you." "Why is Cornelia doing it?" asked Herminoe. "Well, being of the element Earth," said Irma, "Cornelia is a bit more flexible than I am, physically."

Cornelia then proceeded to bend over, under and around the wires. She seemed to be triple-jointed. "How can she do that?" asked Ron with a dazed look on his face, before Herminoe pulled on his ear. "Ow! What did I do?" "Gymnastics and Ice-skating Ron," replied Cornelia while maneuvering around several intersecting wires, "gymnastics and ice-skating."

After much bending and stretching, Cornelia got through to the other side of the wires. "I'm through," she shouted, "What now?" "Try to find something that controls the wires," shouted Will, "A knob, or a handle." Cornelia looked around the walls until she found a small handle. As she turned it, the wires went slack, and fell to the floor. Cautiously, Harry and the others crossed the hall to where Cornelia stood. "Well," said Ron, "That wasn't to hard, what's next?" At the end of the hall was another door. Irma tried the doorknob, and found it to be unlocked.

"Cool," she said, "It's unlocked." As Irma proceeded to open the door, Taranee spoke up, "I don't think that's a good idea." But is was too late. Unknown to Irma when she opened the door, she triggered a second set of boobie-traps. Irma looked into the next hall. "It looked clear to me." She said. The group entered the hall, and as the last one crossed the doorway, the door swung shut. Herminoe tried the Alohomora spell on the door but it wouldn't budge. "I told you so." Said Taranee. "Now what?" asked Ron. As if to answer his questions, several chandlers lit up the hall. It was just as wide as the last one. "We go forward." Said Harry. But before he could take a step, something flashed in front off him.

Several spinning saws and swinging axes lay before their path. "Blades," said Taranee, "Why does it have to be blades?" "Boy those things look incredibly sharp." Said Herminoe. Harry stared at the path ahead. "If this trap is like the last one," he said, "Then someone will have to go to the other side to deactivate it." "I'll do it," said Hay Lin, "I'm the fastest runner."

Hay Lin prepared herself by stretching. "You sure you want to do this?" asked Taranee. "I'm the only one who can." Hay Lin replied. She then stared at the sweeping blades, timing it for the right moment. After a few moments she braced herself. "Now!" she shouted, and ran towards the blades. She jumped and dodged the saws and axes. Harry, Ron and Herminoe were awed by Hay Lin's speed. "I assume that because her element is air, she can run like the wind." Said Ron. "It must be obvious day in Camp Ignorant." Said Irma, before Cornelia nudged her ribs.

Hay Lin was half way through the blades when one of the axes scliced open her left shoulder. "Hay Lin!" shouted Will "Are you all right!" Hay Lin stood up between swinging axes. "I'm fine, it just grazed me." She said. Another moment of timing, and Hay Lin was moving between the blades again. Finally, she made it to the other side. "I'm through!" she shouted. Harry realizes that he'd been holding his breath, and exhaled.

Hay Lin proceeded to search for the switch that would deactivate the trap. "What am I looking for again?" she shouted to Will. "A small knob or a handle!" replied Will. Hay Lin found a leaver to one side, and pulled it. The saws stooped spinning, and the axes froze in place. "All clear!" she shouted. The group rushed down the hall to her. "Let me see that cut." Said Herminoe. She pulled out her wand, pointed it at the wound, and it was healed. "Wow!" said Irma. Ron looked around and saw a third door. "Not sure I want to know what's behind that door.

"We've come this far," said Will, "I see no reason to stop now." Harry went to the door, tried the handle, and found this one was also unlocked. "Here goes nothing." He said, and opened the door. Immediately candles illuminated the room they entered. The floor was covered with round tiles evenly separated by gray mortar. The walls on both sides had several small holes in them. All in all, the room was empty, except for a raised platform at the far end, on it was Huffelpuff's cup.

"Bloody hell, there it is!" shouted Ron. He began to walk to the platform, but was stooped by Will. "Wait, I've seen this movie before." She said. As Ron looked at her confused, Will crouched to the ground and pressed one of the round tiles with her finger. She backed away quickly, just as good because as soon as she touched the tile, it depressed into the ground. At the same time, something came zooming out of the left wall. It hit the opposite side. Taranee illuminated the area and discovered a large dart. "If you had steeped on one of those tiles," said Will, "That would have hit you." "Bloody Hell!" exclaimed Ron. "What are the odds that it's poisoned?" asked Cornelia.

"Let's not find out." Replied Will. She began to cross the room, careful not to touch the tiles. "Wait a moment." Said Harry as he followed. They both crossed the room, making sure they kept to the mortar. Once, Harry nearly tripped, but regained his balance. Finally, he and Will made it to the platform. "What now?" asked Will. Harry looked at the cup, wondering the same thing. "I guess the first thing we should do is try to just take the cup. He reached for it, expecting a barrier or some enchantment, but his fingers touched the cup. He jerked his hand back, and then reached for it again. This time he grabbed the cup around the handle

"Well, take it." Said Will. "I just can't believe that's all to it," Replied Harry, "There's got to be a catch." And he was right. As soon as he lifted the cup from the platform, the ground began to shake. "I thought you said you saw this movie!" Harry yelled above the rumble. "Yeah, I forgot about this part," replied Will, "Run!" They dashed back across the room, triggering the dart traps as they ran. Darts spat out of the walls, just missing them by inches.

"Run, just run!" he shouted to the others as he and Will reached the door. They all ran back through the hall with the blades, then back through the tripwires. The house was falling apart when they returned to the main room. As the reached the front door, it swung shut. "It's locked!" shouted Herminoe. "Stand back!" yelled Taranee, as her right index finger ignited into flame. "Now what?" asked Ron. "I'm gonna melt the door hinges off." Replied Taranee. She then proceeded to do so. "I think the shaking is getting worse." Said Cornelia. "How can it get worse?" asked Irma as a chunk of the ceiling fell next to her. "I stand corrected." Irma said. "Hurry up!" shouted Harry. "I'm going as fast as I can!" Taranee shouted back, as she cut through the last hinge.

The door fell out, and the group ran outside. As soon as they reached clear ground, they turned around to see the house collapse on itself. "Bloody Hell, that was close." Exclaimed Ron. "It was worth it." Said Harry, holding up the cup. "Now what?" asked Will. Harry then retrieved the book given to him by Dumbledore. After looking through it, he found what he was looking for. "'How to remove a soul fragment from an object.'" Said Harry. He then mouthed several words, trying to make sure he was saying them right.

He placed the cup on the ground, "This is it." He said. "Harry pointed his wand at the cup, whispered the words from the book, and after a few seconds, the cup glowed bright red. It then began to shake, and there was a defining explosion! When the group recovered, they saw that a small speck of dark black was hovering over the cup. "So that's a soul fragment." Said Will "A fragment of Voldemort's soul." Said Harry, as the soul fragment faded away into nothing. "Three down, three to go." Said Harry. He bent down to pick up the cup. "What now?" asked Irma. "It's just a cup now." He said "A thousand year old cup." He took out a piece of parchment and a quill, wrote a short note, tied it to the cup, and gave it to Hedwig. "Take this to Professor Sprout," Harry said to his owl, "I'm sure she'll find a good place for it." Hedwig nipped his finger in affection, and took off.

"Well, that was exciting." Said Irma. "Exciting isn't what I would call this." Said Cornelia. "Well what would you call it?" asked Irma. "I'd call it insane." Replied Cornelia. "Ignore them, they always argue." Said Will to Harry. "If this Hrocruxes was as well protected as the next one," said Ron, but was interrupted by Harry, "Then we'll just try harder." He said

The end of chapter 10. Big one, but finally done. Next time, our heroes get a glimpse of what Voldemort has been doing. See you next time.HArry. He placed the cup oHa