Zacharias and Cormac
Dumbledore was surprised to see Harry and Hermione both enter his office.
"To what do I owe this very late pleasure, my dears?" Dumbledore assumed a funny facial expression "You … you didn't want to use my office to spend some time alone, did you?" he joked.
The couple looked at sheepishly before Harry told Dumbledore he had found the memory.
"Splendid! Did Hermione help you?" Dumbledore asked.
"No sir." said Hermione awkwardly.
"Well, I'd love to ask you how the memory was obtained, but first it is of utmost importance to see it." Dumbledore said as he poured the memory into his pensive. Harry and Hermione both entered. This time there were no glitches. Harry was not surprised that Slughorn had predicted Voldemort's rise into politics even though he had said he wasn't interested. Slughorn hadn't been wrong about Tom Riddle after all. Only the title was wrong.
They patiently waited for Tom Riddle to ask his question.
"Ah… a project for Defense Against the Dark Arts, isn't it?" Slughorn asked.
Hermione jaw fell as she heard him say that.
"Not exactly, sir." said Riddle "I came across the term while reading and I didn't fully understand it."
"Well … I wouldn't blame you. It's not a well discussed topic and you'd find it difficult to get your hands on a book that explains their nature, as they are… well… perhaps the Darkest type magic you could find. Yes…very dark indeed." said Slughorn.
"But obviously you know about them, sir? I mean - a wizard like you - sorry, I mean, if you can't tell me, obviously - I just knew if anyone could tell me, you could - so I just thought I'd ask - "
Hermione just looked at her father, amazed by how masterfully he had managed to play his role out. Harry, on the other hand, unlike Dumbledore and Hermione didn't miss the momentary tight-lipped smile on Slughorn's face.
"Well… I guess…" Slughorn said as he was fiddling with the ribbon on the box of crystallized pineapple "it wouldn't hurt to give you an overview, of course. Just so that you understand the term. A Horcrux is a word used for an object in which a person has concealed part of their soul."
Slughorn looked at Riddle waiting for him to inquire more.
"I don't quite understand how that works, sir," said Riddle. His voice was controlled but Harry and Hermione both felt his excitement.
"You split your soul, you see," said Slughorn calmly "and place part of it in an object outside your body. Then, even if your body is attacked or destroyed, you cannot truly die, for one part of the soul remains earthbound and undamaged. But, of course, existence in such form is rather unpleasant and pointless. Won't you agree? Few would want it, Tom, very few. Death would be preferable."
Even though Slughorn was talking about them in an unfavouring manner, Harry could feel Riddle's hunger grow.
"How do you split your soul?"
Hermione put her hand on her mouth as tears rushed down her cheeks.
"Well," said Slughorn as he put the box aside "souls are supposed to remain intact and whole in order to transfer to the other side flawlessly. Splitting them is an act of violation, it is against the Law."
"But how do you do it?"
"By ripping the very fabric of life, a supreme act of evil. By committing murder. Such is the way a soul may be ripped apart. The intent upon creating a Horcrux would use the damage to his advantage: he would encase the torn portion -"
"Encase? But how-"
"There's a spell, do not ask me for I do not know." said Slughorn annoyedly "Do I look like a killer to you, Tom?"
"No, sir, of course not." said Riddle quickly wary of Slughorn's wrath "I'm sorry I didn't mean to offend …"
"Not at all, my boy, not at all." said Slughorn softening up a bit "It's natural to be curious about these things… wizards of a certain calibre have always been drawn to that aspect of magic..."
"Yes, sir. What I don't understand though - just out of curiosity - I mean would one Horcrux be much use? Can you split the soul only once? Wouldn't it be better, make you stronger, to have your soul in more pieces? I mean, for instance, isn't seven the most powerfully magical number, wouldn't seven –"
Slughorn's eyes gleamed before yelping "Merlin's beard, Tom! Seven! To rip the soul to seven prices? That would be beyond ambitious… that would be insanity!" Slughorn seemed to regret entering into the conversation at all "Of course, since we're just talking about the hypothesis, being a purely academic conversation, I can understand your question. Surely you do not fancy trying it?"
"Yes, sir, of course." said Riddle.
"But all the same Tom … keep it quiet. I do not wish for other people to be disturbed by such talk. It's banned in Hogwarts after know what I'm talking about… Dumbledore's particularly fierce about it..."
"I won't say a word." saidTom. They could his face full of wild happiness.
While Dumbledore and Hermione were busy looking at Riddle, Harry saw Slughorn vanish the pineapple box with a casual wave of wand. The memory ended but Harry wasn't satisfied. Riddle hadn't left the office yet. What else had they talked about.
Hermione and Dumbledore discussed what they had seen in the memory as Harry kept thinking about Slughorn's words. He had used a particular set of words that Riddle had asked no questions about. What law had he talked about? Surely, he wasn't talking about the Ministry or Hogwarts' Law. He was talking about something bigger. He had talked about souls' transition to the other side. A topic Harry was very interested to know about. What would happen to the transition process if the law was broken. Harry had studied necromancy and he knew necromancers for long had sought a way to reverse the process of departure. John Dee or Eve Morningstar needed Voldemort's Horcruxes. What was she planning to do?
He could not go to Moriarty that night because he had left the grounds.
Three days later when Moriarty returned, Harry went to his office and presented him with the memory.
After seeing it, he sat on his chair silently. He paid no attention to Harry's curious eyes for five minutes
"Harry, I would like to see another memory as well."
"Which memory, sir?" Harry asked.
"Aragog's funeral." Moriarty drank a glass of what appeared to be fire whiskey "Hurry up. Show me."
Harry put his hand on the book but Moriarty stopped him from being sucked in.
"I must see this alone." he put his hand on the book and disappeared. Forty five minutes later he appeared back next to the book.
"I see. Just as I had suspected… Harry please go back to your classes. I'm sorry that you had to waste your free period here. Thanks for bringing the memories."
Before Harry could go Moriarty called him.
"Harry, I'm sorry that I cannot tell you much now. You can be a more patient, can't you?" Moriarty said apologetically "I promise I will tell you all I figured out today in time. Just be patient, please."
And Harry tried to be patient, but it seemed almost impossible to avoid the topic. Hermione wasn't helping either by dragging Harry and Ron into the conversation.
"So he has seven of them. What are they? Is the snake the seventh as Dumbledore says?" said Ron.
"Actually six, Ron. The seventh part is in his own body." Harry said.
"Slughorn was right. This is insane." said Hermione "He must've felt really bad about it."
"Of course, he avoided Harry like a plague." said Ron as he tried to transfigured a napkin into a rat. The napkin came to life and darted under the table.
"That was still a napkin." Harry pointed out.
"I've got no chance to do it properly by Tuesday, have I?" said Ron.
"Don't worry, Ron. You'll get it." said Harry.
"So Harry destroyed the diary. Dumbledore destroyed the ring and I destroyed the locket. Three gone, three remain."
"The cup, the snake and something of Ravenclaw." said Harry.
Of course they knew it had to be more that seven pieces because a tiny part of Voldemort lived within him. But Harry and Hermione had decided to keep that post to themselves.
"And Dumbledore wants to take you two to destroy a Horcrux?" Ron asked for the third time.
"Yes Ron. Would you like to join us?" Hermione asked with a dangerous glint in her eyes.
"No … thanks." said Ron anxiously.
Flitwick approached their desk.
"Miss Riddle has successfully turned her vinegar into wine. On the first try if I'm not mistaken. It seems that magic comes to you naturally, dear." Flitwick smiled fondly and praised Hermione for how wonderful her wine tasted.
Harry and Ron tried. Harry was somewhat successful but his wine had too much alcohol. Ron's flax simply exploded.
"Mr Potter, you need to refine your technique and Mr Weasley for homework… practice."
He then thanked Hermione for containing the explosion and awarded her ten points.
When they returned to common room. Harry had just relaxed on the couch that Hermione's cry made him jump on his feet.
"Katie! You're back. Are you OK?"
Harry looked at Ginny who jealously watched Hermione hug Katie Bell.
"Ahoy, captain." Harry called Katie amiably.
"Harry, are you still alive? I thought these guys would have killed you already. I heard McLaggen tried his best." she said with a beaming smile on her face.
"Yeah… I'm just happy you returned. Hermione can stop playing now." said Harry.
"Harry, have you got an issue with her playing for the team?" said Peakes defensively "I'd rather sit on the bench than see her on it. Hermione is a beast on her broom."
"I'll sit out the next one, thank you, Peakes." said Hermione. She didn't have much time for Quidditch. And flying in the bedroom was not that enviable anyway. She had to find the Horcrux hidden in the castle. She looked into Katie's eyes, "So, do you remember who gave you that necklace?"
"No." Katie said honestly, "I don't remember much. Even professor Moriarty came to meet me. He can be very scary as the Head of the Department of Mysteries. Last thing I remember was walking into the ladies' in the Three Broomstick."
Hermione saw the memory clearly in Katie's head. Clearly a woman had been involved in this plot.
"Therefore, It must have been a girl who gave you the necklace." Hermione concluded.
"Or someone who looks like a girl or woman, Hermione." said Harry "Wizards can use Polyjuice to pose as witches."
Just like Crabbe and Goyle had been doing. Harry wondered which one had done the job. Were they even capable of casting the curse?
"Well, I have to go. I don't want McGonagall to give me lines." said Katie and left then alone.
"I wonder whether it was Goyle or Crabbe?" said Harry.
"You know very well that both of them are incapable of casting a proper Confundus let alone the Imperius Curse." said Hermione.
"Perhaps Malfoy did it himself?" said Ron.
"No." said Harry confidently "He had detention with Snape … or was it Moriarty?"
"No, he had it with McGonagall." Ron suddenly remembered.
Harry had to know who had cursed Katie Bell. This was the unknown element to Hermione and Dumbledore's plan to catch Death Eaters.
Harry's time was divided between schoolwork and checking who Malfoy spent time with through the map. Harry was obsessively carrying the map everywhere and checking it whenever he could. Hermione would barely spend time with him since the summer was just around the corner and she hasn't found the Horcrux hidden within the school.
A few days before their game with Ravenclaw Harry found himself alone in the common room as Ron was in detention with Moriarty and Hermione was looking for the Horcrux.
Harry searched the map to see if he could find where Malfoy was and oddly found him in a boys' bathroom on the floor below with the most surprising company, Moaning Myrtle.
Harry rushed down to the bathroom and when he got there he opened the door. Malfoy was standing back to the door hands resting on the sink as his head was down.
"That's not true," said Myrtle.
"It is," Draco Malfoy said with a deep sadness in his voice "compared to her, I'm a squib. I'm sure he's going to kill us off. Father, Mother and I have no chance."
"You could do it without her." Myrtle suggested.
" I couldn't …." Malfoy froze as he saw Harry in the mirror. He drew his wand and turned round immediately casting a spell which Harry dodged narrowly.
Myrtle screamed but both parties paid her no attention. Harry tried casting levicorpus but it was blocked by Draco. Malfoy waved his wand and a bin next to Harry exploded. Harry cast blasting hex that missed Malfoy and hit the wall. The mirrors shattered into a million pieces almost turning into sand. The wall cracked and the cisterns exploded splashing water everywhere. Myrtle screamed in horror.
the explosion thwarted Malfoy and forced him to bow down but it didn't stop him from keeping focus on Harry. He raised his wand.
"Cruci-" Malfoy began but Harry was faster.
"Sectumsempra." Harry said clearly pointing his was at Malfoy.
Blood sprang out, splashing on Harry. Harry could see deep scars on Malfoy's chest. It was as if he was being cut deep by a very sharp yet imprecise tool.
Malfoy fell instantly. First on his knees and then to his side.
"No" Harry screamed.
Not a second later the door opened and Hermione ran into the bathroom. She kneeled next to Draco desperately, frozen by the display. Her body acted instinctively. She put her right hand on Draco's heart and took a deep breath. Her magic kicked in, in a way she hadn't experienced before. It felt old, unnatural and alien. Draco's wounds began to heal. color returned to his face. Slowly he began to gain consciousness.
Hermione immediately removed her hand looking at it as if it wasn't a part of his body.
Harry looked at Malfoy who was looking at Hermione in fear.
"I'm sorry, Hermione." he said.
"Get out, Draco." said Hermione hoarsely.
Malfoy ran out of the bathroom without sparing Harry a glance.
"Great gracious!" they heard a voice say.
"Professor Slughorn." Malfoy said.
"What happened here?" Slughorn bellowed as he entered the bathroom.
"Accio wand." he cast angrily stripping Harry of his wand.
"What was the incantation, Harry?" Slughorn asked firmly.
"S- Sectumsempra, sir." said Harry frightened by Slughorn's intimidating face.
Slughorn's eyes shined lividly. He looked Draco's bloody clothes and checked his chest.
"Remarkable! No trace left...but blood of course." Slughorn whispered. He faced Hermione "Did you save your cousin's life?" he asked calmly.
"Yes." said Hermione, "I don't know how it happened, sir."
Slughorn gave her a calculating look and then checked the bathroom.
"Do not speak of this to anyone," he said, "I will fix the bathroom. Leave NOW." He cleaned the bloodstains on them with a wave of his wand "And Mr Potter. Detention at eight! Don't be late!"
Harry and Malfoy raced to the door.
Hermione followed immediately after looking at Slughorn one last time.
Hermione confiscated Harry's Advanced Potion Making book. Harry had not resisted. It wasn't like he needed the book anyway.
Slughorn gave him a speech about dangerous and untested spells and why they shouldn't be used on fellow students. Then he asked Harry to brew some Pepper-up Potion for Madam Pomfrey.
Despite Hermione's expectations no one found out about the incident. It was a relief.
Hermione kept berating Harry until Ginny came to his rescue and told her that Malfoy would have used an Unforgivable Curse on Harry had he not used the spell. That silenced Hermione.
Slughorn however didn't keep his mouth shut for long and alerted Sirius and Lucinda. It didn't take them long to decide a proper detention for Harry.
"You can't do this." Harry exclaimed.
"Yes, we can." said Sirius indignantly. "You'll be spending every Saturday evening with me."
"But Sirius… the match…" Harry pleaded.
"They can do without you, can't they?" said Sirius.
"Well, I hope you don't mind Gryffindor losing this year." said Harry.
"I do not. For all I care, they could kick you out and they would still win."
Harry pouted and sat on his chair.
"I hate this, Harry. You are showing the worst aspects of James and me." sais Sirius sadly.
"I didn't mean to…"
"You think your father did?" Sirius bellowed.
Harry immediately shut his mouth. Then and there, Harry decided to accept any punishment Sirius would propose.
He came out with the worst detention possible for Harry.
"These old files need to be copied down, Harry. Make sure not to omit anything." said Sirius before leaving Harry with the pile of records that Harry had to rewrite. Harry was almost crying when Sirius came back for him.
"I think you can stop for today." he said.
"Why, Sirius?" Harry asked.
"Harry, it could have been worse. What if Snape was overseeing the same punishment and I had died in the Department of Mysteries last year. I would have if it wasn't for Lucinda." Sirius sighed, "It's time you behaved responsibly."
[Readers' description advised, the following text may be unsuitable for your age. Or you might be offended in some way.]
When Harry returned to the common room he failed to recognise it.
The room was filled with the smell of alcohol and there was a pink sweet fog in the air. Peakes ran to him yelling "We won."
Hermione and Ginny were sitting next to each other drinking something similar to fire whiskey.
"We won, didn't we?" Harry asked Ginny.
Instead of answering Ginny stood up and kissed Harry passionately.
Hermione laughed and drank more.
"Okay… this cannot be fire whiskey ... wow."
Harry stared at Hermione and Ginny as they kissed each other.
"Life is short, Harry," said Hermione as she leaned to Ginny.
"Are you breaking up with me?" Harry asked suspiciously.
"No silly! Now you have got me, too," said Ginny as she snorted her drink.
"Ay ay… I think …" Harry was about to say but his vision blurred for a second. "I think I'll have some drink."
Next morning Harry woke up on the couch in a compromising situation. Ginny and Hermione were at his sides, naked. It took him a minute to realise that he was naked, too, and soaked in a mixture of dried sweat, drinks and something disturbingly similar to semen.
"Oh God." Harry moaned. "I'm gonna kill whoever … What?"
Harry blinked a few times. He could see Lavender and Ron naked right under their feet. Ron was cuddling Lavender. It would have seemed romantic if they weren't naked as well. Harry felt an urge to puke as he looked around. Everyone was naked. Fortunately, as far as Harry could see, they were all sixth-year or seventh-year students.
Harry had to cover his eyes as Seamus stood up and began to scratch his balls.
"This is a nightmare." Harry whispered.
A hand grabbed his private organ. Harry jumped immediately as he saw Lavender stroking him in her sleep.
Harry found his wand and clothes. He cleaned them and dressed up. Then he began waking people up one by one. Starting with his girlfriend and her girlfriend, or was Ginny his, too?
Half an hour later everyone was dressed up and sitting in the common room looking at each other uncomfortably. The only exception being Hermione and Ginny who were clinging to a very embarrassed Harry.
Lavender who apparently remembered everything kept refusing to look in Harry's direction.
"Okay… who's good at Obliviating?" asked Dean.
"Do you remember anything?" said Ron.
"I remember this morning!" said Dean uncomfortably.
"We should tell McGonagall." Katie Bell said. As she tried to sit again. Her back was hurt for some reason.
"Yes, we should." said Peakes sarcastically. "She would castrate us!"
"Yours should be Peakes… oh my back." said Katie angrily. "We need Anti-Pregnancy Potion."
McConnell wasn't happy to hear what had happened.
"I think we will cancel Quidditch next year." she said angrily to a crying Katie Bell and Lavender Brown.
The outcome of the party was loads of punishments for everyone, new couples in the common room and locked empty rooms in the castle.
The most important result however was Ginny's success in getting Hermione to accept her. It made Harry's life busier as now he had to do similar things for both of them. Every day he had to wait for them both, listen to what they had to say and be careful not to favour one over the other.
Ron was not happy with the situation but he was in no better condition himself as he had taken something precious from Lavender.
"We'll get married next year." he told Harry sourly.
"Have they found out who is responsible?" Ginny asked.
"You might not believe it." said Hermione. "Snape has caught McLaggen and Zacharis Smith with some illegal potions."
"That rascal?" Harry yelped.
"Which one?" Ginny asked.
"McLaggen…" said Harry.
"Yeah…" Hermione said uncomfortably. "Apparently, their prank went really wrong. Sirius wants them expelled."
"Seriously?" said Neville.
"Of course, I heard it myself." said Hermione.
Harry looked at Hermione suspiciously.
"Did you happen to see McLaggan?" he asked.
"No, Harry, I haven't seen him." said Hermione with an inconspicuous smile.
"Just promise me you won't do anything to him. Let Dumbledore handle it, alright?" said Harry nervously.
"I won't, Harry." Hermione promised innocently.
In that moment Demelza Robins rushed in with an amazing smile.
"Guys, guess what happened." she said cheerfully.
"What?" said Ron.
"McLaggen and Smith are in hospital."
"Did someone crack their skull?" said Harry nervously.
"No," she said with a beaming smile. "something much more fun happened to them. I heard Madam Pomfrey say, that it will take a month to grow it back. She asked them to… be careful … while urinating."
Ginny burst into laughter. Ron and Harry smirked and Lavender who had just arrived smiled.
"Those poor bastards … ha ha ha." Ron laughed loudly.
"So who did it?" Ginny asked while she was wiping her tears of joy.
"Oh, they didn't know." Demelza responded. "Moriarty and Snape weren't interested at all. McGonagall didn't ask many questions as well."
Everyone looked at Hermione, but she began to whistle innocently.
The Gryffindor incident had a few benefits as well. Sirius gave him less mentally aggravating tasks during detentions, Slughorn seemed to have forgiven him for almost killing Draco Malfoy and Moriarty decided to teach them how to dismantle magical gases.
"I cannot believe no one thought of this." he said angrily at the beginning of the session.
Few days later Hermione showed Harry a very interesting piece of information.
"Isn't it a bit far fetched?" said Ginny.
"Why darling, couldn't Eileen Prince be the Half-Blood Prince? Perhaps you think girls can't be clever enough?"
"But, I'm a girl!" Ginny protested.
"you have more characteristics of a boy and a girl." Hermione said confidently. "I think Harry can testify to that."
Harry looked at them nervously.
"I mean the amount of spanking …" Hermione began.
"Hermione, I really don't want to talk about this." said Harry, his eyes pleading her to stop. "You might be right. There's no reason she can't be the Half-Blood Prince. Right now Eileen Prince is not the first thing on my mind."
"Harry! Hermione!" they head Katie say behind them. "wait!"
They waited for her to teach them.
"I was asked to give you this."
Harry took the note and read it.
"It's Dumbledore." he said. "We should go."
Ginny pouted as they darted to Dumbledore's office.
"They should at least tell me."
