Millions of thoughts raced through the headmaster's mind as he followed the young Slytherin before him, however, the most prominent one revolved around the newly discovered Horcrux. It proved that Voldemort had intentionally made more then one Horcrux... Dumbledore sighed as he quickly realised that he would need to once again try to convince his old friend to show him the true memory of that day. The back of his mind wondered what the necklace surrounding the boy's neck was. If the way his wand reacted to it was any indication then he might have just found the supposed fourth Hollow.
Entering the room, The Headmaster's gaze quickly snapped towards the cabinet, he felt himself tense at the residue of dark magic, how Tom could willingly do this to his soul was beyond the professor. He turned towards Rodrick, Dumbledore raised an eyebrow at the grim expression on the boy's face, however, surprisingly, Dumbledore found traces of fear lining the boy's face. 'What on earth happened?' When he'd received the message from Sirius, a part of him had known it would involve a Horcrux. He hadn't expected to find such a commotion. 'And what was that about Harry not breathing?'
"What happened?" Dumbledore asked.
Rodrick simply rolled up his sleeve revealing Death's mark.
Dumbledore stared at the mark warily, he could easily tell it wasn't a simple Transfiguration. In fact the magic he felt coming from it was similar to that of an unbreakable vow's...
"It's death's mark, to show I am bound to a contract,"
The expression on the Headmaster's face was unreadable, Rodrick watched as the headmaster took out his wand and brought it closer towards the mark on his arm.
Dumbledore sighed as he watched magic spark out of his wand, reacting to the mark, it seemed to get an even bigger reaction from the mark then it did the necklace. It certainly confirmed the three were related.
"Rodrick, what have you done?" the old man asked, there was a tone of tiredness in the voice.
"I met Voldemort," Rodrick answered, the grim expression on his face seemed to turn for the worse.
The simple statement sent a chill down the headmaster's spine.
"Met?" Dumbledore whispered, 'If he's already come back...'
"I'll show you the memory later, first that,", he said as he pointed towards the Horcrux "Needs to be destroyed!"
"And Harry?" Dumbledore enquired further.
"He's not in anymore danger, as long as this is gotten rid of at any case," Rodrick answered.
Dumbledore nodded numbly before he moved towards the Horcrux, inspecting the enchantments surrounding it.
Rodrick watched as the headmaster used spell after spell, each one covered the locket for a moment before it disappeared. He would've marvelled at the display of magic had it not been such a serious moment.
"What did you find?" Rodrick questioned.
Dumbledore levelled a stare towards the Slytherin, "Nothing good," he started warily, "The locket is protected, the horcrux can't be destroyed until it is open, which requires a Parseltongue to do..."
"Crap... So we need Potter now?" Rodrick asked, scratching the back of his head.
Dumbledore raised an eyebrow at the teen, "If Voldemort is back, perhaps it's time Harry found out,"
Rodrick blinked several times at that before he quickly denied the man's return.
"You said you'd met him?"
"Through a vision,"
The headmaster stared dumbly at the boy, "What?"
"Point is he isn't back yet... Although how long that's going to last is anyone's guess..." Rodrick's voice slowed down as he spoke, he quickly realised something he'd overlooked. "Headmaster," Rodrick asked.
"Yes?" Dumbledore replied, his attention back to the boy. 'If Voldemort wasn't back yet then it may have been too early to involve Harry... From what he'd heard so far, they didn't even need to worry about the Horcrux that was in the boy... But did that or would it effect the prophecy in any way? I need more information...' He mused to himself.
"Is there anything going on next year?" Rodrick questioned
There was a glint in the man's eye as he processed the question, 'Their fourth year?' "There may be," Dumbledore answered, curious on the boy's point.
"May be?"
"Nothing's been finalised yet, but there may be an event in your next year at Hogwarts," Dumbledore answered before following with "Why do you ask?"
Rodrick expression worsened, "Because that might be the year Voldemort returns..."
"What makes you say that?" Dumbledore asked, his eyes pierced through the boy.
"I saw Potter there... He didn't look much older then he currently does, to be honest it could be fifth year as well..."
"Harry," Dumbledore spoke out somewhat hollow. The pieces of a puzzle quickly settled into place. 'He saw both Tom and Harry?' Ge thought to himself as he turned his attention back to the Horcrux. His mind quickly turning back a couple of months as he remembered the last time the boy had seen Tom Riddle.
"You saw him kill Harry..." Dumbledore concluded as he turned back to Rodrick, his eyes going towards the mark. 'Did he make that contract to save him?'
Rodrick nodded. "There's more to it but that's the gist of it I suppose," he finished.
Before the headmaster could add to it, Rodrick turned his attention back to the Horcrux, "You said this was protected with magic?" he questioned.
Dumbledore stared at the boy with a mixed expression before he answered.
"Yes, it looks like Tom may have used blood magic to bind it to only respond to Parseltongue,"
"That's stupid, he should've just marked it to himself and himself alone,"
Dumbledore chuckled at the boy's words, "Yes, your grandfather would've said the same,"
The hint of a smile appeared on Rodrick's face at the words. "If it responds to magic then I can get rid of it," he added on.
Dumbledore raised an eyebrow at that, "Attempting to use Magic Extraction is both very dangerous and far more difficult then what you're currently attempting,"
A surprised look seemed to take over the boy's face at the words, "I didn't even consider that spell... Although it would be too difficult to do either way, impossible for me right now,"
Dumbledore nodded along, "Yes I imagine it would be, not to mention the kind of effect it might have on you before your curse would even get rid of it..."
Rodrick nodded onto that before he made his way towards the cabinet.
A frown marred itself over the headmasters face If not that..."I don't believe Fiendfyre would do anything to it either..."
Rodrick once again to the headmasters surprise agreed, "Yes I'd rather not burn the house down either," he spoke before he took his wand out and casting off several privacy spells.
The expression on the headmaster's face didn't change, "I won't allow you to use any Unforgiveables either, I'd made myself clear on that the previous year." 'While the killing curse may work, I can't allow it to become a habit,' Dumbledore's frown seemed to increase as Rodrick once again confirmed that he wasn't considering that either. "What spell are you planning to use?" he questioned both wary and curious.
Rodrick turned back to the headmaster while pointing his wand towards the locket. There was a strange expression lining the boy's face, "One of the worst spells in history," he finished before he turned towards the locket.
The words made the headmaster tense, before he could say anything however the boy quickly cast off his spell.
"Mortis Vincula!" Rodrick shouted off the spell.
...
Harry Potter had been trying to get his bearings straight, he had no idea what had happened, the only thing he could remember was running towards Sirius, asking him to call the headmaster... 'Rodrick had asked him to do that... Rodrick! he might know what happened,' The sudden elation at the fact quickly died out as he realised the strange Slytherin probably wouldn't tell him, without a catch anyway. Friend he might've been, the boy was as Slytherin as they come from what he'd seen of him so far... He turned his attention towards his godfather, the man had set into a panic after hearing about his random collapse.
"Is the headmaster here?" Harry asked, his question seemed to settle down everyone else.
Sirius Black blinked a couple times, "Yes, yes he's already here.. Harry you didn't answer the question!" he pressed on.
Harry Potter raised an eyebrow at his godfather, "Question?" he quickly shook his head, "I think I drank something bad?" he quickly said, hopeful it'd be enough to calm his godfather.
It didn't work.
"KREACHER!" Sirius yelled out, surprising everyone around him.
Harry tuned out whatever was said between the two, he turned towards the only other Slytherin in the house. She was probably the only one around him that wasn't panicking, in fact she looked far too calm. 'She probably knows what happened... She probably won't tell me either,' Harry could've scoffed at the thought, Honestly Slytherin's were too secretive sometimes.
"Where's the headmaster?"
Daphne put down the cup she'd been drinking before she turned towards Potter, "With Rodrick right now."
"I se-" Harry was about to add on before he heard a screeching cry come from another room.
Whatever conversations had been going on up until that point had ceased as soon as the sound had entered the room.
"What the hell is going on!?" Sirius complained, 'This wasn't how the day was supposed to go!'
"I believe that was from your drawing room," Remus Lupin answered quietly, his eyes focused on Harry, in case he received another attack.
Everyone minus one of the older looking wizards quickly filed out of the room, the depressed looking wizard was still in the same place he'd been since the start of the day, his hands slowly moved over each letter of his name, Fabian. all of them but one wondering what on earth had caused such an ear-splitting sound. The only one who knew what was contained in that room, Kreacher was the first one at the room, his eyes teared up as he realised that Regulus Black's final order was finally finished. Behind him, a worried looking Daphne who simply shook her head, the moment she passed through the door, at the sight. Rodrick had his wand pointed at a locket on the floor. The locket was crushed. Around them all of the furniture was either tipped over or out of place or in some cases broken.
Dumbledore stared at the destroyed locket with both a relieved and horrified feeling seeping in... 'It's destroyed...' While the fact that another part of Voldemort's soul was gone, the way it was achieved... He turned towards the boy wondering how and where on earth he could've learnt such devastating magic. The Horcrux had been ripped apart the moment the spell had hit the locket. He'd watched as Voldemort's soul was utterly destroyed... 'That spell didn't just remove the soul... It shattered it into millions of pieces...' He took a glance of the boy, wondering just how badly a spell of such dark magnitudes would affect a persons magic, to his shock there didn't seem to be any change, however the moment he took notice of the boy's face...
Rodrick felt himself shake as he stared at the broken Horcrux... He had completely underestimated just what a spell like that could really feel like... His grandfather had shown him the spell in his dream before he'd died however experiencing it in real life was another matter entirely... He could feel the urge to vomit his insides out after the kind of backlash he'd received, 'Whoever created this was utterly despicable...'
"Headmaster... I don't think I should use that spell anymore..." Rodrick whispered.
"Yes, I don't think it'll be any good for you to..." Dumbledore replied, still wondering how the boy's magic hadn't been effected. 'Still, it looks like the boy understands why Dark magic should be avoided at the very least...'
"Next time I'll just settle for the killing curse..." Rodrick joked, he almost laughed when he saw the look on the headmaster's face. "I am joking..." he quickly defended himself.
Dumbledore sighed, "I still don't know everything that's going on"
Rodrick had a thoughtful expression on his face, "I'll show you on Christmas day, I'll be attempting the extraction on that day as well anyway."
Dumbledore nodded along thoughtfully to the plan, "Yes, I believe that's the best course of action,"
The two turned towards their audience before Rodrick remembered the silencing charm, 'Not that it helped all that much,' he mused to himself. He raised an eyebrow at the crying Kreacher. As he moved towards the door, Rodrick quickly pulled Daphne with him.
"What happened?" Sirius Black asked, wide eyed at the state of the room.
"Ask the headmaster," Rodrick remarked with a tone of happiness. He almost grinned when he saw most of the people simply turn towards the highest authority in the room.
Dumbledore sighed as he watched the boy drop all the weight on him, 'How could I explain this without mentioning the Horcrux?'
As Rodrick was about to leave the room, he found Kreacher standing in front of him.
"Yes?" he heard Daphne ask the creature.
"Thank you," Kreacher remarked gratefully, his eyes looked to hold a purpose.
Rodrick shrugged at the creatures thanks, he was just glad he wasn't insulting anyone else... Well, not insulting Daphne at any case.
"Rodrick?" Daphne asked before quickly catching up to him.
"Hm?" he spoke turning back towards the girl.
"Are you hungry?" she questioned.
Rodrick seemed to have a double take at the question, "I expected you to start demanding information," There was a strange glint in the boy's eyes, it was different to the usual... Daphne turned towards the cursed arm, she quickly looped her arms around the shaking boy, calming him down.
"You can tell me later, I am starving," she remarked, chuckling at the boy's look of relief.
"To be honest, I could use a drink..." Rodrick admitted.
"I am sure Dobby can help you," Daphne remarked, there was a sparkle in her green eyes as she spoke, "Don't you think so? Mr. Grindy was it? I am not sure how I feel about dating a Grindy, it sounds quite weird on the tongue,"
Rodrick shook his head at the girl's words "Maybe I'll start calling myself Greengrass,"
Daphne's eyes seemed to glow at the idea, "You could, you are a ward, you're allowed to change it to that, although it would make dating quite awkward,"
"I don't see that ending well," Rodrick joked, "Dobby!" he called out to the girl's amusement.
"Yes?" the creature replied, popping in front of the two.
Rodrick grinned, "Get us some Fire Whiskey,"
Daphne's eyes snapped towards him at that, memories of the last time quickly pouring into her head, "Rodrick! your underage!"
"Were in Black's home, we can ask him if were allowed..." Rodrick replied.
Daphne crossed her arms, "Fine, even he isn't immature enough to let you drink, no attempting to bargain with him though!"
Rodrick nodded along to her before he turned around, "Mr Black," he called out to the group of wizards surrounding the headmaster.
A few seconds passed before the two Slytherin heard someone grunt in annoyance at the crowed. Moments later and a dog ran towards the two Slytherins.
Rodrick shook his head as he watched the dog quickly transform back to Black, the man looked remarkably cheerful considering his godson had technically just died...
"Please just Sirius, you make me sound so old,"
"He want's to know if he's allowed to drink, you know he's underage and all," Daphne decided to add in.
Rodrick rolled his eyes at the girl before he turned his attention back to Black.
"Sure, why not, Harry could probably use one as well to be honest. We'll join you,"
The look of shock on Daphne's face was the highlight of Rodrick's day, without realising it, his Occulumency had spiked up immensely ever since he'd touched the Horcrux. Only later on would he realise just how drained he really was.