The Vow And it's consequences
Chapter 23
The News
A house elf brought the refreshments, as Severus and Minerva got comfortable, sitting on chairs since Harry occupied the couch. Thankfully the sitting room was large enough to occupy a dozen people. Severus poured their coffees aware of how Minerva took hers. He had been working beside her for years; it was no surprise that he knew since he always observed his surroundings.
"Expecting company?" asked Minerva accepting her cup; evidently Severus wasn't the only one who paid attention. There was another cup on the tray,
"Yes," replied Severus amused.
"The Dursley's have been arrested," said Minerva quietly, just in case the little ears were trying to listen in. Regardless her face was filled with anger, how she wanted to wring Dumbledore's neck, and the Dursley's as well come to that.
"Already?" asked Severus his lips twitching in amusement. Lucius certainly didn't waste any time, at least he was living to his word. He was going to make their lives a living hell; death was much too good for the likes of those abusive buffoons. They'd regret the day they chose to lift a hand against a wizard, especially one he'd vowed to protect.
"The entire street was abuzz with the news," replied Minerva.
"How's Dumbledore taking it?" enquired Severus, "Help yourself." he added, taking a few biscuits himself, he hadn't eaten lunch and he doubted he would get the chance. He didn't like the fact Harry wouldn't be either, but he was exhausted. Severus wasn't about to wake him up to eat.
"Simply put he's lost," said Minerva, "I don't think Albus knows how to function when things don't go his way."
"I don't suppose he does," mused Severus wryly. Dumbledore hated not being in control, it's something he'd noticed just weeks into working for him. For some reason the old fool had to control everything, the Minister, his staff and the order. He even probably tried to control the Dark Lord but to no avail.
The fireplace flared to life once again, and a blonde long haired wizard stepped through, his cane making the only noise as he sat down.
"What's going on?" demanded Lucius, had something went wrong with their plans? Was that why this meeting had been convened? He hoped not, he'd put a lot of money into ensuring the Dursley's paid for their crimes.
"I took Harry for his scan earlier," said Severus conflicted, the old argument about involving Lucius Malfoy coming to the forefront. Did he dare tell him? He did what he had to for family, what if he was betrayed? Unfortunately he knew he couldn't do this alone. Well not alone and look after a five year old child, it was impossible. Flicking his wand he cast a silencing spell around Harry, not wanting the child to overhear this conversation under any circumstances.
"I assume you found out what it was?" asked Lucius pensively, leaning forward his fingers lined together under his chin. It had been on his mind ever since the healer found out about it, it was less troubling than finding out about the lock on Harry's magic. Of course, it was more troubling because of WHO put it on him than the fact it WAS on him.
"It was a shard of the Dark Lord's soul," said Severus grimly, turning to face Minerva when her saucer rattled.
"That's impossible," said Lucius a little freaked out, little wonder at the amount of times he'd used the killing curse over the years.
"That's exactly what I said," said Severus darkly, "Then the goblins let me in on some frankly shocking information."
"There can only be one reason," said Minerva ashen. "If his soul is unstable, he has been creating Horcruxes."
Severus arched an eyebrow impressed despite himself, "How is it you know what they are?" the when we don't was left unsaid. They had been Death Eaters after all; they knew a hell of a lot about the Dark Art's and its artefacts.
"When I was at Hogwarts the book was available in the library, Albus removed it shortly after he became Headmaster. If I am not mistaken it is in his personal library at the moment." said Minerva. She should have been put in Ravenclaw, the amount of reading she'd done. She'd out-read a few Ravenclaws during her time at Hogwarts, that's for sure. Minerva had wanted to know everything about her world, even the not so…light material. She'd never tried any of it, she just wanted to understand, and she really could understand the lure to the darker magic's.
"What is a Horcrux?" asked Lucius irritated that they knew something he didn't. It obviously had something to do with the soul fragment but that's as much as he understood.
"A container hosting a piece of someone's soul," explained Severus pinching the bridge of his nose.
Lucius for the first time since he could talk was speechless; he just stared straight ahead unable to believe it. Even he wouldn't consider such an act. To split ones soul, it sounded so henious without actually doing it. Wizards believed in the afterlife, and the next life, spliting ones soul prevents it.
"The goblins said for the shard to enter Harry he must have made his soul extremely unstable. Meaning he's created more than one, three they suspect at the very least." said Severus.
"That is why he wasn't destroyed," said Minerva closing her eyes in despair. "It means to kill him, we will have to wait for him to return to destroy his…shall we say main soul fragment."
"Yes," agreed Severus.
"Can't we find them and destroy them?" rasped Lucius desperation swirling in his mercury eyes. It was obvious to both of them he truly feared the return of Lord Voldemort.
"Find them? They could be anywhere, in anything, not to forget we do not know how many there are." said Minerva, "Or how to destroy them, it wasn't explained in the book. The only way to accomplish this is if Tom had a sudden change of heart and felt remorse for what he did in killing someone to create the artefact."
"That's where you are wrong," said Severus smugly, "The goblins told me that certain things can kill them. Such as Fiendfyre and basilisk venom. The killing curse doesn't work, since it's a container and doesn't have a heart to stop it makes sense. Admittedly it doesn't help us find them.
"There must be a way," said Lucius desperation leaking from every pore on his body.
"Do you still have the information on Tom Riddle?" enquired Severus, sitting forward it was a good a place to begin as any.
"I do not get rid of anything," said Lucius smugly.
"Then perhaps we can get an answer in the files," said Severus, "He has to keep them somewhere."
"Tom had an unnatural interest in anything related to the founders of Hogwarts." Minerva added.
"That's because he was related to Salazar Slytherin," said Lucius brushing it off as unimportant.
"Hold on a minute, she has a valid point, how many items? Four?" replied Severus thoughtfully. "A sword for Gryffindor and a pendant for Slytherin…what were the others?" if he had three or four, it might be the Horcruxes.
"Ravenclaw's diadem," said Minerva.
"The Huffelpuff cup," croaked Lucius realization sparking in his eyes. Oh he was such an idiot, how many times had he listened to Bellatrix bragging about it over the years?! To think he'd dismissed it, it looked like Minerva really knew what she was talking about. "It seems I owe you an apology Minerva."
"Excuse me?" asked Minerva taken aback; she certainly never expected those words to ever leave Lucius Malfoy's lips.
"Before the Dark Lord's downfall, before the fate that befell the Longbottom's…Bellatrix often commented on being the Dark Lords most faithful, that he had entrusted to her a valuable item. Hufflepuff's gold chalice." explained Lucius.
Then it dawned on him…he too had received something from the Dark Lord "Excuse me." he said his voice impassive but his eyes filled with worry, he Floo'ed out of Prince manor as if the grim was on his heels.
"What the hell?" murmured Minerva baffled.
Severus stared at the fireplace with a look of contemplation on his face.
There we go sorry its not more i've not got the time to write anything else tonight so will it be easy for them to get the horcruxes so its more about harry growing up? or would you prefer it be both? searching long term showing the difficulty? R&R oh and would you prefer me to update invisible tomorrow? i kinda feel bad for leaving you all at such a big cliffhanger :)