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The Beginning of the End

The fireplace burst with green flames, spitting out a jumble of dark clothing and hair onto Dumbledore's office floor. Dumbledore slowly stood from his spot by the window where he'd sat earlier in the evening while watching his students roam the grounds enjoying the fact exams were over and summer awaited them. If Dumbledore had not witnessed this scene a few times before, he'd be amazed a Black could be so ungraceful and uncoordinated, but it only meant Regulus had found the last, unknown Horcrux.

"Where is it?" Dumbledore asked as the flames died and Regulus leaped to his feet with the agility of youth.

"Godric's Hallow."

Dumbledore was taken aback. "Where he met his downfall? How can that be?"

"I know we crossed it off earlier, as we assumed he had no ties to the village other than where he met his match, but it is a village with a lot of wizarding history and many prominent wizards hail from there. That in itself would appeal to him. Also, he found…your sister."

"My sister?"

"I searched the graveyard, looking at graves and trying to find any relatives to Voldemort," Regulus went on, too caught up in his adrenaline to notice Dumbledore's battle to keep himself collected. "Tom mentioned he was related to the Perevelles. There was a collection of them in the graveyard, but none of these Perevelles are from the branch that Tom's related to, but I found your family graves."

Regulus looked up, his face shining with triumph. Dumbledore looked pleasantly interested and Regulus pushed on.

"So, then, as I was standing there, this old lady comes walking up. She's really old, older than dirt from the looks of it, but she says she's Bathilda Bagshot. The name sounded familiar, so I chatted with her. She thought it strange I was standing in the graveyard at this time of night, but I said I was looking for family, only got distracted by seeing the headmaster's surname. She proceeded to tell me quite a tale, sir, but the important bit: your sister."

"Why is my sister important?"

"Because, sir, Calliope Riddle was Voldemort's sister."

"She did not die—"

"He did not know that."

"So, what does that have to do with my sister?"

Regulus swallowed and looked unsure. "Well, sir, he disliked you. That much we all know, what if he…"

"Used our old home as a place to hide a Horcrux connected to his sister?"

Regulus nodded. "Ms Bagshot pointed out the home where your family dwelled when I walked her back to her own. After I saw her to her home, I checked out the place and it felt…strange. There was a family living there, so I was unable to go inside, but there was something in the back garden. Something not right."

"We cannot break into a family home, Regulus."

"I know, sir. I do not believe we will have to, as the ominous feeling is from the garden and that area of the garden is overgrown with weeds. The garden backs up against a hedge that has been uncared for and another house that is abandoned. We can try to investigate by going in through the abandoned lot. Between the weed and the hedge, the family living in your old home won't notice us. I believe the Horcrux, like the others, might be located underground."

"The one in the school was not underground," Dumbledore mildly pointed out.

"Nor the one hidden with Malfoy, sir, but the others have all been underground. He buries them like a pirate buries his treasure."

Dumbledore let out a weak chuckle. He did not wish to go back to Godric's Hallow. After Ariana died and was buried, Dumbledore had fled the village and never set foot in it again. He was willing to when the nasty business with the Potters had begun, but they had chosen Peter Pettigrew as their Secret-Keeper, saving Dumbledore from having to visit the village, yet dooming themselves. He hadn't even gone to investigate the area Voldemort met his so-called end. He'd sent Hagrid.

It seemed to be time to return.

"Regulus, take the Floo to Three Broomsticks. I will go by foot and meet you outside. Rosemerta must see us head to Hogshead. I have a feeling whatever Mr Nott is up to will come to a head tonight."

Regulus looked momentarily confused before he nodded. He went to the fireplace, threw in the Floo powder, and was gone. Dumbledore took a moment to gather his traveling cloak before he sent a note to Severus via Fawkes.

"Tell him it's tonight. Be prepared," he said before exiting his office.

He slowly walked down the halls of the school, taking his time to enjoy the corridors he knew so well. As he neared the living areas, the noise grew as most of the students were returning to their Common Rooms for the night. He smiled as he passed a few students.

This would be the last time he walked the corridors of the building where he'd run after the horrible events of that summer after his graduation from the same school he'd taken solace.

That was all he'd done: run away.

He'd never forgiven himself, never allowed himself to possess any power at all. And he'd been right, as when presented with the Resurrection Stone, he'd worn it heedless of the curse upon it.

It was fitting he was slowly being killed for his greed. His greed before had led to an innocence's death.

"Professor Dumbledore?"

Dumbledore startled at the voice, turning to find Adelaide Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks both standing before him. Nymphadora looked much rosier than she'd been looking previously. Her hair was bright pink again. Seemed things with Remus were going well.

"Ah, you've arrived," Dumbledore answered by way of greeting. "Good, good. Are more on the way?"

Adelaide nodded. "I had a feeling tonight was the night. Not the exact date I remember, but close."

Nymphadora looked confused but said nothing.

"Keep them safe," Dumbledore said before bidding the pair goodnight and heading down the stairs to the Entrance Hall. It was still filled with students, milling around and socializing. He spotted Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy, an unlikely pair, arguing about something. Behind them stood another person Dumbledore never thought he'd seen within the walls again: Tom Riddle. Upon catching sight of Dumbledore, Tom bashed the two boy's heads together, despite their height difference, and said a few sharp words.

Dumbledore rose his hand in farewell before going out the front doors. He ambled through the grounds till he started up the path leading to Hogsmeade in the gathering twilight. He enjoyed the smells of warm grass, lake water, and wood smoke coming from Hagrid's cabin. He felt at peace.

He opened the gates and headed down the deserted lane to Hogsmeade, the darkness descending fast as he walked towards the High Street. By the time he reached the High Street, night had fallen in earnest and the twinkling lights in the shop windows were his only light till the street lamps were lit in a few minutes. As he neared Three Broomsticks, he noticed Regulus lurking in the shadows. There was raucous shouting coming from within the pub.

"—and stay out!" shouted Madam Rosemerta, forcibly ejecting a grubby-looking wizard. "Oh, hello, Albus…out for a late stroll."

"Good evening, Rosemerta, good evening. Forgive me, but I felt like a drink. As I feel I need a quieter atmosphere, I'll be heading down to Hog's Head."

The bespelled (it was easy for Dumbledore to figure that out after what happened to Katie Bell) barkeep nodded and returned inside. Dumbledore continued to walk towards the pub till he was joined by Regulus. After a quick glance around, he nodded.

"Where shall we head?" Dumbledore asked.

"The Potter's. We'll walk from there," Regulus said and popped away.

Dumbledore shortly followed.

"It's tonight," Tom said, knocking their heads together. "Gather the forces. I'll get the badges I've managed to finish. Meet in Luna's room. I've already alerted Luna."

"I'll hold the door," Luna said, skipping passed the boys and heading upstairs.

"What Order members are here?" Draco asked, rubbing his forehead where it'd rammed into Harry's.

"Tonks, Addy, Lupin, and I think the eldest Weasley are on patrol."

Draco nodded. "Harry, alert Sirius and tell him to let Mother know. I'll go find Hermione. She's got the main coin."

Harry nodded, darting off. Draco turned on his heel and hurried towards the library where he knew Hermione was doing revision for her upcoming internship at the Ministry in the Magical Animal division (Draco couldn't remember the actual name). He ought to be doing some sort of revision as well, just in case he did get the Spellsmith internship, as they'd not let anyone know as of yet according to the last letter he'd gotten as they'd gotten so many qualified applicants they were having trouble choosing. Draco was supposed to find by next week.

Upon finding Hermione in a quiet corner, he sat down, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. She looked up a soft smile on her face. It fell off once she saw his expression and she grew very serious.

"It's tonight?"

Draco nodded.

"It's earlier than before," Hermione remarked, closing up her book and putting it on the cart to be returned.

"Dumbledore left the school, making sure we saw him as he is getting his badges and Luna's holding the room open on the second floor near the toilets. You've got the magic coin?"

Hermione gave him a dirty look. "Always. What should we say?"

"Luna's Room, 20:00."

Hermione nodded, programming the message. She sent it and waited a moment.

"What are we to do till then?" Hermione questioned, putting the coin back into her pocket.

Draco had so many things he wanted to do but knew many of them were inappropriate, so instead he settled on dragging Hermione into a dark corner and kissing her as if it were the last time he'd be able to do so.

Tom stood stiffly side by side with Harry at the front of the room. Luna flounced in, the old, oaken door shutting quietly behind her. Harry squared his shoulders and clutched the clipboard. Everyone was either examining the musical buttons Tom had provided or staring at Harry with ashen expressions. Harry cleared his throat and the whole room fell silent.

"Uh, as you know, you've willingly joined…the school's army should the school ever come under attack. Whilst there are…adults here to patrol the hallways, tonight we fear there will be a direct attack on the school from the Death Eaters."

"How do you know this?" Zacharias Smith called out.

Tom still wasn't sure how he had wound up in the group.

"Dumbledore left the school tonight," Harry reported. "Whilst he's been doing this all year, tonight he made sure we saw him. As you are aware several attacks have been made on students throughout the year, likely by someone who has the job of killing Dumbledore. Tonight, while he's outside the school, we believe this person will let the Death Eaters in and finish the job."

"You think there's a student in league with the Death Eaters?" someone called out and muttering broke out across the room.

"Of course there is," Weasley shouted over the muttering.

"Well, who is it? A Slytherin?"

"So what if it is? His family are all Death Eaters and he's being punished for his families failing from last summer," Zabini proclaimed as if he was simply stating the weather forecasted for the day and the group were all morons for not knowing.

"If you know who it is—" started Smith.

"SHUP UP," Harry bellowed. "It doesn't matter at the moment who it is, it matters we protect this school. It is OUR school. Not THEIR school. If they THINK they can get THEIR Death Munchers in here, THEY are going to be in for a major surprise. Do you think they even KNOW what we've been doing behind the scenes? Outside of our usual meetings at Dueling Club?"

The group shifted, but Tom could see several people smiling.

"Exactly. They don't know we've been doing outside Dueling Club to protect our school."

Tom shook his head, hoping Harry would stop talking soon. If he kept going, he was going to be giving a long winded speech and they didn't have the time for that.

"Right, so, I've got your assignments. You'll all be stationed all over the school. Tom?"

Tom waded through the crowd. He pointed his wand at the clipboard Harry was extending, then threw the assignments up into the air so everyone could read them from where they stood. He wasn't sure the assignments would be all that surprising, as they'd been doing these sort of drills since they'd returned from the holidays. Tom met his group of Luna, Ginny, and Dean Thomas. After making sure the three under his care all had wands and Ginny had access to her button easily, Tom led them to the seventh-floor corridor outside the room where Nott and his band of Death Munchers would burst forth.

The village hadn't changed that much at first glance, but it was dark, so it might have. Regulus didn't linger in the spot they'd Apparated, not bothering to look at the cottages on the narrow row or take note of the transformed war memorial as he walked passed it. Dumbledore paused to take in the three figures seated together: a man with untidy hair and glasses, a woman with long hair and a kind, pretty face, and a baby boy sitting in her arms. Sighing, Dumbledore strode off to catch up with Regulus.

Regulus knew where he was going and found the small cottage easily. Before Dumbledore even reached it, he felt the dark, sinister magic that was familiar and unwanted. He came to stand next to Regulus.

"I wonder how these poor people live here?"

"Unhappily," Regulus murmured as shouts sounded from within the cottage and a plate smashed against the wall. "The Horcrux and the enchantments on the hidden place have been influencing anyone who lives nearby. A pair of Muggles live there now. And it's the only house not abandoned within the Horcrux reach."

Dumbledore glanced around. Regulus was correct. The entire neighborhood was unlived in and crumbling save for his old house and Bathilda's home across the street.

"Well, let us rid them of this influence, shall we?"

Regulus nodded, leading the way into the overgrown bush. Dumbledore snooped as he followed the shorter man. He stood up straight as the bush opened up and created a hallowed room, at which at the center was a magical door that Dumbledore knew was there, but it was unlikely Regulus knew.

"You were correct," Dumbledore said, stepping around the room. "Even if this room wasn't magically here, there is a door here."

"I knew it," Regulus muttered, pressing his lips tightly together.

Dumbledore raised his hands, feeling the spot in the center of the chamber. It was familiar magic. He began to murmur in the language of Ancient Runes, feeling out the magic and trying to guess how to make the door appear. He sighed when he concluded Voldemort had no creativity.

"It's the same as the cave," he complained.

"Honestly?"

"Hmmm," Dumbledore muttered, pulling his wand out. "I guess since you and Adelaide were both dead, he feared no one would figure this out."

"Or he wanted them to," Regulus offered as Dumbledore slashed his wand across his palm. Regulus flinched but hadn't offered to make the blood payment. He knew better by now.

As soon as the blood hit the door, it appeared; darkly shimmering into existence. It blazed white around the edges before flattening itself into the ground and opening to reveal a twisting staircase.

"Ah, seems you were right once more," Dumbledore proclaimed, healing the cut on his palm.

Regulus grunted, putting his wand up high and lighting it. He did not look excited to be venturing underground. Without offering to go first or stating he was going to, Regulus charged down the stairs. Tutting, Dumbledore followed. The stairs weren't very long, maybe only a floor down. Dumbledore half expected to find another lake, but instead, there was simply another magical doorway. Regulus looked around, confused.

"It's another hidden passage," Dumbledore said, approaching the spot. "This one is different. Something new."

Dumbledore felt around, muttering again. This door felt young, vibrate, and giddy to be found. It was strange. The door in the cave was dark, calm, while the protections at the Gaunt hovel were similar, yet cruder. This enchantment was more advanced than either, meaning this was likely the last place he had hidden a Horcrux before his downfall. According to Narcissa Malfoy's theory, this Horcrux was made from the death of Regulus' father, Orion Black.

"What does it want?"

"Familial blood," Dumbledore realized. "Mine won't do, as I've never been related to Voldemort."

Regulus looked horrified. "You mean we've got to go get Tom?"

"No, I'm sure your blood will do, as you are a Black," Dumbledore gently reminded him. "I am sure it'll open for a Black, no matter how distantly related."

"Rather distantly," Regulus grunted, giving Dumbledore a look. Dumbledore mildly smiled, knowing where the giddiness of the magic came from Atlanta Siria Black.

Regulus cut his own palm, dripping blood where Dumbledore indicated. As the blood hit the spot, a chest appeared.

Dumbledore gasped.

"What?" Regulus asked, wiping his palm on his dark trousers. "You've seen this before?"

"In fact I have," Dumbledore said, circling the old school chest. "I was with her when we bought it on our trip to Diagon Alley. She liked it because it was purple and green."

It was faintly purple, but the green had long since turned black. Regulus squatted down and stared at the inscription on the front, reading, "Calliope Wren Riddle."

"After she had gone missing, her trunk was put into Slughorn's care. He allowed me to search it during my own search for the child, but I found nothing of value within it."

He left out he'd kept the guitar, partly because it was interesting magic and partly because he knew he'd one day see the child again as he'd found the school bag from the future. He figured Tom knew the child was from the future, hence why he kept her around in the first place.

"Why is it here?"

"The last thing he turned into a Horcrux before he set after Harry was tied to Calliope," Dumbledore said, circling the trunk once more.

It was protected by some powerful curses, yet it was easy for the right person to get through. He wanted a bit more time to study the weaving of the magic before allowing Regulus to open the trunk.

"Before Harry? How do you know?"

"The magic here is only slightly younger than the magic in the cave," Dumbledore explained, "It's also sophisticated, delicate, and thought out. He learned from his mistakes in the cave."

Regulus nodded.

Dumbledore made one more circuit before backing up. "Regulus, open it."

"What?" the younger man squeaked. "It cannot be that easy."

"Trust me, it is."

Regulus gave him an unsure look, but stepped forward and flung the trunk open. He waited for a booby trap to go off, but when no such thing happened he looked bemused.

"I do not believe he thought anyone other than himself or Calliope would ever set foot within this chamber."

"But, he put it here to mock you," Regulus pointed out.

"Exactly. I would be able to get this far if I happened upon it, but I'd be unable to open the trunk without giving my life to the dark curses, hexes, and enchantments surrounding it. However, I brought a member of the Black family with me, and anyone remotely related to Voldemort, Calliope, Tom, or Remus Lupin would have full access to this trunk."

"Lupin? Oh, Calliope was his daughter," Regulus remembered. "That is quite a few people."

"Ah, but he is arrogant. Sirius, yourself, and your father were dealt with. Anyone else related to you was loyal to him and would never set foot within these four walls without his permission, which he'd never give."

Regulus shook his head.

"Also, his Death Eaters aren't privy to the knowledge of the Horcruxes," Dumbledore reminded the boy. "He trusted two with his Death Eaters without telling them what they were. Those, I trust, he cared little about what happened to, but this. This is his sister. His one weakness. What is in the trunk?"

Regulus glanced at Dumbledore before kneeling in the dirt and reaching into the trunk slowly as if he was worried something would chomp his hand off. While there were enchantments to do that, his blood saved him.

"It's a…patch. Covered in dried blood," Regulus whispered, pulling out a patch that clearly had been ripped off some black robes. Dumbledore stepped closer, but not too close as there were still quite a few curses on the patch that would kill him. "It's a Gryffindor patch. Did he simply settle for a patch since Gryffindor didn't leave behind a relic other than the sword?"

Dumbledore shook his head, waving his hand above the patch. Angry green sparks rose out of the patch.

"That belonged to Atlanta Lupin," Dumbledore explained. "He got a hold of it when she time traveled. I found the pair at St Mungo's in 1943. Atlanta had broken her nose. From the state of her, I'd say she bled all over herself and Voldemort. She used the robes to stanch it, I believe. The robe this patch was upon."

Dumbledore's mind whirled.

"Her blood. That's how he was able to pull her through time using the Diary Horcrux," Regulus breathed. "And then…he turned this into a Horcrux?"

Dumbledore nodded. "I did bring the fang if you wish to do the honors here."

Reaching into his robes, he drew out the Basilisk fang Harry Potter had left with him with no thought four years before. He extended it to Regulus, who had yet to destroy a Horcrux. He swallowed, taking the fang from Dumbledore. Before the Horcrux could react in the horrible way they usually did to being stabbed, Regulus stabbed it clear through. It screamed a horrible blood curtly scream, green smoke rising up and curling around the fang, then Regulus' arm. He let go and dropped the smoking patch and fang to the ground.

"That was horrible. How have you destroyed so many?" Regulus breathed, panting and sweat trickling down his brow.

Dumbledore quirked an eyebrow. "It was ghastly but necessary."

Regulus nodded. "Well, that was one dark thing destroyed." He bent over and retrieved the fang. "Best get on with the rest of it."

Dumbledore nodded, raising his wand.

"The troops are getting anxious."

"I know. But, they'll just have to wait."

"One group's already been found by the Order members," Hermione reported, pressing her hand to her ear to listen to something being broadcast quietly from the earring she was wearing.

"Who found them?"

"Tonks and Addy."

"Okay."

"Yeah, they didn't seem to care. What is up with Tonks? She's so…vibrate."

"No idea."

"Have you spoken to Addy?"

"About what?"

"About her and Regulus? Neither you nor Draco knew if she'd accepted his proposal."

"Is not the time to talk about that?"

"I'm just curious."

"I'm not," Harry grumped. "She turned my hair pink."

Undoing all the Dark magic within the hiding spot drained Dumbledore. He felt as if he had gone five rounds with a hippogriff. He sagged as he reached the top of the stairs, almost careering into Regulus.

"Sir?"

"I am fine, Regulus."

"No, you are not. It's moving, isn't it?"

Dumbledore looked up, clicking his tongue. "It is rather hard to keep secrets these days, isn't it?"

"When you've got time travelers who know the secrets already, then yes," Regulus answered, taking Dumbledore by the elbow. "We'll get you back to Severus."

"I believe it will be too late for Severus."

"It'll never be too late for Severus, sir."