Chapter 14

Trinkets

"CRUCIO!"

Voldemort's high-pitched voice boomed throughout the house Rodolphus Lestrange shared with his wife Bellatrix. Voldemort's usually pale face burned an intense red.

"Crucio!" he roared again and Rodolphus fell to the floor screaming and writhing in agony.

Bellatrix and several others in the room, all dressed in identical black capes, began leaping out of the way as Voldemort shot random curses throughout the room. Furniture and ornaments exploded into flames and holes punched through walls as Voldemort continued to rage.

"How could anyone have gotten to it?" Voldemort hissed, directing his attention to Bellatrix. "I ordered you to protect it with your life!"

Bellatrix cowered low on the floor shielding her head from falling debris.

"Master, Master please!" she cried. "I set up traps, it would have been impossible for anyone to escape from them."

"IMPOSSIBLE? CRUCIO!"

Bellatrix screamed loudly as the curse hit her and her whole body shook violently.

"It should have been at Gringotts where I told you to keep it," Voldemort hissed. "BUT NO! You thought you knew better, believed it would be safer at your home than in a high security bank!"

He bent down, leant very close to Bellatrix's face and she could feel hot air from his slitted nostrils on her cheek.

"What else is missing?" he asked quietly.

Bellatrix frowned, confused.

"I-uh, nothing Master."

"What I wonder then is why someone broke into your home, so full of valuable items, and the only thing left with was a… tiny… little… cup?"

As Voldemort spoke he lowered his voice so that Bellatrix had to lean closer to hear him.

"Unless they knew that it had been Hufflepuff's cup…" Bellatrix said just as quietly. "But I swear I never told that to no one."

"If they knew it was mine…" Voldemort trailed off, lost in thought.

A brief tingle ran down his spine. He wondered if it could be possible the intruder had known the true value of the cup; knew that it was a horcrux. If that were the case, he thought, there was only one man he should be suspicious of – Albus Dumbledore.

Voldemort stood up and rushed out of the room leaving Bellatrix on the floor. He needed to check on his other horcruxes, just to be safe.

Dumbledore watched as Lily turned the tiny cup over in her hands.

"It certainly looks like Huffelpuff's badger emblem," she said.

The Headmaster got up from his chair and carefully took down Gryffindor's sword that hung in a glass case behind his desk. He gestured for Lily to place the cup on the desk.

"If we are wrong then our only loss is a perfectly pretty cup." Dumbledore said lifting the tip of the sword to the china.

"And Severus," Lily added sombrely. "We almost lost him."

Dumbledore gave her a small smile and lowered his eyes to the cup. In a rapid movement, he began to hack at the cup. Loud wails echoed through the office and Dumbledore and Lily had to cover their ears. When the noise finally stopped, the cup lay on the desk in several pieces.

"Well," Dumbledore said as he hung the sword back on the wall. "That certainly proves that we had a horcrux on our hands; Severus did a splendid job."

Lily watched as Dumbledore picked up all the shattered pieces of the cup and moved to one of the portraits on the wall, trying to wake him up.

"Excuse me Dexter," he said. "Sorry to wake you up."

"Oh fine!" the portrait of an old man with chubby cheeks grumbled. "It's not like I asked for this job you know."

The portrait swung out and revealed a small combination safe behind it. Dumbledore grinned at Lily as he unlocked it.

"You can't beat Muggle technologies for some things," he said.

Inside the safe lay what had been the prized possessions of Voldemort, items that had once contained pieces of his soul; now they were just broken trinkets. Dumbledore placed the pieces of broken cup into the safe alongside the locket, diary and ring.

"Do you mind if I take the locket?" Lily asked peering in over Dumbledore's shoulder. "I told Hepzibah Smith's cousin that I would."

Dumbledore considered the jewellery for a moment.

"Well, it is no longer a horcrux so no dark magic remains," he said. "I believe that should be fine."

Lily planted a kiss on Dumbledore's cheek and reached into the safe for the locket.

"Thank you Albus, it'll mean a lot to an old woman."

Dumbledore shut the safe and pushed the portrait back in place.

"I can't help wondering though," Lily said. "We've destroyed four horcruxes now but we still don't really know for sure how many still exist. Does that mean we can't ever go after Voldemort because there might always still be one out there? What if he's still making them?"

"Every horcrux destroyed means we have a greater chance of victory when we do finally go after him."

"So he can't be resurrected, I know it," Lily said. "How long should we be willing to wait if we can't find them all? Tell me that you at least plan to let the Order go after Voldemort regardless of whether we get all the horcruxes or not."

Dumbledore lowered his head and looked at Lily over the rim of his glasses.

"Of course Lily. In fact, the time for action is drawing near."

As Lily walked down the corridor away from Dumbledore's office, she found herself headed towards the hospital wing. She pushed the ward door open slowly and stepped inside. The room was completely dark except for a single candle burning on the table beside Severus' bed. Lily sat down next to Severus and watched him sleep; a deep frown line etching his face. Lily smiled – even in his sleep Severus was frowning as if something was annoying him. Yet still, Lily thought, he looked too peaceful for a man who had just been through the hell he had.

She sat watching him for a long time, holding Severus' hand as he slept. After a while, Lily's eyes grew heavy and when she stood up to leave, Severus grabbed onto her hand.

"L-Lily?"

"I have to go," she said smiling kindly. "You need your rest."

"Please," Severus asked, the word sticking in his dry throat. "Please stay."

Lily hesitated before sitting back down.

"How are you feeling?"

"I have been better."

"What about your legs, are you in much pain?"

"Painful regrowing bones together? Very!" He gave Lily a sly grin. "What is more painful however is that now I owe Sirius Black for saving my life."

Lily laughed aloud, flashing white teeth.

"From what I hear you're pretty much even in the saving stakes," she said. "I'm just happy you're alright, you had me worried for a while there."

"Really? I did not know you cared that much."

"Well… I do."

Severus shook his head in disbelief.

"I never expected you to forgive me for what happened with James, let alone think it would be possible to be friends again."

"So much has happened in this past year and it's helped remind me that I need to live in the present. I believe it's important to honour the past, acknowledge it, but not live in it."

Severus squeezed Lily's hand and she smiled. He noted a light in her eyes, a brightness that he hadn't seen since Lily's return to Hogwarts.

"I am glad to hear that," Severus told her.

"Plus," Lily said. "I'm enjoying my new role at Hogwarts and my work for the Order, this with you and Albus too. I guess I've already begun forging my new life and maybe one day when all the pain has disappeared, I might even be able to appreciate it."

"I am happy for you Lily, really. Seeing you like this means a lot to me."

Lily closed her eyes and took in a long deep breath then released it.

"I guess I feel somewhat healed… if that's at all possible."

"I wish things had worked out differently between us," Severus said quietly. "I wish I had made better choices."

"Maybe you just needed the time to find yourself."

"Like that did any good! Here I am all these years later and I still seem to be searching."

It was Lily's turn to squeeze Severus' hand.

"You will, Sev. I think you're on the right path now at least."

"Do you think the two of us could have ever worked out?" he asked. "I mean, if we had been more than friends?"

A slight grin curled the corner of Lily's mouth.

"You and me married with kids? I don't know. I guess we could have worked."

The bright early morning light was shining in through the tall windows of the hospital ward when Dumbledore poked his head through the doors. He was keen to check on Severus' progress, to see how the night had treated him. Severus lay asleep on the bed, Lily dozing on the chair beside him. Lily's head rested against Severus' leg, her hands firmly gripping one of his.

Dumbledore let out a sigh and smiled. He left the ward and pulled the door gently closed behind him.

When Lucius Malfoy opened his front door, Voldemort was the last person he had expected to see standing on the other side.

"M-Master!" Malfoy stuttered. "What a pleasant surprise."

Voldemort pushed past him and entered the manor, waiting for Malfoy in the sitting room.

"I do not care much for surprises myself Lucius," Voldemort said. "So you can imagine how I felt to find that someone had broken into Rodolphus' house."

"Broke in? I don't understand. Who-"

Voldemort raised a hand to stop him.

"The book I gave you to hold onto for me Lucius, where is it?"

Malfoy swallowed hard.

"Th-the b-book Master?"

"Yes, Lucius. I wish to see it."

Malfoy's eyes darted nervously about the room, as if seeking help from the lifeless stuffed hunting trophies that hung on the walls.

"Why do you ask my Lord?" he asked. "The book is well protected, just like it has always been."

"That," Voldemort hissed. "Is not what I asked you. Give me the book now."

When Malfoy did not respond, Voldemort leaned in close, his hot breath on Malfoy's neck.

"Do you still have my book?"

"Y-yes my Lord."

"LIAR!"

Voldemort's voice echoed throughout the room; fury flushed in his scarlet eyes.

"CRUCIO!"

The curse sent Malfoy to the floor, his limbs flailing about wildly as he screamed for mercy.

"Tell me the truth!"

Malfoy rolled onto his back, panting.

"Your book, it… it was stolen."

Voldemort let out a howl that shook the foundations of the house. He pointed a hand at Malfoy and an invisible wind lifted him into the air.

"Who would be stupid enough to steal from the Dark Lord?" Voldemort asked.

"Snape!" Malfoy cried. "It was Severus Snape."

Voldemort let out another shrill shriek and Malfoy went flying across the room. He landed against a bookshelf and as he hit the ground, was showered in books. Voldemort set upon him and pointed a long white finger in his face.

"You have but one chance to redeem yourself Lucius," he hissed. "Severus Snape and Albus Dumbledore – you will destroy them both."

"Y-yes."

"If you do not then it will be your life in exchange for theirs, understood?"

With a flash of his black cape, Voldemort stormed angrily out of Malfoy Manor, his worst fears having been realised.

By the time a fortnight had passed, Severus' legs had completely healed and the effects of the poison had long left his body. Although Severus had been insisting he was fine enough to return to work just days after the events at the Lestrange house, Dumbledore had forbidden it. The only thing that annoyed Severus more than Dumbledore confining him to his quarters to rest was that when he grew bored of his own book collections and had to keep venturing into the library to find new ones.

It was after dinner one evening when Severus made one of his frequent library journeys. His legs were still rather weak and Severus had been walking with the aid of a cane; as he walked into the library, he glowered menacingly at students as they watched him with curiosity. But for once in his life Severus decided that he didn't care what anyone else thought of him.

He was scanning the shelves in the restricted section of the library when Lily found him.

"There you are!" she teased. "I don't think Albus would be happy if he knew you've been sneaking out of your room."

"Let him be unhappy," Severus grumbled. "I am sick of being a prisoner in my quarters."

"Well then, I've got some good news. That's why I was looking for you, Albus wants to see us."

"Ah! The Headmaster releases me from my shackles."

"Don't be mad at him Severus, he was just being protective. I don't think he can help himself; he did the same thing to me."

In the Headmaster's office Dumbledore, Severus and Lily sat together around the fireplace.

"I do not mean to seem callous here," Dumbledore said. "But we can ill afford to be this far behind in our mission."

"Agreed," Severus said. "But where do we go from here?"

"Consider what we know about Riddle's life already," Dumbledore instructed. "Try and think of anything we might have missed."

"At school he was an exemplary student," Lily started. "He got high grades, was a prefect and Head Boy. There's nothing to indicate anything untoward while he was here at least."

Need I remind you that the diary horcrux was made during his time as a student," said Dumbledore.

"Still only a boy but already a murderer," Severus added.

"Perhaps we need to rethink what we already know about the horcruxes we have found," Dumbledore said scratching his head. "It may just give us some insight into those we are still looking for. What about the first item?"

"The ring," said Severus. "It had obvious personal meaning being a family heirloom."

"And it linked Salazar Slytherin to Riddle by blood," Lily added.

"And the ring was hidden in the family home," Dumbledore concluded. "And the second horcrux?"

"The diary," offered Lily. "It could have represented Riddle's new life, the beginning of his time at Hogwarts and journey into the Wizarding world."

"Which he left in the safe hands of a trusted follower," Dumbledore said grinning.

"But the locket and Hufflepuff's cup," Lily wondered. "How important do you think the Hogwarts founders connection might be?"

Dumbledore stroked his long beard. "I had been wondering that myself."

"Do you think the Dark Lord is planning some sort of founders exhibit?" Severus said sarcastically. "I thought that a horcrux needed to be something personal."

"Not necessarily," Dumbledore said. "In fact one could make a horcrux out of an old tin can if they so wished. But really, why would anyone want their soul trapped forever in a baked bean tin? I suspect Voldemort's love of Hogwarts; his feeling that this school was his one true home, the whole mystique of the founder's story could have captured a young Riddle's imagination."

"Do you think Voldemort could have used items belonging to Gryffindor and Ravenclaw as well?" Lily asked.

Dumbledore pointed to the sword hanging on the wall behind his desk.

"I know he could never get his hands on that sword due to the very nature of having to acquire it," he said.

"What about Rowena Ravenclaw then?"

They all thought in silence for several minutes.

"Ahem!"

A voice coughed loudly to get their attention.

"I said… ahem!"

"Ah, Helitrope," Dumbledore said addressing a portrait on his wall. "What can I do for you?"

"What can you do? Listen to me Albus Dumbledore!" The stern-faced woman in the portrait crossed her arms in annoyance. "As a proud Ravenclaw I am highly offended that none of you know about the diadem. Have you had no education in history?"

"If you are going to talk then you had better start being helpful," Severus grumbled. "I am not about to start taking insults from a painting."

Helitrope squinted her eyes at Severus then addressed Dumbledore.

"Ravenclaw's diadem, it doesn't ring a bell with you?"

"Please Helitrope," Dumbledore sighed. "Just tell us what you know."

"Rowena Ravenclaw had a magnificent diadem, a tiara that served as a symbol of her wisdom and brilliance. Sadly it vanished, disappeared out of history long ago."

Dumbledore, Severus and Lily looked at each other in anticipation.

"How long exactly has it been missing?" Severus asked.

"For almost as many years as Hogwarts itself has been a school."

"Well," Severus grumbled. "That is at least one thing Riddle did not get a chance to steal."

"Maybe not," Lily said. "But what if he found it?"

Dumbledore pursed his lips and considered her.

"It is quite possible."

"Ha!" Helitrope balked from her place on the wall. "The diadem has been missing since Rowena Ravenclaw herself was still alive. What chance do you think anyone else had of finding it when she couldn't find it herself?"

"Quiet Helitrope," Dumbledore ordered. "If Voldemort did somehow find it, we can safely assume that it is now a horcrux."

Severus pushed his chair back in frustration and stood up, pacing.

"I am tired of playing hide and seek!"

"We have greater concerns than childish game playing," Dumbledore responded. "I fear that after the events at the Lestrange and Malfoy homes that Voldemort should have realised by now someone is after his horcruxes."

"And it will not take a genius to figure out that it is you behind it," Severus added.

"Indeed."

"So what do we do now then?" Lily asked.

"I want you and Severus to find out what you can about this lost diadem. If we presume that Voldemort found it, knowing where and how he found it may help us determine where it could be now."