Chapter 51: Free Room and Lodging with the Family with a Dark Past

I arrived in the Herze mansion together with Harry, Hermione and Ron. Ron's face was laughable when he first glimpsed our home.

"Blimey! I didn't know going to my first Order meeting would come with first-class accommodations!"

"Ronald, shut your mouth! We're here as guests!"

Harry's jaw dropped as he stepped inside.

"Now, Hermione, I know you're still advocating elf rights, and we have house elves here. Can you do me a favor and not give them heart attack? I promise they had not been maltreated in any way. Their sleeping quarters are superb and we treat them like family. My personal house elf helped raise me when I was still a baby."

Hermione just nodded.

"I'm impressed, 'Mione! I didn't know Ianthé here could shut you up!" Ron joked.

A neatly dressed house elf appeared before them, "Young Miss, Young Master Viktor is waiting for you in the dining room together with your friends. I'll take care of their bags."

"Thanks, Rissie. Take their bags to the three adjoining guest rooms in our wing. I'll lead them there after dinner."

The house elf nodded. She took Harry's and Ron's bags easily but had a difficult time trying to pry Hermione's from the girl's hands.

"Miss, please let me!" the house elf squeaked.

When Hermione finally let go, the house elf gave a breath of relief and disappeared with their bags.

"Come on, let's eat dinner and we'll talk there."

The dining room opened to find Viktor waiting for them.

Ianthé sat down across him while Hermione sat beside Ianthé. Ron and Harry sat opposite Hermione.

"I didn't know you two lived together!" Hermione exclaimed, "I thought you still lived in Bulgaria!"

"Well, we're living under one roof since our engagement during Théa's fifth year. She spends her holidays in Bulgaria with me. When this war began, I decided to live here and help together with the rest of the family."

"You mean you got engaged at fifteen?" Harry was shocked.

"Pureblood wizarding families often arranged their daughters to be engaged, but I haven't heard of anything like that for a long time," Ron explained.

"Well, it was an arrangement of sorts, but Viktor and I fell in love in the process," Ianthé smiled.

Hermione smiled wistfully, "It's amazing that in the middle of all this chaos, love still exists…"

"We have to, or else we'll all go insane!" Ianthé joked.

"So, what do you want to ask about? Now, Viktor's here to help," Ianthé asked when they were eating their dinner.

"It's like this, how can one destroy a vessel that contained a part of a soul?" Hermione placed her words carefully.

Viktor stopped eating, "It's very difficult to destroy an object made with a very Dark brand of magic. We studied about them in school. The best possible way to destroy such a thing is fire."

"Fire?"

"You see, fire purifies. A soul that is fragmented is impure. With fire to destroy such a thing, it would send the fragmented soul to the depths of Hell. It is the ultimate punishment. The solution, however, differs in every situation."

"That means you couldn't just sic the object into a fireplace."

"Another solution is to destroy the object itself. A soul without a vessel will disintegrate."

Harry nodded.

"I think I finally figured out what you're trying to do…" Ianthé addressed to Harry.

"Voldiefart's made a Horcrux… to make himself invinsible…. Right?"

Harry smiled at Ianthé's stab on Voldemort's name, "I never said anything. Hey, you're in Ravenclaw, right?"

Ianthé nodded.

"Do you know if Ravenclaw had an artifact?"

Ianthé shrugged, "The definition of artifact is anything that the ancient old coot had used in her life. It could mean her knickers or something…"

Ron laughed.

"I'm just lightening up the mood. Rowena Ravenclaw's artifact? Hmm…. I recall from Hogwarts, a History, she had a bronze dagger, hence the color of our House, bronze and blue."

"You read Hogwarts, a History?" Ron asked.

"For light reading. I love History of Magic except for Binns," Ianthé waved her hand as if to dismiss Ron's comment.

Viktor got up, "Your father wanted to talk to me after dinner."

Ianthé nodded as he kissed her forehead.

Viktor left her with the other three in the dining room.

"He really loves you…." Ron commented.

Hermione and Harry looked at him, aghast.

"What? I mean, he talks to her father without even a hint of fear in his eyes…"

Hermione laughed, "When did you become so inquisitive?"

Ianthé smiled at Ron, "It was my father who arranged the two of us."

After dinner, they proceeded to the library. Ianthé took out a small book.

"Here, you will find this particularly interesting…"

Hermione opened the book, "Hogwarts Founders and their Elements. I haven't heard of a book like this!"

She opened the book.

"To save you time, I'll take a shortcut on what the contents of the book are. There are just a few copies of this, and I think Voldemort got hold of one when he was younger, according to my father. That's why we needed to learn what was inside.

Basically, the Hogwarts founders had a particular element. Let's start with your House. Gryffindor, bravery and courage, had the animal lion. Your House colors are red and gold, symbolizing fire, so Gryffindor has also connections with a magical being, the phoenix. Slytherin, cunning and slyness, had the snake. Their colors are green and silver, representing the scales of a Basilisk. Fitting element for them is water, because of the water's adaptability to anything and to any situation."

Hermione took notes on a long piece of parchment.

"My House Ravenclaw had the eagle. My House colors are blue and bronze. Our element is air. The last is Hufflepuff. The animal, the badger, represents the element of earth. Legend has it that Helga Hufflepuff has an astonishing ability when it comes to Herbology."

"So, Gryffindor is fire, Slytherin is water, Ravenclaw is air, and Hufflepuff is earth," Hermione looked at her notes.

"Precisely. Tell me, Harry, remember second year? When the Chamber was opened? Bloody water everywhere…" Ianthé shivered, "Remember that heir of Slytherin rubbish?"

Hermione's eyes sparkled, "I've got it!" She then gave a meaningful look to Harry and Ron.

"Erm, Ianthé, could you…."

Ianthé realized what Hermione meant, "Oh! I'll probably leave you here for a while. This place already has a Silencing Charm but if you want more privacy, say 'Silencio Fortis' to strengthen the charm…" She smiled and closed the door.

Ianthé found Viktor waiting for her near the staircase.

"Ready to go?"

Ianthé shook her head, "They're still talking in the library."

"Shall I go up?"

"Stay here…" Ianthé reached out her hand and sat at the first step of the stairs. Viktor sat next to her. She leaned her head on his shoulder.

"What did Daddy say?"

"We could get married once you come of age. That way, you're entitled not only to the protection of our families but also of both countries."

Ianthé turned Viktor's face to her direction, "Would it really come to that?" Tears fell thickly from her face.

Viktor hugged her tightly and kissed her forehead, "Let's hope not. Let's hope for those beautiful children you often told me about. Let's hope for a better future for our children and Edmond and Andy's."

Ianthé just cried on his chest, "I feel optimistic at times but hopeless the next."

"Don't you worry. I'm always here."

"I know, but what if…."

"Don't even think about finishing that sentence. Your father and my father already developed a flawless plan together with the others…. There are no what ifs…."

Viktor tilted her chin upwards and kissed her deeply.

A small cough came from the direction of the library.

"Er….. Ianthé?"

Ianthé broke from her kiss with Viktor, "Oh!.. Come on, I'll take you to your rooms."

Viktor stood up and offered his hand.

Ianthé took it and he helped her get up.

They led the three to the second floor corridor where each had their own room.

"Where is he going to stay?" Ron pointed to Viktor.

Hermione slapped his arm, "Don't be thick, Ronald! They live together!"

Ron then raised his eyebrows in comprehension.

"Remember to lock your rooms and if you want to, do another Silencing Charm," Ianthé instructed.

Viktor was waiting for her in the room at the end of the hall.

"G'night!"

I don't know if Harry already opened the two memories, or whether he believed what Dumbledore instructed to him. I figured out what one of the vials contained during breakfast the next morning.

Harry was silent from the time he went down with his friends.

Hermione and Ron were still bickering as usual.

After breakfast, however, Harry pulled Ianthé to one corner.

"Where is he?" his eyes nearly bore a hole through Ianthé.

"Who?"

"Snape," he said the name with flourished venom.

"I have no idea but he is in contact with a family member. He knows we're neutral, he was not aware of the shift to the Order."

"Is Malfoy with him?"

"No. According to the reports, they split up after the meeting with Voldemort. Apparently, the Dark Fart didn't like Snape's meddling in Draco's task but he was delighted by the results. Draco is in hiding, from the Order and from Bellatrix. Narcissa is closely watched by an anonymous Order member. That's all I know."

"Dumbledore said I could trust you…"

Ianthé smiled at him, "I questioned him why you were somehow involved in all of this… Although Dumbledore didn't answer me, I think I get the general picture. Voldefart has a very personal vendetta against you, not even his closest Death Eaters could comprehend why you are so important to him or detrimental that's why he wanted you killed. I'm not stupid, Harry. I was placed in Ravenclaw for that matter. There's something about you," she pointed at his scar, "that is absolutely important. With the questions you lot asked me last night, let's say I could help you in research and refuge. That's all I could offer. The fighting would still be in your hands."

Harry smiled at her, "How come you were unnoticeable for the past six years in school?"

"Oh, believe me, I was around, but I like the quiet life… I think it's not in my nature to just pounce and fight without thinking and planning. Our family organization had read the signs of his impending return during the World Cup, so we had to be ready. At first, it was for business, my father don't want to lose millions or even billions of Galleons just because of this war. Now, the fight's getting personal."

They walked out of the dining room and sat on a cream couch.

"How come it became personal?"

"Because of me and my cousin. When we were little, we were often lectured on purity of blood and the importance of a pure wizarding race. My cousin, who is almost like a brother, was sent to Durmstrang to study the Dark Arts. Our hearts, however, are still pure despite of our childhood. We made the family realize that blood didn't really matter. My grandfather mentioned something to my father and uncles before he passed away. His exact words were Voldemort was just a half-blood orphan named Tom Riddle. My grandfather was with Hogwarts with him. He was such an ambitious, power-hungry little prat, my grandfather said. That evil little boy hid beneath a mask of a handsome face but my grandfather who was prefect at that time saw through him. Of course, when Voldemort or Tom Riddle rose into power, my grandfather just shut up and maybe financed him. He, however, flatly refused to send his sons to become Death Eaters."

"So your family also knew about him being a half-blood?"

Ianthé nodded, "It was part of a heavily-guarded family secret. Edmond, my cousin, and I were trained in Legilimency even before he started Durmstrang and I Hogwarts."

"So you know that he is the heir of Slytherin also?"

"Yes, my grandfather, after Hogwarts, searched the name Marvolo through all of the wizarding families, and he came across the Gaunts, the last descendants of Salazar Slytherin. He grew suspicious because no one, including a wizard or witch, would really consider the name Marvolo for their son."

"It's an anagram. Tom Marvolo Riddle is jumbled around and turned into 'I am Lord Voldemort'."

Ianthé shook her head out of disgust, "Pretty immature in my opinion. If he weren't such a feared wizard, I would say that he's particularly childish!"
Harry broke into a smile.

"Glad to see you smiling… I mean, Marvolo? That sounds like some laundry detergent from Muggle Studies!"

Harry smiled more widely, "If he could hear you now, you should fear for your life!"

"You should sic those trash talk to him to catch him off guard… Who knows? I can see it in the front pages of the Daily Prophet 'The Darkest Wizard of all time defeated by a trash-talking scrawny midget with glasses.'!"

Harry laughed together with Ianthé.

"You should have been with Fred and George. They could get a lot of material from you…"

Hey, who said they didn't?

"Ah, I'm a bit close to those two. They seem to grow on me… U-No-Poo… Honestly…" Ianthé's shoulders were still shaking from laughter.

It was after lunch when they said they were leaving.

"Remember, if you ever need anything, contact me. If you plan to go to Albania or any Eastern European country, stop by Viktor's place, you're welcome there. Or maybe that dragon colony where Charlie works," Ianthé scribbled on a small piece of parchment.

Harry nodded as he accepted the parchment, "Thanks a lot."

"Thanks for the room. It was great!" Ron smiled.

Surprisingly, he took Viktor's hand and shook it, "Thanks for the accommodation."

Viktor smiled at him, "It was nothing. Just to help old friends."

Hermione hugged Ianthé tightly.

"Be careful, okay? Box these two in the ears if they misbehave!"

Hermione tearfully nodded.

The three of them tapped their wands on the top of their heads. Their colors soon changed.