Chapter Eleven The Horcrux?
The darkness deepened in the shadow of the castle. Harry and Hermione and Ron walked as they talked and shared information. They had not been together since leaving the Hogwarts Express at the end of the last term and although they had exchanged letters there was a lot to discuss.
Ron was still sullen and unhappy but was adding to what Hermione was telling Harry. "I found the locket and then we went to Knockturn Alley to find some books to read up on it."
Harry listened and told them about his trip to Hogwarts via the cabinets, taking the sword, and then finding work in the little village. He described his encounter with Slughorn.
"Did he tell you anything?" Hermione asked excitedly.
Harry nodded and replied, "He told me what he knew. If you have the real locket with the Horcrux then we can try his method out."
"Harry, do you really trust him?" Ron asked. " I mean I don't think I'd even trust him if I poured a barrel full of veritaserum down his throat."
"Know what you mean," Harry said, kicking through tall grasses. He remembered Ron's treatment by Slughorn during the previous school year and it still angered him.
They were in a meadow with trees punctuating the slope. It was cool in the shade of the hill before them and the sun was setting.
"So what did you do with him?" Hermione asked.
"I just left him. He can take care of himself. He's an expert at hiding," Harry said bitterly.
"And Snape?" Ron asked. "What's that all about?"
Harry shook his head and kicked at a clump of grass. "I hate him! BUT I can't be sure that he's not telling the truth. I saw the Doppelganger right there beside him and it spoke. At first, I couldn't tell them apart, they were just like twins- identical you know? Then Snape asked me to ask them both a question that only the real one could answer, something from his past. I did and he answered. Then, I cursed the double. But I guess it doesn't do any good to do that." He looked at Hermione.
"You're right, Harry. That doesn't get rid of a doppelganger and if I were Snape I'd be doubly unhappy that I had one." She smirked. "Sorry, about the pun."
Ron nodded and added, "I've heard of those. It's said that you die if you face one. They attach themselves to you and stick like gum and they can drive you insane talking to you all the time. The double never tells the truth. I guess its pretty horrible. I'm surprised you didn't kill them both Harry."
Harry glanced at him and didn't answer.
Ron went on, "It looks like the double was useful. You could tell the real Snape from the fake and you found out he was innocent. Looks like You-Know-Who made the doppelganger and set Snape up."
Harry agreed. "I guess so. I believe that part of it even though it's hard to swallow." He sat down under one of the trees and gazed at the large spreading branches overhead. He wanted more then anything to ignore the truth. It would make it easier to just walk back into the house and kill the wizard. "At least, we're making some headway with the Horcruxes. If we only knew what all of them are and where they are."
"Harry, you aren't going to try and leave us again are you?" Hermione asked, sitting down beside him. "We've been of help and we can do more. Hogwarts is opening again and Remus seems to think you might be safer there. He says he's teaching and there are loads of people that might be willing to help us. If Lupin can look into Dumbledore's Pensieve then we can and we might see something he hasn't seen."
Harry considered her remarks. "If I'm there it puts a lot of people in danger, Hermione. Anyone who's near me can get hurt."
He couldn't have known at that moment, as he talked, that Horace Slughorn was laying in the middle of Minerva McGonagall's sitting room, on her oriental carpet, dead as a doornail with a golden-haired Death Eater standing over him.
"But that's always been true, Harry. That's nothing new," Ron argued. "He's been after you since we were eleven years old; first with the Sorcerer's Stone and then the basilisk. It's never made a difference where you are or who you're with. Hermione's right. Hogwarts is the safest place for you; not here." He waved his arm around. "You saw that house. I know it's your parents old house but it's not fit to live in and this place is isolated; spooky even." They followed his gaze as he stared up at the castle looming directly over their heads.
"Let's go up," Harry suggested. The ruins drew him and he was curious. He didn't feel the same eerie feeling that Ron seemed to have and wanted to know more about where his parents had once lived. The three got to their feet and began to climb up stone steps that were worn from weather and time. In some places they had crumbled into rubble and it was a precarious climb.
"It'll be strange without Dumbledore," Hermione murmured as if she were speaking her thoughts out loud.
Harry agreed with her. He thought of the white stone sarcophagus that was Dumbledore's tomb and how it was out in plain view. It would always be a reminder of what happened and he wasn't sure he was ready to endure that.
"What else will you do mate, if you don't go back?" Ron asked from behind him.
"I can stay at the Huxleys," Harry answered, stopping to stare at the castle. "You know, Dumbledore was sure that one of the Horcruxes was something Riddle chose that came from Gryffindor or Ravenclaw House. I went and got the sword but I never thought of the Sorting Hat. Didn't that belong to Gryffindor?"
Hermione jumped in, "Yes, you're right Harry! It was in one of the songs that it sang at the beginning of term."
Both Harry and Ron stopped and turned to her. She wasn't aware they were doing it until she ran into Harry.
"Hermione, how could you remember that?" Ron asked in astonishment.
"I just do!" she said crossly and closed her eyes and recited the phrase, ["T'was Gryffindor who found the way, He whipped me off his head, The founders put some brains in me, So I could choose instead."](copyright from J., Chamber of Secrets).
"The issue is," Harry said firmly, "we are looking for something that he might have used to make a Horcrux. I told you he went to Hogwarts once to ask for a teaching position for the second time. Dumbledore seemed to think he was there for another reason. That was probably to find something to use. Maybe he was after the Sorting Hat"
They were silent as they climbed and thought about it. It was Hermione who spoke first. "That's a perfect reason to return to Hogwarts, Harry. If the hat is a Horcrux then we can protect it and maybe destroy it." He contemplated the contradiction and she shrugged, "Well, you know what I mean."
"I've got some time to think about it," he finally said. "School doesn't start for awhile yet." He stopped and was watching two figures moving quickly towards them from below across the field at the base of the hill. It was hard to see since the sun had dropped behind the hill overlooking the valley. It was quickly becoming shrouded in ever growing twilight.
"It's only days Harry," Hermione grumbled. "Hogwarts is opening a bit earlier the Daily Prophet said and we got our letters. It's only a few days away. Although to tell you the truth I don't think it's the hat. I mean they sort students every year and there's never been any possession when it's placed on the head...." she was chatting and realized they had stopped again. "What is it?" She was looking at him and he was staring past her down the slope.
"What is he shouting about?" Ron asked. He had also stopped and was looking the same direction.
Harry could hear Lupin calling to them and was shocked that Snape was close on his heels and overtaking him. They were almost at the bottom of the hill and were now starting the climb. He felt his heart start to beat wildly. Is Snape chasing Remus? he wondered. Did I make a mistake and choose the wrong one? Should I have killed Snape?
"Should we go down?" Hermione asked.
Harry watched for a moment longer and grew anxious. "I'll go down. You stay here."
He pulled his wand out and Ron caught his arm. "It's not what you think mate," Ron said and looked at him. "Snape's not after Lupin. Wait.....I can just barely hear... ."
Harry stopped and listened.
It was only when they were very close that they the could hear what Lupin was shouting and the sound of animals howling; a sound that was coming closer every second they stood there.
Ron was the first to see a dozen figures running like animals with long loping strides just behind Lupin and Snape. They were moving very fast and the sound of howling drifted up on air currents reaching them as echoes. Lupin was already almost on the step nearest Ron and Snape was behind, glancing back over his shoulder.
"Werewolves," Ron gurgled and took a step next to Harry, gripping his arm convulsively. "Those are werewolves!"
"We must Apparate now!" Lupin shouted, out of breath. "Grimmauld Place!"
Snape was watching Lupin who had suddenly froze in place. "Do it now," Snape hissed at the three of them. "Tonight is a full moon. He's going to turn soon."
Harry concentrated and did everything he had learned to do when it came to Apparating, and yet he didn't feel the familiar squeezing sensation. Hermione didn't fade and neither did Ron. They looked at Snape who had his wand out pointed at Lupin.
"What are you doing?" Harry snapped, leaping forward.
"Up! Go up," Snape answered, shoving him back up the stairs. " We cannot Apparate here! Go to the castle. They are on us!"
Harry looked over his shoulder and saw humans climbing the stairs with great speed. They would be there in minutes. Although they had not turned it was clear that they were already possessed by their animal counterpart. He turned and ran up the stairs behind Hermione and Ron. Snape was maneuvering Lupin with his wand. Remus seemed incapable of guiding his own steps. Harry had seen this before and knew Snape was right.
"Into the castle!" Snape ordered. "Keep climbing!"
They entered through a gate and into darkness. Harry could barely make out a set of stone steps leading up into pitch black. They each lit there wands and kept moving. Ahead of him was an open door leading into a black hole. He felt a hand on his back shoving him forward.
They were in a large room in one of the towers. There were pieces of furniture that had long-since rotted almost into dust and only the shape left behind spoke of what they once must have been.
"Grab what you can and barricade the door," Snape shouted. He pushed Lupin towards another opening that looked like a small alcove.
Hermione and Ron searched with him. Almost everything they touched turned to dust or fell apart in their hands. Harry finally found the door laying on the floor covered in heavy dust. Together they lifted it in place and Snape stepped over and waved his wand over it.
"That will strengthen it," he said, "although it may not hold through the night."
"Where's Remus?" Harry snapped. He stepped around Snape and saw Lupin behind a set of rusting crisscrossing bars that covered the recess in the wall.
"It's alright Harry," Lupin managed. He was gripping the bars and shaking them to determine their sturdiness. "Tonight is the night of the full moon. I tried to get you all back and then leave before this happened, but I was so surprised by Severus that I just forgot." He laughed and then sobered up almost immediately. "Severus, I thank you for this, but I don't think it will hold."
Snape examined it again, going over it with his lit wand. "Perhaps not. We shall see."
The silence was suddenly broken by scratching, growling and howling outside the door. There were animals snuffing and snarling, fighting amongst themselves and clawing at the door to get in.
Harry looked at the door and then back at Lupin in time to see him begin his change.
"Promise me Severus..." Remus cried as his body contorted and changed shape. "Promise you will kill me if I escape." He glared at them with yellow animal eyes and twisted again. "Promisssse meeeee!"
Snape stepped to the makeshift cage and said, simply, "Yes. I will kill you if you escape."
Harry wasn't sure that Remus understood the words. He was already growling and prowling the cage as a wolf. Harry glared at Snape as he turned away.
Hermione stood next to him gripping his arm tightly and watching the door buckle a little as the werewolves flung themselves against it. Ron was standing in front of her with his arm extended and his wand pointing at the door.
"Your wand will do you no good Weasley," Snape said. He was searching the room going over ground they had already covered.
"What do you mean?" Ron shouted over the din.
"You can't kill a werewolf with your wand, Ron," Hermione said pulling at his sleeve. "You have to cut off their heads." She glanced at Snape. "He set the essay. We had to write about werewolves, remember?"
Snape stopped and glanced at her and then moved on. "You're right, Miss Granger. If I cannot find something that can be transfigured into a sharp object of some kind we might find ourselves in trouble."
Harry started looking at the floor again, this time scrutinizing and picking up everything he could feel that was solid. The other two did the same. Unfortunately, every thing in the room was rotted away or rusted away to nothing and could not be transfigured. The only objects worthwhile were the door and the cage that held Lupin.
Ron stepped to the windows and peered out, shaking his head. "We're too far up."
Harry looked out and saw the deep abyss that lay beneath the window. The only side of the hill that was passable was the way they had come. He turned back to the room. Hermione was staring at him with wide frightened eyes. The four of them were now gathered at the farthest end of the room. They could do nothing but wait and Harry knew that it was going to either be a long night or a very short one if the door didn't hold.
Using his wand, he cleaned a space on the floor and sat down. Ron and Hermione joined him while Snape continued to circle the room. He fingered the pocket watch that he carried in his pocket and wondered how he was going to handle the situation. The watch could be transfigured back into its' original form as the Gryffindor sword. However, Snape would want to wield it. Harry couldn't be sure that it wasn't a Horcrux. He had used it himself, but wondered if he had some sort of immunity. If that were the case, he would have to protect them if the werewolves made their way in.
Or worse, he thought. I might have to kill Lupin!
He watched Snape and then busied himself by studying some of the artwork that adorned the walls. It was faded and the colors were no longer brilliant. There were spaces where the plaster had fallen away revealing the stones beneath. The scene depicted a hall decorated with draped pennants in the Gryffindor colors of scarlet and gold. It was a scene of gaiety, like a party with crowds of people. Above the center table was an emblem wrought in gold that Harry recognized immediately. It was a Phoenix.
Harry's thoughts were drawn to a room he had seen recently and the cacophony of noises at the door faded into the background. His mind drifted to Mrs. Higgins house. He had glanced at all of the objects she collected and hadn't paid much attention to the details of each. They were an odd assortment of objects and someone would have a hard time relating any items together as one would a true collection; one like his Aunt Petunia's. She spent endless hours arranging her collection of oriental teapots. Mrs. Higgins collection of objects was different, with the exception of the Hogwarts items. She had collected something from each house and they were grouped together.
I wonder if she ever got anything from my parents. They were Gryffindor? She lives close enough and it would have been easy for her to spot something that belonged to them and ask for it. She knew my mother; they had tea together.
"Harry!" Hermione's sharp outcry brought him back to reality. He glanced at the door and saw one of the hinges give way.
Snape was on his feet and striding towards it. Harry jumped up and joined him. "Can you make it more secure?" he asked.
Snape shook his head slowly and said, "I have done what I can."
Harry stared at him and then slowly withdrew the pocket watch. Snape watched him closely. Harry looked at it and then slowly waved his wand over it and transfigured the watch back into the silver Gryffindor sword.
Hermione and Ron were standing beside him. The sounds outside the door made it difficult to hear so he once again moved to the windows.
"I think that I would be the best candidate for using that, Potter," Snape said.
"I know you think you are," Harry said calmly, "but even touching it could mean your death or...worse."
Snape's lips curled into his familiar snarl and he said very slowly and sarcastically, "Really!"
Harry nodded. "Yes, what I'm saying is true." The sound of the wolves increased and the wood of the door began to splinter. He made up his mind, turned to his ex-teacher and said, "Voldemort made seven Horcruxes. We've been trying to find them and destroy them. That's what Dumbledore and I were doing the night he died. We thought we had found one and I think that this sword might be a Horcrux. I've handled it before but it hasn't affected me. If you touch it or anyone else touches it, the sword could kill you or them. Actually, we think that Voldemort can possess whoever touches one of them."
Snape looked at him and then at the sword, speechless. The howling of the wolves pierced the night and Lupin returned the call. Harry glanced over at Remus and then back at Snape. "You can't kill him if I give this to you. And if you change...become possessed or anything then we will kill you."
Snape nodded and reached for it. "Stun them when they break through. It will stop them for an instant and maybe long enough for me to use this." He grasped the hilt and pulled it from Harry's hands. They all waited breathlessly. Harry could see his dark eyes reflecting the wand light and there was no change in his face. Snape swung around facing the door while the three of them stepped to his right and left and waited.
It's not a Horcrux! Harry repeated over and over in his mind and watched the door shredded into splinters by long yellow claws and gnashing teeth.