Chapter 8: Horcruxes no More

Lord Voldemort's pet snake Nagini broke into the Ministry of Magic to look for the Department of Mysteries and the prophecy linking Voldemort to Harry Potter. Auror Kingsley Shacklebolt noticed the snake and, with a quick array of spells, killed it. The resulting scream surprised not only Shacklebolt but also everybody else within hearing range.

In the next morning, Albus Dumbledore confirmed what the aurors investigating the case already suspected but feared mentioning: the snake was a Horcrux! The aurors became even more horrified when Dumbledore mentioned that Voldemort made others. Mirroring a statement made by Rubeus Hagrid years ago, the aurors asked if Voldemort was still human enough to die. As Dumbledore returned to his office, he found a letter from Sirius Black asking Harry's scar to be completely checked out for lasting effects. Since Dumbledore was hoping to get Sirius' help with the Lestrange vault, the Headmaster decided to comply.

Two days later, Sirius Black and a goblin named Bogrod were inspecting the Lestrange vault until they found a cup that belonged to Helga Hufflepuff. Since the Lestranges never gave instructions against removing curses from the cup, Bogrod promptly destroyed the soul fragment located inside it. "The Lestranges will be informed of this as soon as possible." Bogrod informed.

"Is it really necessary?" Sirius asked in a pleading tone.

"Yes." Was the goblin's sharp reply. Sirius Black then told Dumbledore about this. "Well, that changes everything." Dumbledore said. "I hoped this could wait but, we must go to the Gaunt Shack in Little Hangleton." Dumbledore then apparated with Sirius side-along apparating with him.

Meanwhile, at Hogwarts, Pomfrey was so horrified about what she discovered in Harry Potter's scar she called for a team of St. Mungo's expert healers. She was half hoping her diagnosis was wrong but one of the experts broke her hope by stating, "The boy is a Horcrux."

"What's a Horcrux?" Harry asked.

While the healers were wondering what to tell Harry, Sirius and Dumbledore were at the Gaunt Shack looking for another Horcrux. Dumbledore eventually found Morfin Gaunt's ring and even got tempted into using it once he recognized its stone as the legendary Resurrection Stone, but Sirius stopped him.

"What were you thinking, Headmaster?" Sirius asked in exasperation.

"I'm sorry, Sirius." Dumbledore replied. He then pulled the Sword of Gryffindor and destroyed the ring Horcrux. They then went back to Hogwarts, where they heard the healers. They all had their heads down until Sirius spoke. "Wait! By what I recall my parents telling me, the only role murder has on the Horcrux making ritual is the part of splitting a soul apart. Maybe we could repeat the ritual minus the killing to remove Voldemort's soul fragment from Harry and place it somewhere else.

"I hope so, Sirius." Dumbledore replied. "Hogwarts has a book on Horcruxes that I had removed from the school library as one of my first official decisions as Headmaster of Hogwarts. Perhaps we can get answers from it."

As Harry entered the Gryffindor common room, Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Neville could see how worried he looked. "What's wrong, mate?" Ron asked.

"My scar might have more lasting effects than I thought." Harry explained.

"What?" A shocked Hermione asked. "Which effects?"

"I'm not sure exactly." Harry answered. "Madam Pomfrey even called healers from St. Mungo's just to confirm her diagnosis."

"Would it have something to do with you being a Parselmouth?" Ginny asked. However, Harry seemed to be too focused to answer.

"They WHAT?" An enraged Voldemort asked.

"They discovered about the cup you told me to keep, my Lord!" Bellatrix Lestrange exclaimed. "Forgive me…"

"CRUCIO!" Voldemort shouted. "The Dark Lord does not forgive! Nor does he forget! Now I have to check upon other things. Don't even bother calling me unless you've figured out a way to break into the Department of Mysteries or that you've captured Harry Potter!"

"He's going to do something!" Harry said.

"What?" His friends asked.

"Voldemort." Harry replied. "He's mad at Bellatrix Lestrange for allowing some cup to be found. He said something about having to check upon other things and told her not to call him unless she captures me or finds a way to break into the Department of Mysteries."

"Harry, we must tell Professor Dumbledore about it!" Hermione suggested. Agreeing with this, Harry went to his office. He was surprised that his Godfather was also there. "Good afternoon, Mr. Potter." Dumbledore greeted. "What do I owe your presence to?"

"I had another vision of Voldemort." Harry explained and then described the vision. Dumbledore and Sirius had solemn faces. "Thanks for your concern, Harry. Now we have a concern of our own."

"Is it about my scar?" Harry asked.

"Yes, Harry." Dumbledore answers. "At this very moment, Sirius is reading an old book trying to learn a ritual we hope will rid you of lasting effects."

"Eureka!" Sirius drew people's attention with this. "This might be the solution. Headmaster, do you have any object you don't mind being destroyed?"

Dumbledore quickly picked some random silver object and offered it to Sirius. "That'll do. Thank you." He then started talking to Harry. "Harry, I don't want to scare you, but I'm afraid that scar contains a piece of Voldemort's soul."

"WHAT?"

"Yes, and I hope this ritual might remove it from you, but I won't try it unless you allow me. May I use the ritual?"

"YES!" Harry yelled in desperation. However, before Sirius even started, Harry had another sensation.

Voldemort entered the Gaunt Shack to see if the Horcrux ring was still in the place where he hid it. To his horror, it wasn't.

"What happened, Harry?" A concerned Sirius Black asked.

"Voldemort is at some old shack." Harry answered and then added. "And he seemed pretty upset."

"I knew it was a matter of time until he decided to check upon the ring." Dumbledore commented. "Now the ritual, please."

Sirius then released the dark soul piece from Harry and placed it inside some old knife, which was then stabbed with Gryffindor's Sword. Now Lord Voldemort no longer had Horcruxes.

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