Beta's: 5/8/2015

Polegara

Chapter 22, Getting in the Game

The Wizarding Wireless played the latest tune by the Weird Sisters. Harry nodded along to the beat while he pushed a slightly glowing red pin into the great map. It was an area just outside of London where a Death Eater attack took place during the summer. He looked down to the parchment in his hand, comparing the address to where he placed the pin confirming its accuracy. Hermione had already threatened him that if he was not precise in his work, he would be sleeping alone tonight. After the ordeal that he had went through this weekend that was not something he was going to risk.

Harry knew that these weekends away from Hermione would be difficult. What he didn't anticipate was how much it would physically hurt to be separated from her. Usually, he could feel her like a disembodied extension of himself. Since the bond was formed it felt like she was always there, wrapped about him like a comforting hug on a lonely night. They've never been separated by distance before and the loss of that feeling was disconcerting for the young man.

With her so far away, he couldn't feel her at all. He couldn't feel her presence, or her emotions. What he could feel was a tightness in his chest that wouldn't relax. It just ached something fierce. To say it was maddening would have been a gross understatement; the only thing that made it bearable was keeping himself busy until she returned. Without her, he felt less than half a person.

Harry rubbed his chest trying, and failing as he always did, to ease the ache there. Keeping to business he picked up one of the parchments on the table behind him. Trying to understand the way the Headmaster's thought process was practically impossible via his notes. His brain seemed to operate like a pachinko machine. The notes Hermione copied from his desk covered a wide range of topics. Most, he was sure, were not important in the greater scheme of things and made the whole task so much more onerous.

The problem Harry faced was that no sheet of parchment was about any one thing, but instead could be about anything and everything. School issues, Wizengamot observations, Death Eater movements, were all mixed in with various and sundry random thoughts like his apparent curiosity in the breakdown of what makes lemon drops so addictive and what exactly was yellow dye No. 5.

"Master Potter, your tea."

Harry took the cup from Winky with a smile for the shy little elf. "Thank you, Winky. It smells wonderful."

Winky blushed as she curtsied. Harry shook his head in amusement, adding the parchment in his hand to a completed pile while she beat a hasty retreat. Ever since they agreed to add her to the staff, she'd been very eager to please. Always anticipating or looking for ways to help in any of the things they needed. It turned out to be one of the smarter things he talked Hermione into. At the very least it made Dobby happy. Even Hermione couldn't argue against that. That however was just the start of a long week.

Hermione's prediction over the work that was expected for N.E.W.T.s was way off the mark. It was far worse than she said it would be. During their O.W.L.s, each teacher had made a point of explaining just how much work there was in attaining an O.W.L.

N.E.W.T. work for just one class made studying for the O.W.L.s for three different classes seem like first year course work. It was so much easier when it was just them studying on their own. One of the only real good things about returning at all was that Hermione excelled in this type of environment. She didn't just excel, she thrived. She had two classes more than he did. How she managed to get done with all her homework for the weekend mid-way into Friday still baffled his mind.

It was Sunday, almost two weeks after Hermione robbed the Headmaster's desk, and he only just now got time to start going over them. He didn't even want to think about the mail he had only partially gone through before he asked Dobby to sort it. His eyes tracked over to the elf in question and the wobbling mountain of post from the summer. Dobby was currently trying to sort them into smaller piles for them to go over later. That was a completely different and unwelcoming task he was more than happy with doing some other time, and it made him even more thankful what the little elf was doing for him.

"I never thought much about exactly how many incidents we have in our classes before." Harry turned to the ginger-haired girl. She was sitting on the floor out of the way, sorting out her pile of the paper work.

"Did you know that last year we had a total of three hundred sixteen accidents in Herbology? I didn't know that. Thirty-seven of them involved extended stays in the Hospital Wing. Oh, thank you Winky."

Winky carried the last cup to Neville, who answered Susan from across the room. "Just be glad we're not taking Care this year. According to some of the papers I read a stack or two ago; last year Hagrid had over two hundred incidents. Fifty-six ended in Hospital stays of over a week for the N.E.W.T. level students alone. I like Hagrid, but I'm glad I'm not taking Care this year."

"It's always nice to know I'm not the only one who ends up in Madam Pomfrey's care. Though I bet I hold the record for most stays in a year by a single student. Other than our classmates' misfortunes, is there anything new guys?" Harry asked trying to not let the aches show in his voice. He had to admit, Hermione was right again. Adding Susan and Neville into their 'war councils', as Susan put it, was really paying out. He wouldn't be nearly as far along as he was without them. It was humbling that the three of them could barely do the same amount of work Hermione could on her own.

The sixth year Hufflepuff shook her head, tossing the last sheet in her pile into its sorted spot. "Not here. It's all school related stuff, except for some observations on a few Wizengamot members. Auntie would find some of this fascinating. That is if she didn't chuck us into a cell for having it in the first place."

Both boys chuckled at her comment. Shiesty was not an adjective that could ever be ascribed to the stern fair minded Minister. "There's nothing here, Harry." Neville threw in from his station. "Mostly school stuff. You wouldn't believe all the stuff that is required to run Hogwarts. Taxes for pasture lands, herds, farms, you name it. Also, I found a full alchemistic break down for something called a 'Ho-Ho' and some financial records. However, there's nothing on Death Eaters or Voldemort."

Harry gave Neville a wry grin. "I found the same thing on his beloved lemon drops a half hour ago. I swear Dumbledore would have made the world's greatest confectioner had he pursued it." Harry stated before laughing at the mental image of the old man with his pockets overflowing with lollies. Strands of cotton candy stuck in his great beard or long hair. Chocolate staining his hands while wrapping little bits of hard candies in colorful wrappers.

The song changed to a mellower one as Harry grabbed a new pile to start into. He lost count of how many pages he looked through a long time ago. The only thing keeping his spirit up was the fact they were making headway. Albeit slowly.

"Is any of this helping you understand what Dumbledore showed you Harry?" Susan asked.

He blew out a breath trying to keep his own frustration minimal. "Not really. Hermione told you what he showed me, but I haven't been able to make any sense of it yet. The first memory was all about Riddle's Mum and her infatuation with the muggle she lusted after. Dumbledore feels pretty sure she used love potions to get him."

The Hufflepuff girl frowned looking as if something soured her stomach. "As much as I hate the thought of love potions being used to take someone's free will, I can't say I don't understand why she did it. I mean abused, magically weak, from a family that couldn't afford to get her a prospect..."

Neville chimed in. "Don't forget the way Hermione described Merope. No spring rose this one."

The look the ginger girl cut his Gryffindor year-mate had Neville hunker down in an effort to withstand her withering gaze. Harry hid his smile behind the parchment he was holding until Susan started talking again. Her gaze was still cutting into her boyfriend. He sympathized with his friend, he hated when Hermione did that to him.

"As I was saying..."

"Sorry." Neville mumbled.

"...She latched onto the one non-family male she saw on a regular basis. Riddle Sr. as he rode past to the village and back. With both her brother and father safely locked away in Azkaban for attacking the muggle, and attacking Ministry personnel, she was free. To stay that way, she snared Riddle Sr. and ran. She was doing anything she could to get away from her horrible situation. It didn't hurt that he was easy on the eyes."

Harry nodded. "Yeah, but it didn't last. Riddle Sr. showed up months later back in Little Harrington. Dumbledore thinks Merope stopped feeding him the potions believing he would stay for the sake of the baby. That or she was so besotted with him she convinced herself that he would actually love her without the potions."

"After he left, she doesn't show up again until she's almost ready to deliver. As best as I can figure we have about four months we can't account for during that period where she was alone. When she does reappear it's in Knockturn Alley selling the only thing of value she still had, Slytherin's locket, to Burke."

"For ten galleons. Bloody opportunist." Neville mumbled.

Apparently thinking allowed Susan picked it up, "You know, she could have run out of supplies. Most love potions require one or two rare ingredients. Not the kind of thing you can pick up at your local grocer. I don't know much about the really powerful classes of love potions, but Auntie mentioned once that she tracked a rapist down by his purchases. She said there was a set of six really rare ingredients you couldn't find even in Knockturn Alley easily. From what Hermione said, the Gaunts were really dark so she most likely had some on hand, but when they ran out, how would she get more? Even if she did, it couldn't have been cheap to keep brewing a powerful love potion for that amount of time."

"I don't understand why going over this again is necessary. Is this really important Harry?" Neville asked.

Harry shrugged with a wince at the movement. "Dumbledore seemed to think so. He went out of his way to explain most of this to me pretty plainly. Usually getting any kind of straight answer out of the old man is like trying to convince Hagrid that Blast-Ended Skrewts are anything but simply misunderstood."

He tossed the parchment in his hand into a pile of non-important information. "We stole this from the Headmaster because we don't trust him to give us all the details. He'll give just enough for us to do what he wants us to do but not enough for us to actually understand what or why. Going in blind got Sirius killed. Trusting that the Headmaster has our best interest in mind almost cost me Hermione. Somewhere in this mess are the answers to questions we don't even know yet. Those questions and their answers could very well be the key to getting us out of this mess."

Susan blew out a breath while picking up the next bit of parchment to sort. "Okay, so now we have Merope, penniless and very pregnant. She shows up at a muggle Orphanage to deliver the baby, and dies in childbirth."

Neville picked it up. "Then, right before she dies, she names the baby after the muggle she potioned."

"So fast forward to eleven years later, Dumbledore shows up at the Orphanage." Harry continued easily. "There he finds a secretive, mean, controlling kid. Dumbledore made a note to emphasize three things from that memory. One, Riddle likes to collect trophies from his victims. Two, he hated his name. Finally, three, that Riddle was absolutely convinced of his own superiority even at eleven."

Harry put in another red pin into the map. "All of this tells us nothing we didn't already know. Voldemort is an egotistical wanker with delusions of grandeur. Unfortunately, he does have the power to back it. He has no moral compass and a willingness to achieve his means that the devil would envy."

Susan tilted her head to the side looking thoughtful. "In a way, I can understand why Dumbledore would want to you to understand Voldemort's early years. Auntie always said the key to understanding a crime is to understand the criminal."

"Maybe." Harry sighed in agitation. "I blame Hermione for this. She insists I plan more."

"Does any of this tie into anything you knew before Dumbledore showed you the pensieve memories Harry? We haven't gone over that yet. Is there anything from any of your encounters with him or other Death Eaters that might shed some light on all this?" Neville asked him.

"Yeah, I can imagine it's a lot to ask, Harry, but you've dealt with him almost every year. When a case bothers her a lot, Auntie will sort of give me a rundown of what she knows. Sort of like what we are doing now: vocalizing the facts. She says that thinking facts and hearing them triggers different mental processes, especially when you are doing that with people outside of the equation."

Harry turned to the 6th year girl. "Why are you in Hufflepuff again?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Harry shook his head ignoring the lift of the eyebrow on Susan's face. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Neville's eyes growing larger. "I'm just saying. You could have easily been a Ravenclaw with your insights. Or you could have been a Gryffindor with your sheer sense of boldness."

"Oi Potter, that's my house you're besmirching in a roundabout way. I'll have you know that being a 'Puff' does not mean stupid, cowardly or unimaginative."

Smiling at being able to rile her up, Harry just shook his head. "Maybe I should have said Slytherin. Hufflepuff would be the last place to find a cunning, highly intelligent, courageous sneaky person. You're definitely all of those. You know way too much about this stuff."

"I blame him." Susan said with a completely innocent look on her face while pointing at Neville. "He's a bad influence. Up until I became involved with Ol' Guts and Glory Gryffindor over there, I was naught but an innocent young woman seeking a higher education. I'd tell Auntie, but I think it's too late now. And, it would take ages to properly train a new boyfriend."

Harry laughed at the indignant squawk from Neville. "If I'd known you were this good at investigations, I'd have pushed Neville to date you sooner." He turned to his good natured year mate. "If it makes you feel any better Nev; Hermione says the same thing about me."

While Neville sputtered and Susan giggled, Harry returned his thoughts to the question they asked him. "Let's see... First year was all about Voldemort trying to get a body. That was what the whole 3rd floor corridor was about. I talked to Voldemort then, but the stuff he said just supports what we know. 'There is no good or evil, only power and those too weak to seek it."

"Wanker."

Harry snorted at Neville's insult. Not sure if it was directed at Voldemort or himself but he wasn't willing to clarify. "No arguments here mate. He gave me some promises then tried to kill me when that didn't work. Second year, I talked to his enchanted memories before the fight broke out with the basilisk. So I knew some of this before Dumbledore showed me his home movies."

Susan leaned forward. "Which of these bits did you already know?"

"I knew his father was a muggle. He was named after his father and that he didn't like his name because there were a lot of 'Tom's.' He fancied himself better than that. So he crafted the name Lord Voldemort by rearranging the letters of his own name. He's convinced of his own superiority and honestly believes himself to be the strongest wizard since Merlin. On that score, I'm not sure he's not. At the very least he can rival Dumbledore. No mean feat that."

"So he's a powerful egotistical wanker, but nothing new then." Neville quipped.

Harry rolled his eyes but nodded. "Yeah, there's nothing new there. His memory was obsessed with wanting to know how I survived. We traded insults a bit. Then the fight broke out. Usually happens like that now that I think about it. Maybe I should work on my one-liners for the next time…"

"So," Susan interrupted his musing. "…we have young Riddle, age eleven, thinking he's something special with a penchant for taking spoils from his victims. By the time he's sixteen he knew his father was a muggle, his mother was descended from Salazar Slytherin through the Gaunt line, and he was already calling himself Voldemort. Sometime during that year, he made the diary." Susan summarized while writing furiously on a bit of parchment in her hands.

Harry stood looking straight ahead at a large picture Hermione picked up when they were in Ireland. He became lost in the rocky cliff overlooking a raging ocean below. "When I was in the Graveyard, Riddle said he killed his father. Riddle knew Merope lived in the village and that Riddle Sr. abandoned her while pregnant because she told him she was a witch. He even mentioned to me he lived in an orphanage."

Neville cleared his throat, speaking softly. "We know he's always claimed to be the heir of Slytherin. Hermione explained to us that the Gaunt's claimed to have been descendants of him."

"Yeah, he told me he vowed to himself to find his father. He must have at some point. Riddles muggle family mansion was in sight of where I was tied up. So at some point before he made the diary he found out the story of his parents past then tracked down where they lived. Did he kill his dad before then, or after? I don't know."

"Harry, I hate to ask but was there anything else that night you might think important?" Susan hesitantly asked him.

With a sigh, he dredged further through those painful memories. "He knew of the Blood Wards Dumbledore constructed over my Aunts house. No clue how he figured it out unless Crouch Jr. checked it out or Wormtail. During the duel our wands connected. Dumbledore said it was because they share cores..."

Harry could still see every bit of the fight. Almost feel the pain of that night raking over him. Unknown to him his head twitched to the side as if struck as he relived those terrifying moments. Pain. Fear. Acceptance. The spells that hit each other, the connection forming between them. The connection…

"Hey, alright there, Harry?"

Suddenly he was back in the trunk-flat. Harry shook his head to rid himself of those memories. He smiled half-heartedly at Neville, reassuring his year mate. "Yeah, maybe we should take a break. I know I could use it."

"Found them, Master Harry Potter Sir!"

Harry turned to Dobby who pulled two large envelopes out from the middle of the pile of letters he was sorting. Suddenly, Dobby gave a startled squeak as the mountain of letters fell over him. The tension in his mind faded instantly as Harry couldn't help but laugh while rushing to help free the little elf. Only his tiny leg sticking out of the pile of letters game him any indication as to where he was, as Harry continued laughing while shoving heaping piles of letters away from his friend.

It didn't take long to free a sheepish Dobby and to set out for dinner in the Great Hall. The hallway they exited into was clear when he stuck his head out to check. Maybe he was demonstrating his paranoia by making the door to the Room of Requirement appear so far down the hall, but it was better safe than sorry.

"Looks clear, guys."

Harry held the heavy tapestry rug to the side for Neville and Susan to exit. "Do I want to ask how you two figured out how to get the door appear other places than where it normally does?"

He received a dual 'No' to his teasing question. The blush on both of their faces spoke volumes causing him to chuckle at their discomfort.

"Come on guys, I'm not asking for details. Just skip to over all the private stuff to the part where you figured it out."

Neville found his voice first as they started walking down the corridor. "Um, well you know what the rumor mill is like around here Harry."

"Better than most mate."

"Right. So, to avoid what happened to you on the train, we needed a place where we could be assured of privacy without anyone knowing. The Room of Requirement was the only place we could think of that offered that." Susan explained.

Harry nodded. "I can see that. Broom closets can be fun but not exactly romantic. Besides, I can't remember a week in this place where someone hasn't been caught and every gory detail of what they were doing the main topic of conversation by brekkers. Hermione and I were lucky it was you two that found us. Had it been anyone else, Teen Witch Weekly would have heard about it."

Susan cleared her throat; her blush was burning so fiercely she looked like a cooked lobster. Her voice however was very firm, "Yes well, we haven't been doing any of that, just so you know."

Harry looked around the corner to make sure that no one could overhear him before he replied. "Guys, your private life is just that, private. You don't need to justify anything to me. Not what you do or what you don't."

He ran his hand through his hair letting go a half embarrassed breath. After almost four years running with Raze, both he and Hermione had given up being embarrassed about their relationship, or more precisely, being embarrassed about certain parts of their relationship. Raze had a way with innuendo that Sirius would have envied. Still, it was different when you were talking about your friends' love life.

"Look, both Hermione and I consider you two to be at the top of a very short list of people we absolutely trust. You two know better than most how intimate we are. However, I will point out I wouldn't have gone this far if I didn't believe Hermione was the one for me. Can either of you honestly say Hermione would have allowed me to touch her if she was not absolutely sure of her feelings for me?"

Harry nodded to his point when both shook their heads. "All I'm going to say on this is when it comes to this stuff; just... take it at your pace. Don't let people push you to not or to do anything you're not ready for."

Harry once again checked the hallway ensuring this conversation was still private. "You guys can come to us if you have questions, but also know we'd never push you to or away from anything. We're your friends. We're not going to judge you either way."

All three wore burning faces at the uncomfortable topic so Harry moved it, as well as themselves along. "Okay, that's out of the way, what happened when you guys were leaving the Room that had you need the door to appear somewhere else?"

Neville coughed before answering looking relieved for the topic change. "Well, after last year and how Umbridge found us, Susan thought it wouldn't be a bad idea if we had a way to see if anyone was in corridor before we stepped out into it. Brilliant really, I never thought of it until she mentioned it."

"How'd you do it? One way see-through door or something?" Harry asked.

Susan chuckled. "I don't know if the Room can do that, and it didn't occur to me to check. I paid a seventh year to make me a Looking Glass."

"A what?"

"It's pretty wicked Harry." Neville stated looking proudly at his girlfriend. "A Looking Glass is basically two small pieces of polished glass. One part you hide where you want to observe, the other shows you what the first part sees. All the magic is in the second piece of glass so spells that detect magic or magical monitoring is useless unless you are specifically looking for just that."

"Brilliant! We could have used those things last year."

Susan shook her head looking a bit uncomfortable with the praise. "The range is really limited so they're pretty useless for covert long range surveillance. It's only good up to about ten feet. However, for checking to see who is on the other side of a door, it's invaluable and practically undetectable."

"Good thing, too. Malfoy was out there pacing back and forth when we went to leave." Neville continued.

"Malfoy?"

Susan nodded. "He looked really upset about not being able to get in. Neville wished we had a different way out when the second door appeared that lead to where we just came out."

"Best as we can tell there are lots of places the door can exit out to. We haven't really experimented with it but we know it can appear near both Gryffindor and Hufflepuff common room entrances." Neville continued.

"Bloody hell, I wish we knew of that trick last year." Harry groused as they entered the main corridor that lead to the Great Hall. "I wonder what Malfoy wanted the room for. Was he alone?"

Susan shook her head. "There was a girl with him. She had her back to us and was wearing a cloak so no clue as to who she was. It was a plain cloak without any house trim in it so whoever it was didn't want anyone to be able to identify her easily."

Harry shook his head as he passed through the majestic doorway that lead into the Great Hall directing them to the Gryffindor table. "Do you know if she went in with him?"

"Nope. We were watching from down corridor waiting for them to go in so we could leave. I thought he was just, you know, doing what we were, but she didn't go in with him. Once he was inside she left pretty quickly." Neville stated.

"Hannah was telling me that with the Room's exposure from when we got caught last year that there's going to be a lot of competition for it. It's the ultimate broom closet since people can't get in unless you want them too, unless they're pretty darn determined. This is especially a problem for the upper years." Susan added as she sat with them at the Gryffindor table.

Their table, and the rest of the hall, was sparsely populated. They were still pretty early for dinner, and most people wouldn't be down still for another half hour. Harry gave a habitual check around them, noting where everyone was sitting before he leaned forward, lowering his voice to continue their conversation.

"Yeah, but that really doesn't explain what he was up to if he left his date in the hallway. I mean, Malfoy's a moron, yeah okay, but even Crabbe and Goyle would know to take the girl into the secret snogging room if that was what you were there for."

Harry frowned. He already had Dobby move the trunk back to Hermione's room. However, if people were lining up to use the room it would make it harder for Hermione to get back since it required someone to be there to open the passageway. Then, there was also Malfoy needing the room and that bothered him. He was up to something, what was anyone's guess.

He took out his watch to check the time, trying to figure out how much time he had left. "I guess I'll have to head back up there after dinner to hold the room for Hermione. I haven't had any trouble getting the room before, but there might be a rush for it since it's Sunday."

"Uh-oh."

Harry looked to where Neville indicated with his chin to see McGonagall walking toward him from teachers' table. It didn't take long before he found out what put that particular expression on her face. "Mr. Potter, the Headmaster has requested your presence in his office. He informed me you would know of the contents to be discussed."

He raised his eyebrow. He wasn't expecting another meeting so soon. "Now, or after dinner, Professor?"

"He did not specify, Mr. Potter. However, I see no reason to not enjoy your dinner before venturing in that direction. I will of course expect you in my office at the conclusion."

After Harry's nod of thanks, they waited for the Professor to walk back to the teachers table. Once she was seated Neville leaned toward him. "Are you sure that's a good idea, Harry?"

He shrugged. "McGonagall told us Dumbledore took an Unbreakable Vow to not interfere with us, so I'm not really worried. He's most likely noticed Hermione hasn't been around the last few weekends and took the opportunity to cut her out of our conversations. Most of them took place in the pensieve so he could avoid saying anything in front of her last time, but without her there, I imagine he would hold the meeting the way he wants."

Neville checked around them to make sure no one was eavesdropping. "You don't think he knows she's leaving the castle do you?"

Harry shook his head. "I don't think so mate. It's not like it's abnormal for her to miss meals for days. Last year, a bunch of us made a habit of eating down in the kitchens to avoid Umbridge." Harry replied.

"You know, Harry, he might suspect she's out of the castle. If she doesn't show for your meeting, it would confirm it. If you think about it, that's downright sneaky. He could have raised a fuss over her not being around, but instead is using it to his own ends." Susan surmised.

Harry picked up a few rolls, putting them in his pockets before making a sandwich. "Yeah well, the Headmaster always had a habit of picking and choosing what rules he was going to follow, and which he wasn't, based on what he could gain. I'd better go get this over with. Can I ask a favor?"

Susan smiled shooing him away with one hand. "We'll hold the door, Harry."

"Thanks guys, you're the best."

Neville watched Harry leave with a frown on his face. With a sigh he quietly stated to his girlfriend. "This doesn't feel right."

Susan snorted. "Which part? The Life and Times of Voldemort or Harry and Hermione?"

"Everything." Neville stated helpfully.

"Well, that clears it all up. Nice one."

Neville half-heartedly smiled at the jab. "You know, it's always been Ron, Harry and Hermione doing this stuff. I feel like an outsider."

Both of them looked to the far side of the table where Ron was sitting chatting up Lavender Brown. Both were very aware that his eyes never once strayed in their direction since they walked into the Hall.

"You went with them to the Ministry, Neville. I don't know why both Weasleys have been ignoring them since school started, but they'll figure it out on their own. He did this to them during the Triwizard too you know. I do see what you are saying. I mean, I was just as surprised as you are when Hermione approached us."

"I just hope we don't fail them. I don't know how they do it, Susan. It's only been a couple of weeks since they confided in us, and it feels like we're carrying the weight of our world on our shoulders. They just keep plowing forward. I'm scared to my bones I'm going to muck this all up for them and ruin everything." Neville confessed morosely.

Susan smiled reassuringly at her boyfriend before laying her head on his shoulder. "You didn't fail them at the Ministry, Neville, and we are not going to fail them now. Harry and Hermione believe in you, as do I. I don't know how, but together we are going to figure this all out. Come on, Luna should be done with her Arithmancy essay by now. Let's get to the room so we can catch her up. Hopefully by the time Harry is done with Dumbledore, Hermione will be back and some of this mess will make sense."

XxXDaRXxX

Harry stood before the circular stairway that led to the Headmaster's office. He took several deep calming breaths while rubbing the ache in his chest. After a few moments preparing himself, he walked up the stairs to knock on the door.

"Enter."

Harry opened the door taking the seat offered facing the Headmaster across his great desk. The old man smiled benignly. "Ah, Harry. I was not expecting you so soon. Was the feast not up to its usual high standards?"

"The food was fine, Dumbledore. Let's just get on with this. I still have a Potions' essay to finish." Harry replied curtly. He didn't really, but he didn't want to be here any longer than he had to either.

The Headmaster frowned slightly as he reprimanded him. "Professor will do, Harry."

"Mr. Potter will do, Albus." Harry countered.

There was a moment of silence between them where both simply faced each other, giving nothing away by their facial expressions. Dumbledore nodded after several moments. "Very well, Mr. Potter, shall we continue where we left off a few weeks ago?"

Harry nodded but kept his mouth shut. "Very good. Last time we discussed the early years of Tom Riddle. Tonight, we shall journey into muddied waters that constitute his years at Hogwarts. Alas, I was unsuccessful in acquiring any memories for us to peruse. As you can imagine, people who knew that Tom Riddle and Voldemort are the same person are, in general, unwilling to share their experiences. Afraid, and rightly so, that it could possibly draw attention to themselves. Many have died in the past for such transgressions."

Harry snorted. "It's only because Voldemort is a prideful narcissistic wanker with Daddy issues."

Dumbledore smirked just slightly as he nodded. "Colorful, but accurate. Now, I have managed to piece together several inconsistencies during a specific year where I am under the belief that truly set the stage for Tom's rise to prominence."

Harry leaned back resisting the urge to rub the ache out of his chest. Dumbledore slowly stroked his beard as his eyes seemed to go out of focus. "It was during Tom's fifth year these events took place. The first, and most critical, was shortly after Tom discovered his family history."

"He found Riddle Manor and killed his father. He opened the chamber of secrets. Shortly thereafter, he created the diary which he gave to Mr. Malfoy to hide. But later, he snuck it into Ginny's books. That led to the second opening of the Chamber of Secrets, which got you kicked out of Hogwarts and several other students petrified. That's more recent than I think we were talking about, however." Harry summarized.

"Oh my, well done, my boy. I can see you have indeed been thinking of these issues these last two weeks. I am indeed impressed. I was not aware you had your own sources into the life and times of Tom Riddle." The headmaster praised.

Harry rolled his eyes. "Voldemort has a tendency to talk too much when he thinks he's going to get away with killing me. Just like every other B-rate movie villain ever cast. Now, if you're done polishing my wand, can we get to the point, please?"

Dumbledore chuckled, in spite of the rather sarcastic tone Harry used. "There is a bit more to the picture that I feel you should understand. Yes, Voldemort did indeed do all those things in that very order as you surmised. However, can you tell me the 'why'?"

"For some of those events, it is easy to understand his motivation. Murdering his father was done in an act of vengeance for being abandoned. It was truly a significant event in Voldemort's life that one would think ranks almost as high as receiving his Hogwarts' letter."

Harry nodded impatiently, letting the Headmaster continue. "So, then shortly thereafter, we have the first opening of the fabled Chamber of Secrets. From your own experiences with the diary, I believe we both can understand this too was a particularly important event."

"The first time he openly struck out against muggle-borns."

"And?"

Harry frowned, thinking. "You're referring to the whole 'Heir of Slytherin' thing?"

"Precisely. It is such a prestigious title for a young man who up until he received his Hogwarts' letter was naught but a forgotten orphan. We both know Voldemort has always placed himself above even the Purebloods of our society, using his parentage, substantial magical ability, and his charming personality to cement his place as such."

"Okay…" Harry said still frowning.

"My point is that these are rather important events in Voldemort's school years. They were important enough to him for them to be memorialized."

"He did with the diary. Are you suggesting he did something similar when he murdered Tom Riddle Sr.?"

"Indeed." Dumbledore agreed.

Harry vented his frustration by scowling, waving for Dumbledore to continue. "Go on then. You're leading to something, so get on with it."

Dumbledore opened one of his desk drawers, pulling out a ring. The second Harry laid eyes on it, his whole body seized. He never stopped looking at it even as Dumbledore resumed talking. "You feel it as well."

Harry did indeed feel something. He wasn't aware he was clutching the armrests of his chair in a white knuckle grip, straining to lean away from it. There was something evil about the ring. Evil and powerful and Harry almost felt it was calling to him. Whispers just outside his ability to hear tantalized his senses or ability to understand. He swallowed thickly; he really wished Hermione was here. The pain of her absence seemed to increase tenfold as he looked at the bit of stone and gold. Harry remained silent aside from his harsh breathing.

"Yes," Dumbledore drawled watching Harry's reactions intently. "There is great evil in this ring. Tell me Harry, have you ever felt a magical aura similar to this one?"

"…the diary…" Harry hoarsely croaked. And the darkness when Hermione and I were joined…Hermione felt it during the Shaman's Ritual…And the echo of it when she touched the diary a few weeks ago…the darkness…

"Yes, indeed. That would be because both items were the same. Both the diary, and this ring are Horcrux'es."

Harry remained silent while the battle in him raged on. The ring was still holding most of his attention. Dumbledore continued his explanation. "When Riddle Sr. died, he did not die alone. He was found dead with his father and mother. The entire Riddle family perished at the same time. The Muggles blamed the groundskeeper while our own Department of Law Enforcement took the confession of one Morfin Gaunt. He was imprisoned after bragging to anyone who would listen how he murdered the Riddle Family."

A strange cold began to settle noticeably on Harry. He could hear the whispers getting louder. He could almost hear what they were saying now and…was that a heartbeat? "Framed…Vol…Voldemort framed Morfin."

"Oh yes." Dumbledore agreed still watching Harry's reactions. "Yes, indeed he did. So we can conclude that not only did Voldemort murder his family; he also eliminated the last of his connection to the Gaunt's as Morfin was the last alive. No further investigation was made since Morfin confessed. Thus, Voldemort severed the last of his ties to his family, stepping truly and fully onto the path he had chosen for himself."

"Horcruxes Harry, are the vilest of creations made from the darkest of rites. Today a person would be hard pressed to find even a mention of them outside of the darkest of tomes of very old families. Our very own Unspeakables have tried very hard over the years to erase this bit of magic, and others like it."

Harry let the Headmaster continue to explain without interruption. Was the surface of the ring shifting? It looked like it. It seemed to be flowing...and was the gold of the band always that bright?

Dumbledore continued to study Harry's reactions slightly frowning at his lack of attention. "Many years ago, when these events took place, it was very much the same except for one difference. Hogwarts held a single tome detailing them. Not their creation processes mind you, but what it was and what it did."

"When Voldemort was a student here, our Headmaster was Headmaster Dippet, and against my advice, he allowed the knowledge to exist within the Restricted Section, believing that no student would be able to access it without good reason. A man of many virtues but one blinded by the ideology that knowledge should be available to all for knowledge's sake. It is my conclusion, based on who we are discussing, that in this instance Headmaster Dippet's wonderfully open ideology was betrayed by Voldemort as he began his quest for immortality."

"Imm…ortality?" Harry half stuttered in question. He could feel an ache in his bones from the strain of holding himself so rigid, but even that too was slowly fading, replaced by a strange feeling of a steady double beat against his skin.

"Yes, Immortality. That is what one creates a Horcrux for Harry." Harry didn't even twitch at the switch of address. "Its purpose is to hold a portion of their soul in a vessel of some sort. Such items must be heavily enchanted, but once prepared properly, it is ready for use. Then, in our case, the wizard will murder another being in cold blood."

"Doing so causes great damage to a person's soul. It is against the very fabric of our being to do such things. Into this break the Wizard shaves off a portion of his soul and stores it in the prepared vessel. Thereby insuring that even though their bodies may be destroyed, sometime in the future, what is left of their soul cannot be forced to move on. As we both know by Voldemort's success, there are various ways that would allow for such a cursed soul to be reborn in the flesh."

Harry swallowed dryly. It was getting harder to concentrate on the words Dumbledore was saying. They were almost more annoying than the whispers but not nearly as important for some reason. "Th…that is…two. How man…many m…more?"

The aged Headmaster nodded slowly as he watched Harry struggle. "Hmm, a chilling thought, but one I have also entertained. Like you, I do not believe Voldemort would have stopped at two. I have my suspicions, but that information has eluded me thus far. In fact that is one of the reasons why our talks are so important..."

Dumbledore voice was beginning to slowly fade away. The whispering was a buzz in his ears slowly blanketing the old man out. Harry still couldn't make out the words being said, but he could almost understand them. The chill in the air seemed to be stealing the color from his vision. Except for the ring itself. The heartbeat that wasn't a heartbeat still pulsed through the air. Seemingly to brush against his skin steadily.

"Professor Slughorn Harry…" The feathered touch of the pulse dancing along his skin… "…will not speak of it. However it is…" breathy whispers in his ear telling him…touch…they want him to touch the ring? "…we must find a way to convince him…" Why was it so cold? It wasn't this cold when he walked in was it? Why…cold…alone…he was alone…so alone… "…arry? My boy are you…" …the ring will make everything better? That was good right? Harry did so not want to be alone anymore…

So lost into himself Harry could only continue to stare. Nothing else in the room mattered. There was nothing but the ring…

Dumbledore sat silently for a moment, watching the shaking young man sitting before him. It was apparent that his theories were indeed correct. The pull of the Horcrux was too strong. He could only come to one conclusion. He couldn't afford to destroy the ring tonight. It was going to take a great many similar meetings to get Harry used to the feel of the artifact to build up his resistance.

Suddenly, the stained glass window on the west wall exploded inward. As the Headmaster rose to his feet, he took note of the body that came through the storm of colorful glass fragments. It wasn't until it quickly straightened upright that he recognized exactly whom the body belonged to.

Hermione Granger was wrapped in chaotic vortex of magical mist. Her short hair waved about randomly. The agitated blue, purple, and violet mist wrapped opaquely about her almost as if it were a living thing. As stunning as that was to itself, it was her eye's that caused the Headmaster to pull his wand. They were burning in a Technicolor riot brighter and hotter than dragon's fire. Dumbledore barely had time to aim his wand at the out of control and enraged student before she grabbed the side of one of his bookcases ripping it from the wall.

"Stop! Ms. Granger…" Dumbledore started to command but he was far too late.

"DUMBLEDORE!" Hermione's magically amplified voice screeched. Books rained unnoticed as the bookcase came free. She swung it like a cricket bat into the old man. The movement and attack were so fast that the Headmaster barely had time to register the mist about her slap aside his stunner before he was struck. The shelf exploded on impact, throwing Dumbledore's body. It was joined by the wooden fragments that were all that was left of her weapon.

For Hermione, her magic was literally shattering her mind as it flowed through her veins. Even all the way in Cholester at her parents' house she felt Harry's sudden all-consuming fear. Disregarding her parents stunned reactions to her change in demeanor, she immediately apparated to Hogsmeade. This close, she could feel Harry's mind breaking through their bond. Something had a hold on him, and whatever it was, it was tuning her out. Even this close, he was unresponsive to her. Her mind was overwhelmed by how his emotions were so confused. Fear, pain, longing, depression…darkness. It was terrifying to the Gryffindor girl who had only felt such emotions from him one time before.

She didn't know anyway to get there faster. Hermione didn't see any other option. In her panic, Hermione opened herself to the Arcanum and the wild magics Raze had taught them. Harry was in danger; there was a threat to her lover. Nothing mattered but getting to him as quickly as possible. She didn't even try to control it but gave into it willingly as her body shot into the air.

Rage and anger dominated her as she looked to the prone thing before her. Hermione stalked forward to the creature that dared to harm Harry. Only one thought reverberated through her being. Strike. Strike the threat, cut it. Tear into it. Leave nothing to chance. The dead do not strike twice. Cut. Kill. End the threat. She had to protect Harry.

A pure sound intruded into her madness forcing her attention to a great case that adorned the left hand wall. Hermione paused as the phoenix trilled to her. Its beautiful voice penetrated the haze in her mind. She looked confusingly between the desk table and the case knowing only that the bird was trying to tell her something but she couldn't make it out.

Then Hermione saw it. The ring. The feel of the Darkness within it. Her eyes darted to Harry then back to the ring. Her magic still coloring her senses showed the tendrils of magic as it reached out into Harry's mind. Corrupting, dark, evil touching her lover.

Hermione's eyes narrowed nearly into slits as she recognized the greater threat. Allowing her instincts to control her actions, the glass case exploded freeing the sword that rested within bringing it to her. It never occurred to her that she could get it any other way.

In a well-practiced movement, Hermione caught the blade at the hilt. Her overhead swing easily shattered the stone and bisected the band destroying the threat as well as cutting the Headmaster's desk in half. Like a puppet with its strings cut, Harry's body slid boneless onto the floor. However, there was still a threat to Harry in the room. Hermione turned her gaze to the broken form of the Headmaster.

Still holding the sword of Gryffindor; Hermione slowly moved bringing the deadly blade to bear.

Fawkes fluttered down landing on the old man's chest as she raised it high and prepared to strike.

Hermione paused. Fawkes's sorrowful eyes looked into her own for several moments. She could see the plea in his eyes. The desperation as it tried to convey its request for mercy through their shared gaze. Slowly, unwillingly she lowered the blade keeping her eyes locked to the phoenix keeping her from her target. Struggling with her emotional desires to finally and forcefully end the threat she knew Dumbledore was, and the Phoenixes request for leniency.

In the end, Hermione let go of the blade. It rang hollowly as she took a step backward. The wild mist evaporated from her form as she took control once again. "Only…only for you Fawkes. I owe you for saving Harry in second year. For keeping him alive when I couldn't. But I swear on my magic if he hurts Harry again…"

An understanding trill emanated from Fawkes laced with compassion. Somehow, she understood that Fawkes accepted her conditions. Hermione simply gave a curt nod diverting her full attention to the young man she came here to save.

Harry was curled up in a tight ball rocking back and forth. Hermione quickly knelt down next to him pulling, him into her embrace. She paid no attention to the flash behind her as Fawkes took Dumbledore away.

"Shh. I'm here Harry, I have you. I have you now… It's going to be okay."

Hermione had to strain to hear his stuttering whispers. "Alone… cold… I… I don't… want… I don't want to go back…to the darkness… No… please…"

Through their bond Hermione pushed hard all the love in her heart for him. She whispered her love into his ear while flooding Harry with all the memories of their time together. It seemed to take ages before she felt anything from him.

"Her…Hermione?"

Hermione kept rocking him in her embrace as her tears fell. Her voice was almost as shaky as Harry's when she replied. "Yes, Harry, it's me. I have you. I'm here."

Harry's arms finally unwound from himself. His grip around her was crushing as if he was afraid she would disappear. "Please be real… don't leave me…"

"Never, Harry. I am yours. Always and Forever…" Hermione reassured him.

She raised her head looking around. There was no way she was going to get Harry out of here like this, and there was no telling how long it would be until Dumbledore came back.

"Dobby!"

The diminutive house elf appeared with a crack right next to her. She smiled warmly at him. "I need to get Harry somewhere safe. Can you take us back to our flat?"

Dobby's ears flopped as he rapidly nodded. "Oh yes, Mistress, I can be doing that. Is Master Harry Potter Sir going to be okay?"

Hermione nodded trying to reassure him. "He will be."

Dobby grabbed both of them. All three disappeared from the Headmaster's office in a loud crack.

Author's Notes

Okay, Chapter Twenty-two revision is done. For those of you interested in the story instead of my drivel, by all means leave a review telling me what you think of this chapter, and then hit that 'Next' button. Enjoy the read. As always thank you to all reviews and readers. You are noticed and appreciated.

Fic Recommendation: Always and Forever by lorelover