CHAPTER 4:

PLANS FOR THE HORCRUXES

Aerith and Harry had headed back to the Weasleys, while Jenova remained behind with Dumbledore, Snape, and Sirius. Kreacher had been given the locket, much to Sirius and Dumbledore's mirth, and Snape's annoyance (he was the Head of Slytherin, of course). Jenova stayed behind because she, having eaten two of Voldemort's horcruxes, was to stay behind for the discussion.

It was Dumbledore who began. "We'll have to move quickly to begin destroying the other horcruxes, now that we know what they are, and where they are, for the most part. Severus, will Voldemort be aware of the destruction of the horcruxes?"

"It's entirely possible," Snape said quietly. He was debatably more learned in the Dark Arts than Dumbledore, and Dumbledore knew that Snape knew many things in that area that he didn't. "Horcrux lore is thin on the ground, and anything to do with multiple horcruxes even more so. It's not outside the realm of possibility, but I do not know. It may depend on the fraction of the soul within the horcrux."

"So, the larger the fragment, the bigger the reaction?" Jenova asked.

"Possibly. Considering that you somehow…consumed the horcruxes, how much larger was the soul fragment?"

"Considerably larger. I can't tell how big it was, though, and Voldemort's memories are hazy on what order he created them in," Jenova said.

"Does the soul still live within you?" Dumbledore asked.

Jenova chuckled sardonically. "It depends on what you mean by that. The life-force of the soul fragments have been integrated into me, but, well, have you got a means of detecting horcruxes?"

"To a degree," Dumbledore said, before he used his wand, and muttered an incantation. Jenova felt nothing, and Dumbledore nodded, satisfied. "I used a similar spell on Harry. The horcruxes do not exist in you, at least not as horcruxes."

"Indeed," Jenova said. "I have some of the memories and knowledge, true, but that's like saying your body integrates the fats and proteins from the animal you eat. I can house multiple souls, true, but I'm not housing Voldemort's. Besides, I like being by myself in here. I didn't absorb Hojo's soul, after all. Just eating it left a bad taste in the mouth."

"Let's get back to the point," Dumbledore said, wincing at the reminder of her unusual and unnatural abilities. "We know of most of the horcruxes. Jenova, you said that he was obsessed with the number seven, so let us assume that he intended to split his soul into seven parts, with the soul within his body intended to be the seventh part. We shall assume for the moment that he also intended to create his last horcrux with Harry's death, until we know better. That means, not counting Voldemort himself and the horcrux formerly within Harry, there are, or were, five to deal with. Three of them seem to be objects associated with the Founders of Hogwarts, and of those, Slytherin's Locket has been dealt with. Two seem to be unconnected to that, but may be of personal significance to Voldemort. A ring that belonged to the Gaunts, and a book of some kind."

"Do we have some kind of whiteboard or blackboard for this?" Jenova asked.

Dumbledore pulled out his wand, and asked Sirius, "Is there anything you don't mind transfigured?"

"Not at all, but choose carefully. Kreacher will pitch a fit, otherwise."

Dumbledore nodded, before choosing a rather dilapidated cupboard, and turning it into a blackboard and chalk. "Damn," Jenova said, moving over to it. "That's impressive. How do you turn something made of wood and crockery into a blackboard and chalk?"

"With difficulty. Transfiguration is easier when objects share properties. One of Harry's first lessons in Transfiguration will be turning a matchstick into a needle, because they are of similar size and shape, but it is easier to turn something made of, say, cardboard into wood because cardboard originally is derived from wood. It won't be permanent, either."

"That's fine," Jenova said, before taking up the chalk and scrawling down the following.

HORCRUXES:

1. Voldemort's soul.

2. Harry fragment. ELIMINATED.

3. Slytherin Locket. ELIMINATED.

4. Gaunt ring. Location: Little Hangleton.

5. Hufflepuff Cup. Location: Bellatrix Lestrange vault, Gringotts.

6. Rowena Ravenclaw Diadem. Location: Room of Requirement, Hogwarts.

7. Some sort of book. Location: unknown.

Snape peered at the list critically. "The Diadem is sure to be the easiest one to deal with, if only because we know exactly where it is."

"And we can summon it up easily enough," Dumbledore said. "The Room of Requirement is a secret room that can only be accessed in a certain place by pacing back and forth while thinking on a certain need several times. I discovered it once decades ago, while I was out on patrol, and needed to relieve myself. To my astonishment, a door to a room filled with chamberpots appeared. I have since learned more about it. It is a hidden treasure of Hogwarts, filled with all sorts of things."

"You mean other than chamberpots," Jenova said wryly.

"The Gaunt ring may not be so troublesome," Snape said, going over to the blackboard and tapping the relevant point. "It's the other two that worry me. Gringotts is famous for its security and discretion. The goblins don't like holding dark artifacts in their vaults, it's true, but they also like to have a damned good reason before allowing anything to be removed or destroyed, especially if it isn't the vault owner doing it."

"And don't forget, we're making a big assumption in believing it to be at Gringotts," Sirius pointed out.

Snape turned to Sirius. "An intelligent comment, Black? Living on another world certainly helps your mind."

"It's true that it's an assumption that Bellatrix Lestrange has put the Cup into the Lestrange vault at Gringotts," Dumbledore said, intervening as Sirius scowled. "But it's not an unreasonable one. It was probably considered valuable enough to be placed into the vault. But Severus is right: getting the goblins to cooperate will take time and very careful negotiations. And I don't want any news to leak back to Voldemort."

"If I can get my name cleared," Sirius said quietly, "I may be able to do something about that. Bella was a Black, after all, and under our traditions, we may be able to seek reparations for breaking clauses of the marriage contract. And if my name is cleared, I will be the Head of House Black."

Snape snorted. "Malfoy won't let you if he can help it. Your cousin Narcissa is his wife, remember?"

"How could I forget? So, what, he wants to become Head of House Black?"

"He wants his son, and my godson, Draco, to become the Head," Snape said.

"Over my dead body," Sirius snapped.

"With you disappearing, I believe that won't be necessary," Snape drawled. "Malfoy discussed trying to make a fake body with me. Unfortunately, it's a too-complex process to simply replicate a body long enough for it to be accepted as real. And my specialty is in Potions and the Dark Arts, not Transfiguration."

"Leaving aside the ring and the Cup," Dumbledore said, "the last horcrux is the most concerning. All that we know is that it is a book of some kind."

"And looking for that is going to be the proverbial needle in a haystack," Sirius said. "It could be hidden anywhere. Amongst the possessions of a Death Eater, or in a library. Hogwarts Library, perhaps?"

"Maybe," Snape said, "but the Dark Lord would probably prefer to spread the horcruxes around, to keep them in relatively isolated places. The Diadem would probably be the only one at Hogwarts. This book would have to be hidden somewhere else, and probably not within easy reach of anyone."

"Jenova, you can't sense where a horcrux is, can you?" Dumbledore asked.

Jenova frowned, contemplating the question. She could sense where other collections of Jenova cells were, and she could sense Lifestream and Mako. But sense a horcrux? "I don't know," she admitted. "When we seek out the one at Hogwarts, I'll try to see if I can sense it. But I'm not a bloodhound, you know."

"You're much too sexy to be one," Sirius said with a lascivious smirk. "And scary."

"Black…" Snape said warningly.

"Snape, I've known Jenova longer than you have. And I've learned at what point to draw the line," Sirius said.

"After I threatened to melt his reproductive organs, to be precise," Jenova smirked, leaving all three men to wince involuntarily.

Back at Hogwarts, Snape and Dumbledore were conversing in the latter's office. Snape was pacing like a caged beast, while Dumbledore sat in his chair, projecting serenity that he didn't actually feel. "So, two horcruxes down, perhaps four to go, discounting the Dark Lord's soul," Snape growled. "If Voldemort becomes aware of the horcruxes' destruction…"

"I know, Severus. My next port of call will be the ring at Little Hangleton, and I will need your help."

Snape snorted. "My obedience, you mean. I'm only going along with this more overtly because I don't want the Dark Lord to learn of what I've done. And what has been done to me."

This last sentence made Dumbledore frown. "What do you mean, Severus?"

Snape rolled back the sleeve of his robe over his right arm. "Look," he hissed.

Dumbledore said, bemused, "I see noth…oh."

"Indeed," Snape said acidly.

"Severus, this is wonderful! When did the Dark Mark disappear?"

"I believe it happened when we went to Potter's birthday. I felt a pain there when we went through the Goddess' Gate. After we came back, Minerva came to me in my sleep. The deity of that other world, I mean, not McGonagall. She had managed to remove the Dark Mark from me. She said it was partly because she didn't want me caught between conflicting loyalties. And partly because it was something I regretted, amongst so many," Snape said. He clutched his forearm. "I also saw Lily in my dreams. We…spoke."

Dumbledore nodded, but remained silent. Minerva had brought his sister Ariana to him in his dreams, and he knew what it was probably like. It certainly made his desire for the Resurrection Stone far less than it had been.

"The thing I am worried about is, if the Dark Lord does decide to summon his Death Eaters to his side, then what will happen? How will I explain the removal of the Dark Mark?"

"Those are questions for the future, I hope." Dumbledore steepled his fingers. "As it happens, Voldemort, or at least one of his servants, has made their move. There was an attempted break-in at Gringotts on the day Harry and the others went there. I've moved the Stone to its current hiding place."

"I'm still uneasy with these precautions," Snape said. "I know we're setting a trap, but Pomona and Filius' rooms seem too easy. Minerva's room is passable for any decent chess player."

"Voldemort will believe the precautions to be easy, and hopefully, it will blind him to the trap I've set. That being said, I've read your logic puzzle poem," Dumbledore said with a smile. "Lateral thinking is a rare art amongst people. And your poem is fairly good, too."

"Thank you," Snape said acidly. Dumbledore wasn't trying to be patronising, but he managed it all the same. That being said, it was true. Even Muggles had better lateral thinking skills than most wizards and witches, and even then, it was rare for a Muggle to be truly brilliant.

"Perhaps in future you could test some students in logic and lateral thinking," Dumbledore said. "Particularly outside Ravenclaw. They tend to be better there, but in Slytherin, Gryffindor and Hufflepuff…"

"Especially in Gryffindor and Hufflepuff," Snape sighed. "I sincerely hope we get some with intelligence than the dunderheads we usually get."

"There's a Muggleborn girl, actually, whom you might be interested in," Dumbledore said. "A Hermione Granger. Minerva's praise of her has been effusive. She devours our texts like a hungry beast."

"I do hope that she doesn't think swotting up will impress me," Snape sighed. "Though I daresay she might make the classroom a bit more intelligent by her presence, especially if she goes into Ravenclaw. I'm hoping Mr Potter will take my advice and revise the text."

"Severus, you did very well with your suggestion," Dumbledore said. "Actually, I am told that Miss Gainsborough has a gift for you when she comes to Hogwarts for the staff meeting: she is bringing a selection of the curative potions from her world. She thought you might be interested."

Snape was, despite himself. "Did she say what they were?"

"She did discuss them with me. What they call a Potion is what they use to heal wounds. Ethers are used to recharge magical energy, revitalise the core. Elixirs do both, healing wounds and revitalising magical ability, and are understandably somewhat rare and expensive. There's also something called a Phoenix Down, an artificial form of real phoenix down."

Fawkes, who was standing on his perch as usual, chose this moment to emit a sardonic trill.

Dumbledore chuckled. "Indeed, old friend, but while not as potent as your tears, this potion can revive someone who is dying or recently dead, within perhaps an hour at most. They have similar magic called Life magic. It has its limits, though(1). There is also a variety of substances used for ailments that monsters inflict on their victims. There's even potions that permanently enhance innate abilities like intelligence and strength, even magical power, although they are extremely rare, and she was only able to get one spare for you: a Magic Source."

Snape was intrigued. If Aerith was bringing him such a thing, it might prove an interesting diversion. Busy though he was, he did try to make time to look at new things if he could. Snape may be an appalling teacher, but he could never be said to be one who sat on his laurels, at least as far as learning about Potions or the Dark Arts were concerned. Perhaps it might make the first year teaching Harry Potter…no, Harry Gainsborough, tolerable.

Somehow, though, Snape doubted it. Between horcruxes and the Philosopher's Stone, that old phrase 'may you live in interesting times' seemed applicable…

CHAPTER 4 ANNOTATIONS:

Discussion of the horcruxes, where to look for them, and a look at Snape's lightening character. Snape's still a dick, but he's becoming less of one. You'll notice that he's still finding it hard to call him anything other than 'Mr Potter'. This was originally by accident (coming back to this fic after a while did that), but I changed it a bit so that it's more about Snape struggling to remember that this is Harry Gainsborough.

Part of the reason for Jenova being unable to discern the diary is for story reasons: I want to recreate The Chamber of Secrets if I come to do it, so Jenova hasn't had much luck in absorbing Voldemort's memories of it. She knows it's a book of some kind, and that's it.

No soundtrack again. For reference, see the character themes at the end of Birthday.

1. I mentioned in Harry Potter and the Cetra Heritage that Sephiroth's sword inhibits the use of Life magic and Phoenix Downs, in order to explain away Aerith and President Shinra's death in the game. I also decided that, if the person is dead too long, they can't be revived.