Horcruxes

Severus and Inus joined the others in Dumbledore's office. Narcissa was wearing one of Minerva's dresses that hung loosely on Narcissa's slender frame.

A minute or so later, Draco came into the office. "Mum, why are you here? And why are you wearing that ghastly plaid dress?"

"Aunt Meda told me, if I destroyed the horcrux by non-magical means, your father would be free of the reluctant spirit. I didn't know the spirit had more than one horcrux." Narcissa covered her face with her hands as she cried. "Son, I'm sorry."

"And You-Know-Who knows you're on to him." Draco stood over his mother. He had a growth spurt over the summer and now towered over his mother.

"He knows his ring is missing," said Narcissa.

"Aunt Andromeda is a nice witch and all, but she isn't an expert on the Dark Arts," shouted Draco, still staring down his mother. "You should have, at least, talked to Professor Snape before acting on your own. The ring should have been the last object we destroyed, not that first."

Narcissa sniffed in a snot trying to her escape her slender elegant nose. "I'm sorry. It seemed so simple: Get the object and the ghost would release my husband. I'm so sorry."

Severus put a hand on Draco's shoulder. "Your mother feels bad enough. She doesn't need you bullying her."

Dumbledore said, "Son, sit down. Inus told me that Harry was a horcrux. That poor child - he never had a chance."

Severus interrupted, "That also means he stronger now than he was when he possessed Quirrell."

"What we need to do is find the other horcruxes. Young Riddle bought the locket his mother wore back from the jeweler and he left Borgin and Burke right after procuring a cup, which is odd since he never gave the procured cup to the store owner," explained Dumbledore. "The Slytherin Locket and the Hufflepuff Cup are probably two of the four remaining objects. Since he didn't know about Harry, I would assume the other two are possibly Gryffindor and Ravenclaw artefacts."

"But they could be anything," said Inus.

"Don't limit your search to antiquities," said Dumbledore. "As Professor Quirrell said, they could be anything."

"Mum, while I'm getting you some appropriate attire, I'll check to see if there are any of You-Who-Who's belongings lying about," said Draco.

"Be careful." Narcissa got up from her chair and hugged Draco. "You can't let your father know where I am. Draco, don't be a hero. You think you're all grown up, but you'll always be my baby boy."

"I'll bring any items I find to Headmaster Dumbledore," said Draco. "Professors Lupin and Moody didn't cover exorcism in any of their classes."

Inus laughed. "I can see Moody covering it."

Dumbledore said, "If you must go, use my floe and be back before Monday classes."

Draco hugged his mother. "I'll tell Dad that I'm collecting your things. Good-bye, Mother." Draco walked over to the floe, put floo powder on himself and vanished.

"I hate leading any of my students into danger," said Dumbledore.

"You lead a three first-years into danger," said Inus, referring to Harry, Hermione and Ron. "While Draco is searching Malfoy Manor, I'll get a sketch book and pencils from a muggle art store. The church school on the old orphanage grounds won't have any problems letting a crippled man sketch their artefacts."

"Good luck," said Dumbledore. "Severus, you can search the Riddle House. That leaves Slytherin without a house parent. Narcissa, would you mind watching a group of adolescences?"

Narcissa looked at her borrowed dress. "Not in a plaid potato sack." She was one of those few people that managed to have her nose up in the air, even when looking down.

Minerva huffed.

"I'll mind them," said Dumbledore. "Inus, Severus, good luck. Minerva, you can walk me part of the way."

Inus stood on his crutches and headed out the door. He hoped the Slytherin snakes didn't hurt the old man too much. He had to get art supplies then take muggle transportation to a church school.

xxxx

Inus explained to the nun at the front desk that he heard they had some antiquities from the ninth century and he would like to sketch them.

"Sir, we have a chalet in the headmistress's office that we received through an anonymous donation," said the nun. "You're free to sketch it."

"Thank you," said Inus.

"I'll show you the way." The nun lead him to the office. The Hufflepuff cup was sitting on a shelf. The small, magical golden cup engraved with a badger with two finely wrought handles was being used as a bookend.

"Can you hand it to me?" asked Inus while reaching for it. An aura around the cup prevented him from touching it. Muggles must have been unaffected because someone had to put the Hufflepuff cup on the bookshelf.

"You mustn't take it from this room," said the nun.

Take it from this room, Inus held in a smirk. He couldn't even touch it. "Better yet. Put it on a table and I'll draw it."

The nun, an older woman, put the cup on a table crowded with schoolbooks and sat it on top of a pile of books. She walked toward the door then sat on a chair.

Inus sat on a chair then took out his sketch book and started sketching the cup. He wished he had Dean's talent with a pencil. "Can you give me a moment alone? It's hard to draw with someone looking over my shoulder."

"God doesn't look kindly on people that steal from nuns and children," warned the nun. "I'll be outside the door."

"The cup is perfect where it is," said Inus. "I won't lay a finger on it."

"I'll be outside the door." The nun left the door, closing the door rather loudly.

After putting a privacy screen on the door, Inus took out his wand and called forth the spirit of Tom Riddle, Jr. The cup screamed and rattled on the pile of children's books. Invisible waves made the books ungulate then the high-pierced screaming stopped and the books returned to their normal shape and stillness.

Inus put down his wand and draw a some rough sketches of the cup. He closed his sketchbook, glad that he was a professor of Defence Against Dark Arts because could never make a living as an artist. He put his art supplies in his bag and lifted himself on one crutch then the other. Finally, he released the privacy screen and walked over to the door. "It's still on the table."

The nun opened the door. "You don't have to leave so soon."

"I drew a few outlines, but it doesn't do anything for me." Inus got pretty good at shrugging his shoulders on crutches. "I'm sorry I wasted your time."

"You can try, again, some other day," said the nun.

"Thank you." Inus walked to the door. "I can see myself out."