Author's Note: Another chapter. Enjoy. I still don't own Harry Potter. JK Rowling does.

xxxx

Heads Up

Inus managed teaching Potions using only a cane. He asked Ron and Hermione to meet him in his office after dinner.

After everyone was seated in the Defence Against Dark Arts office, Hermione said, "What's up?"

"This must be very uncomfortable for you," said Inus. "It's uncomfortable for me."

"You'll be taking the O.W.L's with us?" asked Ron.

"Yes, and the N.E.W.T's our seventh year," said Inus. "I should tell you why I've been too busy to hung with you."

Hermione gave him an eyeful. "You should."

"Lord Voldemort is back," said Inus.

"You have your hair," said Ron.

Hermione said, "Ron, don't be a twit."

"He found someone else," said Inus. "Severus, Minerva and Albus are handling it. Sirius and I were left here to keep the ship afloat."

"I didn't think we had another outbreak of Dragon Pox," said Hermione.

"Lord Voldemort needs a willing servant," explained Inus. "And I'm not longer willing. I think Quirinus ran on fear and anger. I can't see that prick being subservient to anyone. Lord Voldemort chose one of his Death Eaters to be his host."

"No names?" asked Hermione.

"Lucius Malfoy," admitted Inus. "You tell no one. I'm frightened once this is over that Remus will be out a job."

"I don't follow," said Hermione.

"I overheard Draco tell Pansy that Narcissa knows about Remus's furry little problem and Lucius could use it to force Dumbledore's hand," Inus explained.

"I still don't get it," said Ron.

"You-Know-Who is a Legilimens," explained Hermione. "And he could have heard about Remus's furry little problem from Draco's or Narcissa's minds."

Ron stared at Hermione then Inus then Hermione, again. "I still don't get it. What's Professor Lupin's furry little problem?"

"Shrieking Shack shrieks on the full moon." Hermione turned her face toward Ron and shook her head like she was disappointed he didn't understand that he can't do magic unless he holds his wand in his hand and gives it a firm shake. "It only started shrieking after Professor Lupin started teaching. The give-away is Professor Lupin is absent the day after the full moon each month."

"Hermione, you needed it practically tapped out in Morse code," said Inus. "Cut Ron a break."

Hermione said, "I miss the obvious at times because I'm too much into my reading like when I didn't know about house elves until last year. Ron is an expert at catching the obvious. All the clues are there."

"Hermione, I'm scared that Lucius will it use to get Dumbledore to resign," said Inus. "I can see him threatening to tell the other governors that Albus Dumbledore allowed a man-eating monster to teach at their school. Right now our more immediate problem is Lord Voldemort has a body and Lucius isn't as inept as Quirrell."

"Harry, you're Quirrell," said Hermione.

"I tend to notice that every time I look in the mirror," said Inus. "As they say, that's old news."

"You're worried that Voldemort will try to stop Headmaster Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape from completing their mission," said Hermione.

"He knows that Narcissa destroyed his ring," said Inus. "He must know they wouldn't stop until all the horcruxes are destroyed."

"Horcruxes?" asked Hermione.

"They're very dark magic," explained Inus. "The Black library was three books that mention them. One says only that they are too dark to be mentioned in this book, but the other two go into more detail. Andromeda Black Tonks must have read one of those books when she was younger and told her sister to destroy whatever object her husband, suddenly, took a liking. Good advice, if Lord Voldemort had one horcrux."

"What's a horcrux?" asked Hermione.

"A piece of soul," explained Inus. "It breaks off when you kill someone. Most murderers walk around with shattered souls, but a wizard can place a piece of his shattered soul into a object and make a horcrux."

"Why place a part of your soul outside the body?" asked Ron.

"Because as long as a piece of you is grounded on earth, you can't go to your eternal reward," said Hermione. "And You-Know-Who had more than one of these?"

"He had six all together," said Inus. "The one in Lucius and five others. Seven if you include the one in Harry, but that one rejoined the other shattered pieces of Lord Voldemort when he pushed me out of my body. I destroyed one and Dumbledore also destroyed the one Draco found. Sirius's brother also destroyed one that is probably why the Dark Lord killed him."

Hermione concluded, "So when Narcissa destroyed the most obvious horcrux, he must have went off."

"And I'm here teaching class like nothing is amiss," said Inus.

"Harry, you must be terrified," said Ron.

"Lord Voldemort must be on to them and they are battling for their lives and I can do nothing to help them," said Inus.

Hermione walked over to Inus's chair and put an arm around Inus. "You and Sirius are doing an important job. If it got out that You-Know-Who is back, parents would be pulling their children out of school and panic would ensue."

"Severus told me the same thing," said Inus. "It's just that my man could be dead and I can't do anything to help."

Hermione continued to hug Inus. "You really love Severus."

"I wish you could see how beautiful he is," said Inus.

Hermione snorted. After scrunching up her nose, Hermione walked back to her chair on the other side of the desk and placed her hand in Ron's.

Inus knew Severus was nothing to look at. "He has this rough exterior, but he has this sensitive soul and he's been hurt in the past."

"He's a Death Eater," said Ron. "He's leading You-Know-Who straight to Dumbledore and McGonagall."

Inus didn't think Severus would do that. "He's probably leading Lord Voldemort away from them."

"Lord Voldemort," repeated Ron. "You, surely, no longer serve him."

"I belong to him." Inus looked at the pile of papers on his desk. "Harry carried part of his soul from that Halloween Night until Quirrell reconnected the piece in Harry to the other pieces. I'm no longer his horcrux, but you don't shake something like that off like rain off a dog's back. Ron, the only reason we're having this conversation is because my original body is dead."

Hermione's mouth fell open then she gasped. "The horcrux has be released for the spirit to go to damnation. Harry was a horcrux. Voldemort couldn't die as long as Harry lived."

"Hermione, you don't mean." Ron squeezed Hermione's hand.

"That boy we met on the train carried Voldemort's soul piece inside him," said Hermione.

"Ron, I wouldn't worry about my loyalty. I may belong to Lord Voldemort, but like many slaves, I long to see my master dead. The horcrux that went into Harry shattered off when Lord Voldemort killed Harry's father and mother. I have no love for the creature."

"I realise all that, but it's still creepy," said Ron.

"Harry and Quirinus both carried part of Lord Voldemort's soul inside them," said Inus. "Quirinus was willing and Harry was unwilling. I can't separate myself from it."

"Harry, no one is asking you to," said Hermione.

"Ron, you never had Cruciatus Curse done to you and Imperius Curse," said Inus. "I had both done to me and Severus had them done to him by our so-called master. I assure you Severus wants the Dark Lord dead."

Ron stood up. "I still don't trust Snape."

"Dumbledore and Harry trust him and is good enough for me." Hermione also stood then put an arm around Ron. "Harry, thanks for the heads up."

Inus looked up from his lesson plans and notes. "You're welcome."