Author: enchanted nightingale
Beta Reader: pussycatadamah
Timeline: Book 5
Pairs: Harry/Lucius
Disclaimer: The characters belong to J.K. Rowling. I merely use them in my plot for fun.
Chapter 41 – Cave Expeditions
Albus was in his office, his joints aching from all the activity. He had just returned from an excursion he had never before considered going on. When Lucius Malfoy alongside Severus had admitted a few months ago to plotting the Dark Lord's downfall he had been happy that the blond wizard was on the right path again. He never really understood why the young Malfoy, brilliant as he was, kept being under Tom's rule. The excuses he and Severus gave did not convince the blue eyed wizard but Albus had learned to curb his insatiable curiosity by now and he had not pried or tried to find out by other means. He let both Severus and Lord Malfoy be.
A week ago he had received mail from Lucius, requesting a meeting. They needed to talk, the aristocrat had stressed. After the conclusion of said meeting, Albus felt that had been an understatement. They had spent three hours, no less talking about Horcruxes, the Dark Arts, how the soul pieces could be destroyed and more importantly, Tom Riddle. Lucius had been quite talkative, informing the Headmaster about the plans he and Severus had made, how the duo had included Bill Weasley ("He's a Curse Breaker, a reasonable ally to have on the mission we are seeking to complete") and Sirius Black; also Remus Lupin, two shocking choices for those who knew Severus. What was even more surprising was the fact that they were willing to include him in the hunt for Voldemort's Horcruxes. The blond wizard detailed the plan they had made and had asked for his contribution.
"What are you after?" Albus had asked the younger wizard.
"Information," Lucius had replied.
And information he gave them. He had several facts he knew about Tom Riddle. Memories of the child accepted in Hogwarts, of the angry teen, of the first opening of the Chamber of Secrets, of Voldemort's application to teach Defence in Hogwarts. He had some memories from other people too, and of the Gaunt's, his maternal family. Those memories he shared in two separate sessions for which Severus and Bill had also been present. With so many minds, it was easy to make a plan about what Horcruxes could be and where the possible locations might be. The list was long but also they had easier ways to eliminate their possible targets. That was the place where Sirius stepped in, with the Black Library offering a disturbingly vast information on Horcruxes and ways to detect and destroy them. Albus, who had a few suspicions had never known this much information even existed on soul pieces. Bill had suggested they check in Gringotts first.
"The Goblins will help us," he had stated with confidence and he had not been wrong. Two days after they requested help, the cup of Hufflepuff was delivered to them and then summarily destroyed under the watchful eyes of the Goblins, by the Curse breakers wand.
That had been the first Horcrux Albus had seen destroyed and it was quite foul.
As for their next endeavour...
Well, Albus' bones were still sore. Less than two hours ago the ragtag group had acted on a hunch the aged Headmaster had and Apparated to a cave Lord Voldemort had visited as a child. They had reached that conclusion because of a memory Dumbledore had collected and because when they first scouted the area, they had all felt the magic around the cave. The group of six wizards arrived at the beach early in the morning, dressed in clothes none of them would mind if they ruined. What was inside the cave made them all cringe. No one was squeamish about using blood to enter and Remus had offered his. Upon entering, Bill Weasley easily recognized the Inferi on sight and asked them all to head back out before he created a blazing inferno that burned the animated corpses before they had the chance to rise and attack them. The ease with which he created and handled Fiendfire was astonishing and Albus remarked upon it.
Flashback...
"Part of being a Curse Breaker, the Goblins insist on us knowing ten spells. Number three on that list is this one," Bill replied with a smile. The red head looked hardly winded, a feat considering most wizards have trouble controlling the spell.
"Can we move on?" Severus asked impatiently.
"I too want to finish with this," Remus agreed. "This whole cave is creepy."
"Yes well, considering that Inferi are not the worst thing in this cave," Sirius commented.
"Let me check once again," Bill said. "I should have gotten them all but one can never be too certain."
"Of course my boy," Albus told his former student.
The other five wizards waited as the Curse Breaker finished his check and then gave the all clear. They were all extremely careful of how they moved and where they stepped.
"Only one boat," Lucius commented.
"Two people only," Severus commented.
They stayed there for a while before Albus clapped his hands. "Well, knowing Tom, magic will not work on the boat so we have to row."
Several groans followed his statement.
"I need to be in there," Severus stated.
"As do I," Bill added. "I can detect wards and Severus can tell us what the liquid in that basin is."
"And you need me to tell you whether the object is really a Horcrux or a trap," Sirius reminded them
Remus regarded the boat. "Well, Bill and Sirius could go in one trip. If the item is indeed the one we are looking for, Sirius can row the boat back so that Severus can join them. We," he pointed at himself Lucius and Albus, "Will be back up. If all else fails we can fly over the lake."
"The Inferi might be no more but I don't want to chance using too much magic in this place," Bill warned. "Who knows what other spells exist here. One wrong move and the cave might collapse on us. The waters now seem fine but if anything happens to that boat I don't want to try and swim there."
The others all shuddered. There were bound to be remains of the Inferi in the waters; no one wanted to chance that.
"We do it like that then," Lucius agreed.
Albus stood at the sidelines, watching carefully the plan unfolding. When Severus started cursing, quite colourfully too, his eyebrows rose. Beside the aged Headmaster, Remus and Lucius went tense.
"Sirius, what is it?" the werewolf asked.
"Ask Snape!" the dog Animagus yelled back.
"Severus?" Albus asked worriedly.
"There's a 'Nightmare's Memory' Potion here!" the Potion's master replied.
"How can he tell?" Remus wondered.
"He's is frighteningly good at what he does," Lucius agreed.
"I'm more worried about what that Potion does," Remus muttered. "Severus looks rather worried."
"Tom was terrifying when he wanted to be," Albus commented. "I doubt that it just stops them from touching the Horcrux."
Voices carried over as a heated argument broke among the three men on the island within the cave.
"Okay, now can I worry?" Remus asked when he saw the ashen faces of the three wizards.
"Boys!" Albus called out, effectively making the three adult wizards stop arguing. "What seems to be the problem? Do you need us over there?"
"Absolutely not!" came the unanimous reply.
Right after that Bill faced the two older wizards. "I'll do it," he told them.
For the next fifteen minutes Albus had to watch from afar as Severus carefully force fed the damned potion to the red head in order to bypass the defences around the Horcrux. By the end of it Bill Weasley had been reduced to a shivering mess. The Potions Master had to snarl at Sirius to grab the Horcrux because even Sirius was more disturbed by the red head's plight than getting the necklace. It was a hurdle getting back to the main part of the cave. Once there, Albus was so upfront at what a mess the youngest wizard among them was in.
"Lupin," Severus grunted and the werewolf sprang into action. He helped carry Bill out of the cave while Albus led the way out with the rest trailing behind. Once outside, on the clean air they could all breathe a bit easier.
Bill was laid out on the ground and the Head of Slytherin house retrieved his case of Potion vials.
"Will he be okay?" Albus asked worriedly.
Snape grunted again.
"Severus," Lucius said sharply. "If you explain to us what that Potion does perhaps we can help."
The Potions master did not pause in his quest for just the right vial. But he did heed Lucius' words. "The Potion is nick named 'Liquid Dementor', it makes the victim... drinker experience extreme dehydration. It was a good thing he vanished the Inferi. We could not conjure water and we needed it if only to make him drink more of the damn poison. And it was poison as it creates a burning inside in addition to nightmarish visions. As you could tell from when Weasley was reduced to this... It can create the effects of a Dementor; only it also acts as the whole set up was designed for at least two people coming in here. He's one sick monster. Whoever helped him the first time ought to be dead, possibly amongst the army of Inferi. "
"Poison!" Sirius yelled.
"Just check the damn Horcrux Black," Severus yelled back.
"The dark magic made it impossible to detect whether this was actually one of Voldemort's Horcruxes or a bait," Sirius explained to the three that had not been on the island. Still, he eyed the Weasley. "He will be fine, right?"
In response the Potions Master took out three vials. One was green and sludge like. The other two were clear. First he dribbled three drops of the sludge down Bill's throat and then made the wizard gulp down the other two. The shivering then started to still.
"Better now, he needs to sleep it off; of course," Severus muttered. "Chocolate might help too."
"What did you do?" Lucius asked.
"General anti venom to counter act the natural poison in the potion, then a cleansing draught to cement the effects of the anti venom and finally something to calm him," Severus explained. "But we need to get him to a better location and not the Burrow. I don't dare to think what Molly Weasley might say or do if we bring her son back when he looks like death warmed over."
"Nearly did," Remus muttered before he turned to Sirius.
Albus had kept half an eye on the dog Animagus this long, impressed at some of the skill the former convict was showing at the dark spells he was casting. Gradually a frown appeared on the man's face and finally the last male Black cursed.
"What is it?" Remus asked.
Lucius and Severus did not move from Bill's side but they looked up as well.
"This one's not a Horcrux," Sirius announced. "Just too saturated in Dark Magic for me to notice right away."
"A fake?" Albus muttered. "May I?" he asked and reached for the necklace. He studied the piece of jewellery with a frown on his face. He turned it sideways and brought it closer to his glasses. Then he opened it and a piece of paper fell out.
"A message?" Lucius wondered.
"Indeed," the white bearded wizard said. "Someone got to the Horcrux before we did. In fact, I believe it may have happened years ago, right after Tom hid it here."
"How is that possible?" Remus wondered. "Who could have known about Horcruxes?"
"A follower of course," Severus muttered. "But who?"
"He gave my dear cousin Bella the cup, Lucy here got the diary..."
"Black!" Lucius scowled at the use of 'Lucy' to name him but the dog Animagus did not care.
"We just have to find one crazy, fanatic follower that could also betray him," Sirius finished.
"And we have a clue," Albus said. "The note is taunting Tom about the discovery of the Horcrux and it is also signed with the initials R.A.B."
Lucius stared down at Bill Weasley when the man let out a soft groan of discomfort. "We can ponder this elsewhere," he said.
The rest of the wizards nodded.
"Let's head to London then," Sirius said. "It suits us all and we need to be close to St. Mungo's just in case," he pointed at Bill. "We might as well research the poison just in case Snap missed anything."
"And you just happen to have the 'Moste Potent Poisons for Tea Time?" Snape snapped.
He got many looks in return.
"What?" Snape demanded.
Sirius coughed. "There is actually such a book and my mother did own it, it was a gift from her mother in law."
"Let's just go," Remus said wearily.
... End Flashback
Albus had found their trip back to London not very interesting as they Apparated back and into the newly renovated Number 12 Grimmauld Place. They moved Bill to one of the guest rooms and moved their meeting to the dining room where they placed the fake locket on the table as they pondered the message left in it. Then Sirius called his house elf to serve them and things turned out rather interesting after that.
Flashback...
"Kreacher!" Sirius called out.
Lucius sneered. "That elf is still alive?"
The lord of the house nodded. "Yes, I bet you remember him."
"Walburga always had awful taste as shown by her portrait and her house elf," was all Lucius said.
"No need to use tact about her around me," Sirius muttered.
"Walburga is the one that invited you and Narcissa over for tea as newlyweds?" Snape asked the blond wizard.
Sirius snorted. "Try the whole family. Then she had the gall to try and spike the tea."
"And that almost started a blood feud," Albus recalled. Walburga, even as a child had been disturbing. As an adult, well... The blue eyed wizard marvelled that Sirius had survived his childhood.
With a 'pop' the house elf appeared, muttering and cursing under his breath. Until he caught sight of the fake locket on the table. Albus had never known house elves could pale. Kreacher's eyes grew rounder at the sight of the item and then he lunged for it.
The move was fast yet Remus was able to catch him as he held it.
"Kreacher stand still!" Sirius ordered, stopping the flailing elf who then started cursing up a storm at Sirius in particular and the occupants of the room in general.
"Someone grab the damned locket," Lucius drawled and with a glare at him the dog Animagus did just that.
"You could have made the effort yourself you know," Sirius shot at him.
"Gentlemen," Severus said with a sneer. His dark eyes were pinned on the house elf. "I don't know if you noticed, but Black's house elf recognized this locket."
Albus' eyes went wide as possibilities flooded his mind. He swiftly stood and approached the elf still within Remus' reach though no longer held down by anything other than the command of his master.
"How very curious," Albus remarked. "Sirius, if you ordered him to tell us what he knows about this trinket, it would be most helpful."
"You honestly think he knows... Wait a minute," the former convict stopped short. He eyed Kreacher, then the locket in his hands and the note left on the table. "R.A.B. A Death Eater. Someone who recognised the significance of Horcruxes. R.A.B. Regulus Arcturus Black," he said to himself.
"Your brother?" Remus asked, recognising the name.
After a while Snape spoke up. Sharing a look with Lucius, he said, "It actually makes sense."
"What does?" Sirius asked.
"No one knew how he died," Lucius replied. "He was just found poisoned. No one spoke a whisper of who could have a grudge. He was one of the Dark Lord's favourites. Bellatrix had him under her wing and he was not arrogant for the rest of the followers to hate him."
"Well, it is time we ask our friend here," Albus eyed the house elf who looked both panicking and resentful of them.
"Kreacher!" Sirius barked in a cold tone. "Tell me anything and everything you know about this locket, the connection between this and my brother and Voldemort," he ordered.
As the command took hold, the house elf started talking.
Sirius sat heavily down on his chair as he heard the elf talking about how Voldemort had asked Regulus for a house elf and how his younger sibling had craftily offered Kreacher's services for the Dark Lord. He listened alongside the others how Voldemort created and tested the protection at the cave only months before his attack on the Potters, how he left a loophole at the wards that allowed house elves to come and go from the cave, how house elf magic saved Kreacher from the poison and brought him back to Regulus. He heard with horrified fascination how his brother learned the truth about Voldemort's plans to become immortal and his way to achieve that. He listened and wondered why his brother had not sought him out about this. Had things become that bad that Regulus did not believe that Sirius would offer his help? Orion, their father was also alive at the time and he could have helped his son; Walburga was never an option in her insanity. He stayed until the end, when Kreacher described that Regulus ordered him to take them both back in that cave.
"Great master Regulus never showed Kreacher the letter he wrote," Kreacher muttered before describing the plan Regulus concocted.
Sirius left though, not able to take any more, when Kreacher mentioned the final act on Regulus' plan. His own brother had practically asked the house elf to feed him the poison that was in that basin. Regulus had known he would die yet he still went on with it. He fled the room, leaving behind the others to hear the rest of the tale. That ended with the elf spending years in the presence of the Horcrux, trying to destroy it as was the last order Regulus Black gave him.
"And where is the locket now?" Albus inquired.
The house elf screamed. "Kreacher won't! Kreacher won't!" he started yelling.
Severus rolled his eyes.
Lucius merely shot a silencing spell on the creature. "Severus, just get the answer from him," he told the Potions Master.
"It is the fastest way or we could jut wait for Sirius to return," Albus cut in. He knew that if Severus used Legilimency on Kreacher he would not be gentle; the house elf was already unhinged, a mental attack would undo him.
"Obliviated house elves are fine afterwards," Lucius airily commented, ignoring the stern look Dumbledore gave him.
"And I'm sure Black won't mind a bit," Snape added as he advanced on Kreacher. "Legilimens!"
Three minutes later Kreacher was unconscious at the Potions Master's feet while Severus faced the wizards still remaining in the room.
"The Horcrux is in his den, in the kitchen," he announced to them. "It cannot be summoned but I can retrieve it."
"How are we to destroy it though?" Lucius cut in. "Fiendfire? Weasley is out for the count."
"Basilisk venom will do just fine," Snape muttered.
"And where are we going to get some?" Remus asked.
The three shared a look and the werewolf shot a glance at Dumbledore. Then Remus groaned.
"You cannot be serious!" he muttered.
On the sidelines, Albus was feeling rather confused. "There seems to be a problem?" he asked.
Remus faced Lucius. "You really want to do this now?" he asked the blond wizard.
"It's as good time as any," Snape muttered. He eyed his employer. "In any case. We better make sure the locket is open when we pour the venom in it. You heard the elf's description. The damned locket belonged to Slytherin. It opens with a hiss."
Albus' eyes went wide. "You want to bring Harry in on this?" he asked.
"He already knows old man," Lucius sneered, surprising the Headmaster. "He knows about Horcruxes and how we are after their destruction."
"Who told him?" Albus asked, looking to Snape and Remus, not even considering the blond wizard as a candidate.
"I agreed to it," Sirius said from the doorway. He shot a look at Kreacher's limp form. "Harry knew he might need to help," here he directed his gaze at Snape. "You can go and bring him. The sooner that thing is destroyed the better for all of us."
Snape gave one cautious look at Albus.
"Now you are making me curious," the old wizard remarked.
Lucius snorted.
"We can talk later," Sirius told his former Headmaster. "Because once Harry gets here you are probably going to have even more questions."
Albus studied the dog Animagus before nodding.
It was what Snape needed before leaving the room and heading for a fireplace connected to the Floo Network and towards his own fireplace.
The wait was not very interesting except for the fact that Bill woke up, feeling a mess, in the half hour it took for Severus to get Harry out of his classes at Hogwarts and to Grimmauld Place in London. The curse breaker was filled in on what happened by Remus, who explained in low tones as they sat in a corner of the table. Further down Sirius sat motionless, lost in his thoughts. Meanwhile Albus had taken to observing Lucius Malfoy and trying to think of what he was missing. If he had at first thought the congregation of so many different individuals odd, now he was even more confused.
So he waited until he heard noise in the hallway and footsteps and Harry's familiar voice asking questions and Severus' own being curt with short answers. When they reached the threshold of the door the teen paused. He was still in his Gryffindor robes. He had his wand with him and looked a bit winded. Green eyes fell on Bill.
"Bill!" he cried out and rushed to the redhead's side.
"I'm fine Harry," his friend tried to assure him.
The dubious look the teen shot him spoke volumes. "You don't look fine," Harry snapped at him.
"Well, I just got poisoned, willingly," Bill muttered. "Best it was me rather than your godfather or Snape. One was in Azkaban the other a Death Eater; can you imagine what that potion would have done to them?"
The rest of the room heard the Curse Breaker's logic and Albus himself shuddered at the implications.
Harry gingerly hugged the red headed wizard and Bill hugged him back, muttering reassuring words. What Albus noticed was the careful watch the two friends were under; Lucius Malfoy had not taken his eyes off Harry since the moment the teen joined them.
"Did Snape fill you in?" Sirius asked once Harry was calm and assured that Bill was no longer in any grave danger.
"You found a Horcrux but not how you intended and um, your brother stole it from under Voldemort's nose?" the raven haired Gryffindor asked.
"Yeah, pretty much," the dog Animagus agreed. "Want to take a look at the locket?"
Harry shrugged a look of distaste on his face. Albus was guessing the teen was recalling the previous Horcrux he had encountered within the Chamber of Secrets.
"No," the teen finally said. "But I want to get this over with."
"Let's do this in a room you don't mind destroyed. The Horcruxes make a mess when they die," Bill remarked.
"Oh, no!" Harry rounded on him. "You stay there! Remus will keep you company and make sure you do nothing stupid."
Snape snorted. "I hope you know Potter the irony of those words spilling from your mouth."
Harry rolled his eyes.
"How about the attic?" Remus suggested quickly. He looked to Sirius.
"Sure," the owner of the house agreed. "That place is still a mess. Snape, got the venom?"
In response the Potions Master took out the vial.
"We need you to just open the locket," Lucius told the green eyed teen. "Do you have any idea how to do that?"
Harry, avoiding looking at Slytherin's relic nodded. "I look at the thing and say 'open'. Usually when I look at snakes Parseltongue just comes at me. That should probably work if not."
Lucius nodded and stood. "I'm coming along." He took the vial from Severus carefully.
"Me as well," Sirius added. "Just in case another wand is needed. He eyed his godson. "As soon as you open the damn locket…"
"I know, I know. I get out of the way as fast as I can," the teen recited.
"I should probably tag along as well," Albus said, standing. "I've been mostly decorative so far, but I'd like to help as well."
No one said anything to change his mind and those four left the dining room in favour of the attic. Lucius had not let Harry carry the soul piece or the carefully stored venom the teen had procured from the Chamber for them. Albus had gathered that the half hour Severus was gone; he had used to not only track Harry down (an easy task for a professor within the castle) but also to go down the Chamber of secrets and extract venom from the dead Basilisk down there.
The tension that existed while they headed upstairs was not completely to be blamed on the task they were about to perform but on his presence, or at least that was the impression Harry got.
The attic was a mess that they easily overlooked. Slytherin's locket was placed on the floor by Sirius and they all backed away, all but Lucius, with wands at the ready and pointed at the blasted Horcrux.
"Everyone ready?" Sirius asked.
"Now Harry," Lucius urged the teen.
And Albus would have turned to look at them because gone was the 'Potter' that the blond used to address the teen as. But Harry had done what he was brought here for. A soft hiss left his lips in Parseltongue and the locket sprang open. A dark mist formed around them, taking the form of a pair of human, familiar eyes before of snake like and slit.
"Now!" Sirius yelled and Lucius moved.
He was not fast enough; the Horcrux now had a target to fixate on. Harry, having previous interactions with one of the soul pieces noticed the second Lucius froze up. The Horcrux forms a mist and a figure that is vaguely like a human figure. It was the form of an all too familiar teen, though fantasy Harry was looking a lot older and draped all over a nameless male. The blond wizard's hands shook as he took in the picture, his face a mask void of any emotion. Harry gasped as he took in the sight.
"No. No!" Harry cried out and stepped closer to Lucius and the Horcrux.
The mists were too focused on Lucius to notice him. The mission turned darker and more suggestive. Up close, Harry could see his lover shaking. He reached out and grabbed hold of the blond wizard's hand, the one holding the vial.
"It's all a lie!" he said.
"Is it?" Lucius asked. "Will it be in ten years? Twenty? How can it be a lie… not a future?"
"Look at me!" Harry demanded, ignoring the lost look on Albus face or how Sirius was trying to divert the Headmaster's attention behind them. Harry only had eyes for the blond wizard. He had his one hand touching the vial of basilisk venom and the other on Lucius' cheek, absently caressing the skin.
Silver grey eyes met green and Lucius leaned down.
"Is it really a lie?" he asked.
"Who are you going to believe, me or it?" Harry demanded as he leaned closer and kissed the man's cheek right where he had been previously touching him. His other hand took the vial and he pushed Lucius slightly behind him. The mists rounded up, focusing on him but Harry was quick. He did not want to see his fears, he knew what they were. He threw the vial right on the open locket and the venom spilled. The mists rushed back in, the false images disappearing as the Horcrux died, the screams of the soul piece piercing through walls and bringing up the rest of the house's occupants. Severus rushed in first, followed by Remus and Bill came last. They all looked in on them and the smoking necklace that looked like it had bled a dark black goop.
"Is it really gone?" Bill asked.
Sirius stepped up and cast the necessary spells. For a while no one dared breathe. Then he pulled his wand down.
"It's just an ugly locket now," the dog Animagus announced and smiles appeared on the faces of the wizard's around them.
On impulse Lucius pulled Harry to him. "I should have done that," he told the teen.
"Are you angry with me?" Harry asked.
"No," the blond wizard shook his head. "I couldn't be prouder." And then he kissed the teen, full on the lips, not holding back.
The others watched, with various feelings showing on their faces. Only Bill Weasley was amused. Remus was trying to keep Sirius calm and Severus, well; he was the one who noticed the Headmaster was staring shocked at the couple kissing.
... End Flashback
Albus sighed once again. His office came back into focus and he stopped reminiscing about the events of the day he had. Just in time too as the fire place flared and Severus returned to the castle, escorting young Harry with him. The teen said a quick rushed 'goodnight' to the Headmaster and rushed out of the office and back to his dorm.
"Severus," Albus said, sounding as tired as he looked and felt.
"I'm guessing you want answers," the Potions Master stated.
"I did just watch Harry kissing Lucius Malfoy and Sirius did not try to maim the man. I don't know what I should be most surprised about," Albus commented. He sounded calm even to his own ears.
Snape just arched an eyebrow. "You are awfully calm."
"I am trying not to accuse anyone of anything."
"If you need the story, I'm not the best source of information. You should ask Potter or Lucius."
"Harry's too embarrassed to look me in the eye and after that display of vulnerability so is young Lucius. I'll give him a day before he's all back to his old self and he storms the castle to confront me," Albus said.
Snape snorted.
"Will you tell me Severus?" the blue eyed wizard asked.
"It's really not my place to say."
"I know that but…"
"He's happy, they both are," Severus cut in grudgingly.
Albus stared for a moment before nodding. "Thank you," he said.
Severus nodded. "You had better rest, there are more of those trinkets around," he told the older wizard before going and leaving Albus to his thoughts.
End of chapter.
A/N: I took a few liberties with the cave, the way Voldemort set it up in the book and the way I have is just a bit different. The boat is not invisible and there is no rule that only one wizard can be transported at a time like in the books, small things like mentioning this. Thank you for reading.