Can someone explain to me how this is a slash fic? I've had 3 comments now all saying they don't want to continue reading because I haven't labelled it as slash. To me it isn't slash. In my story Dumbledore fell in love 97 years ago and hasn't pursued anything in all that time, just seeing Grindelwald once a year. I have no plans to pair Harry with anyone either, so I'm confused as to where the "slash" part of the fic is. If someone can explain it to me i'd be happy to change it but at the minute, I see no reason to

Anyhoo on with the story. Again, I own nothing

Slytherin Common Room

Sitting in a chair by the fire Harry sat reading the first of Gellert's books. It was amazing, the number of spells that were listed along with their wand movements was very interesting. He couldn't wait to try them out later. He was very thankful that they all came along with a note explaining just what they did to the opposing duellist too. Albus was right, Gellert Grindelwald was a genius. A psychopath certainly, but a genius all the same. Many were invented by the man himself, the fire spell 'Protego Diabolica' he used in Paris in particular had a long description underneath. It was his own version of a variation of the Fiendfyre spell which focused on disintegrating your enemies at the same time as protecting your allies as opposed to just eliminating everything in its path. It not only required an enormous amount of mental focus but power to go alongside it. Harry was sure he could do it himself. Gellert had put an addendum in the description though stating that it may take the Elder Wand to be able to pull it off, which made Harry pause but he was still determined to give it a try. He just hoped the Chamber could contain it should it go wrong as he knew the Room of Requirement couldn't.

He was so engrossed in it that he didn't even acknowledge the curious stares of his fellow housemates as they passed him by. Some gave him a look of loathing, some curiosity at what he was reading, others a look of fear but as he never looked up, he never gave it a moment's thought. Finally looking up from his book he saw someone had sat opposite him in the other chair. A crowd had seemingly gathered at the man's actions. It was Severus Snape. Hopefully they would get some answers from yesterday's events. What was happening that made Snape willingly sit down with someone he hated? Seeing Harry give him a questioning glance, the man started talking

"I've been trying all night to come up with a reason as to why you did what you did Potter, and I cannot come up with a reason that satisfies me. Just what are you trying to pull here? What do you have over Albus?"

"You seem to think that I owe you any reason at all Snape, the fact you have the gall to sit here and question me like this frankly astounds me. What makes you believe that I am going to tell you anything?" Harry asked

"I want to know the reasons why Potter. After everything I have done for you, you owe me this" Snape stated, "because of your reckless decision I am now on probation!"

"I owe you nothing Snape!" Harry exclaimed looking at the man incredulously "You've made it perfectly clear over the past six years just how you felt about me. There can be absolutely no justification for how you've treated me. Since the moment I arrived here you've made it your personal mission to put me down, at every opportunity! And for what? Because you were bullied by my father? A person I never knew. And you've ensured that your godson and his friends faced no retribution for what they've put me through over the years. Constant hexing me in the corridors, demeaning insults to my mother, insults about my father from yourself and any time I retaliated it was my fault. You protected them and in doing so it justified their actions. Only this time they did something that you couldn't protect them from. You stepped in to try and deny me justice, only you didn't account for me knowing pureblood laws. You've tried to keep me ignorant and downtrodden, but it backfired. And now they will face justice next Tuesday where they will die. And if you're not careful Snape you will soon be next"

"Is that a threat Potter?" Snape asked standing up trying to loom over Harry

"No Snape, it's a promise" Harry said standing up going nose to nose with him "it's a promise I made to my mother when I visited her grave. Every person that wears a Dark Mark on their arm will face my wrath, no longer will I sit by while Voldemort gains power. I am very powerful Snape; I am someone to be reckoned with and I will hide it no more. It seems you're no longer protected by Dumbledore Snape, how soon do you think your master will hear this news? Sucks to be you right now doesn't it?" Looking around to the gathered crowd he said "if any of you have the mark, are thinking of taking the mark or want to serve that madman in any capacity then I suggest you go to Gringotts and make a will because you've chosen your side. You're just unlucky enough to have chosen the wrong one."

Picking up his book he walked away, the crowd opening for him letting him through. "Oh, and Snape, my mother would be utterly ashamed of you" with that Harry left through the door to go to the meeting with the headmaster. Making a detour to the Chamber where he stored the book, he looked on a shelf where two items were located. Deciding he placed the two items in his pouch and made his way to the headmasters' office. This was hopefully going to be a very enlightening discussion

Headmasters Office

Sitting back in his chair Albus reflected on how his morning had gone so far. After a brief discussion with Minerva about Hogwarts matters and how the previous night was, he reflected on his conversation with Rufus not long ago. The transferral of the four death eater parents was surprisingly efficient. Done last night during the guards changing at Azkaban the four men were now in ministry custody awaiting their execution tomorrow. Reflecting on the loss of life Albus quickly pulled himself together. This was necessary, it was for The Greater Good that the four men were going to die. More concerning was the loss of their children's lives scheduled next week. He had absolutely no doubts about who would win those duels. Harry was exceptional. He was only lacking combat experience. The little he had had at the ministry paled in comparison to an all-out attack but every little helped.

Looking over first-hand accounts he had on his desk of previous Blood Feuds he wondered just what was to be done about the students' mothers. They had after all only married into the families in question. Did they need to die also? Would Magic be satisfied with the male line dying out? He didn't know. It was pure speculation at the minute that the loss of the male lives would suffice.

Hearing a chime on the alert ward Albus said "come in Harry". Looking up he was the young man come in and take a seat on the chair opposite.

Nodding to the papers on Albus desk Harry asked, "important news Albus?"

"Possibly Harry. I am just going through old accounts of Blood Feud being called because of a question I wanted answering" seeing the questioning look on Harrys face he continued "I am wondering should the boys' mothers need to die as well. They are only included because they married into the families in question. It seems clear that the male of the lines needs to die. That much is certain but the ladies? That I'm not so sure of"

"Ah ok" Harry said "yes, it's been on my mind too. I suppose we will find out next week. The only solution I could come up with is after taking care of Malfoy and his friends to wait and see if Magic makes itself noticed. I am hoping that we receive an answer then. Otherwise, I will have no issue killing the others" he finished shrugging his shoulders

"So callously Harry?" Albus asked with a frown on his face "just like that? You talk about killing people like you're stepping on an ant"

"That's exactly how I'm thinking of it Albus" Harry stated "they are all ants that need to be squashed. Its just seems like its my job to do the squashing"

"Taking a life is not an easy thing Harry" Albus reprimanded him not liking the way this conversation was going "you are doing something that once done cannot be taken back. Killing stains the soul"

"I have already killed Albus, or have you forgotten about Quirrell?" Harry said

"Quirinus was already dying Harry" came the reply "he was dying from the moment that Voldemort possessed him"

"That's bollocks and you know it Albus, it was my hands that latched onto his face, my hands that burned and disintegrated him. It was me that dealt the killing blow" Harry said "I have had to carry that knowledge around with me for over five years now. I accepted it a long time ago. You informing me of the prophecy last year just confirmed what I already knew, that I was destined to kill. As I said I accepted it, so let's move on to why I am here"

"Very well Harry" Albus said "I will say this, I'm not pleased about the outcome of what we've just talked about but there are other pressing issues to talk about too. Now, I have a few things I would like to tell you. The boys' fathers have been moved from Azkaban and are now in a secure facility awaiting your duels tomorrow. The Minister will be here at 9am to meet you so the first half of this nasty business should be concluded by 11am with the duels commencing at 10am. With all things going well you should be back here for noon"

"Ok" Harry said "do you know the procedure? Is there anything I must do beforehand?"

"No, just show up here on time" Albus replied "the duels will take place in the official duelling room in the Department of Mysteries. Only the heads of department and the minister will be in the viewing stands to make things as official as they could be, they will be told tomorrow as late as possible to hopefully keep it from Toms ears and they will have to swear an oath to keep it secret until next week when you have the remaining duels. I will be representing the ICW. You will duel them in any order you want. We will not be allowed to interfere in any capacity until the duel is over. So that means either their or your death" seeing Harry nod he continued "you must only be armed with your wand. If you intend to use both then you will have to state it beforehand. Be warned though, it will reveal your capabilities to the world."

"Seems simple enough" Harry replied

"Very well. Now onto the main reason I brought you here. Voldemort" Albus said "as I told you yesterday, I had planned on revealing the knowledge of these over the coming months but circumstances have changed, my mortality being the main one" with that Albus stood up and retrieved his pensieve along four other memories. Pouring them into the bowl he swirled them around with his wand. "These are memories I gained from several key people with whom Tom interacted with. Through watching them you will hopefully see the evolution of Tom Riddle to how he became Voldemort and gain insights into just why he survived that Hallowe'en night.

"You already told me last night that he created Horcruxes" Harry said looking questioningly at Albus "Gellert even commented on how idiotic they are to make"

"That is true Harry but hopefully after viewing these you can offer your thoughts on just what he used as his anchors" Albus replied "the first one is of a man I knew in the DMLE. A man named Bob Ogden. If you would Harry"

With that they both entered the pensieve and followed a very strangely dressed man down a narrow lane walking towards a hovel Harry watched as the man interacted with another man. Eventually the mans father came out and what followed was the most bizarre thing Harry had seen in a long time. The father seemed to go from calm to apoplectic with rage at the slightest thing. He never expected to have any form of sympathy for Voldemort, but he did once he observed Merope. His mother was obviously desperate to escape the life she was in. The poor girl was clearly no looker, and it was painfully obvious that she was unloved and desperate for affection. She must have used a potion or a spell to get Tom Riddle to sleep with her because no one would do that voluntarily. Also seeing the locket left Harry shocked. Keeping quiet though they exited the pensieve after Bob ran away and both sat down

"Bob Ogden came back with several aurors and arrested Marvolo. Morfin was arrested at the same time, and they were both sent to Azkaban. Marvolo was released before Morfin and came back to find an empty shack, a note from Merope explaining she had eloped but more importantly to him she had taken the locket. He died not long after that. Morfin came home to find his father's dead body and never mentioned his sister until Tom came knocking sixteen years later" Albus asked "Well Harry, what's your conclusion?"

"That poor, poor girl" Harry said sadly shaking his head "she must have been utterly miserable"

"You feel pity for Merope? Even knowing who she was?" Albus asked bewildered

"Yes, I do" Harry replied seriously "and while I don't condone Imperius or Love potions as they're tantamount to rape for me and should be permanently banned, it must have been a last resort to escape the life she was living. I am not excusing her Albus but she looked utterly miserable. She was starved for any form of affection, and she was clearly abused by her father, you only had to see his reaction to even the thought of her interacting with anyone not of pureblood stock to see that. And given what I've read of the Gaunts they didn't have a pot to piss in so how she survived I'll never know. I admire her in a strange way. She clearly survived to give birth to Tom. I'm guessing not very long after though given he was brought up in an orphanage"

"Interesting views there Harry" Albus said thoughtfully stroking his beard "she certainly stopped whatever form of control she had as not long after Tom Riddle sr came back to Little Hangleton saying he'd been bewitched. Being magical it's pretty evident to us what happened but must have been very confusing for the muggles. You have certainly given me something to think about. Moving on the second one is one of my own memories. It's the very day I met Tom. After you Harry"

With that both wizards entered the pensieve. Following Albus he saw how Tom came to be at the orphanage, how the matron seemed scared of Tom, the various unexplained misdemeanours, Albus' interaction with him and Toms reaction to finding out he was special. Exiting the pensieve they both sat down "well Harry, what did you think?"

"I think you were an absolute bastard to him" Harry said seriously shocking Albus "your first interaction with him was to burn the wardrobe. He was an orphan, he had virtually nothing and you lit them on fire! Regardless of the stolen items in the box you lit the rest of his belongings on fire! As if they were meaningless to you. You used your power over him to show who was in charge. How could you do that to a child?"

"I must admit I never saw it from that point of view Harry" Albus said after a few minutes of thinking "I was just trying to impress upon him that the antics he had gotten up to at the orphanage would no longer be tolerated at Hogwarts"

"Well, it was probably that interaction alone that made you his enemy" Harry said seriously "I know what being an orphan is like, I know how you're viewed by others. I also know what it's like to have very little in the way of personal possessions. You could have talked to him about how you could help him develop his magic, how being a parselmouth indicated that he may be a distant relation to one of the founders which may have helped him gain some form of identity which could have indebted him to you. The first interaction alone is likely what he remembers every time he sees you. You are the man who tried to destroy all he had in the world"

"In hindsight you are very likely right Harry. Unfortunately, the moment for any apologies is likely long past now" Albus said regretfully "did you notice anything else?"

"You mean his aversion to his given name? Or the trophies he collected?" Harry replied "yes, I noticed that. I assume this kleptomania carried on into his adult life?"

"Yes, Harry it did" Albus said "He dropped his name as soon as he found out that his father was a muggle. He did not want to be associated with anything muggle. For a time before he adopted the moniker Voldemort, he was insistent that people called him Marvolo. That only lasted a short amount of time though. The trinkets he collected were from past experiences of revenge on people who had bullied or slighted him which brings us onto the third memory. If you would Harry"

Diving again into the pensieve they viewed a young adult Tom Riddle in the home of a rich old woman by the name of Hepzibah Smith. Where people came up with these names left Harry bewildered at the best of times. Seeing his interactions with Hepzibah and noticing his face when he saw the two Founders artefacts left Harry shocked. There it was again, the locket. Schooling his face upon leaving the pensieve Harry once again sat down

"Let me guess" Harry started "Hepzibah died not long after this interaction and the two artefacts went missing?"

"You guessed correctly Harry" Albus replied "she was found dead in her home two days after this, with the house-elf Hokey blamed for poisoning her mistress. And Tom vanished around the same time"

"And no one put two and two together?" Harry asked laughingly "the blatant racism of the Wizarding World shows its face once again, eh? 'The house elf must be to blame, get her!' Honestly at times I think I must be mad to agree with Tom on anything, but its clear changes need to be made and the nice way of doing so seems to get nowhere"

"The Wizarding World has ticked over very nicely for well over three thousand years Harry" Albus interrupted "and it will continue to do so long after we have died. Not everything is sunshine and daisies I agree but it's the world we live in"

"Again, Albus you seem to be talking bollocks" Harry said shaking his head "I'm sure you believe yourself to be right but for those of us who live in the real world we can see that the corruption and greed has been allowed to fester for far too long. It's rotten to the core. You yourself nearly became a Dark Lord because you believed that certain injustices weren't being addressed. Those kinds of thoughts don't just go away Albus. You must know this to be true"

"Sadly Harry" Albus intoned "you're correct. But we can only play with the cards that are dealt to us. And unless we eradicate the entirety of the Wizarding World and start over, we must adapt and overcome. Murdering everyone who doesn't agree with you like Tom is doing is not the way civilised human beings behave"

"And yet" Harry interrupted "you've let his minions get away with doing just that. You've been the face of the 'Light' for over fifty years now Albus, you had the chance to make wholesale changes which could have stamped out the corruption from the very beginning and chose not to. Are you aware of how Slytherin house view you? They've been taught from a young age that no matter what they do the most they'll get is a smack on the wrist because of your propensity of offering second chances where they're not deserved. The House point system is an absolute joke because of Snape. All of this adds up to a set of people graduating who believe that they can do no wrong because they weren't punished and slapped down the minute they started something they shouldn't. The breakdown of society can be traced right back to these halls and you Albus"

"I fear we are getting off topic here Harry" Albus said

"No, were not, you just want to change the topic because I'm not wrong. But if you wish we'll change the subject" Harry said shaking his head "Carry on then"

"Hokey went to the DMLE herself confessing to murdering her mistress and the case was closed" Albus said continuing "Tom absconded with the artefacts and wasn't seen for another twenty years. I'd heard whispers and rumours of a Dark Lord in passing but nothing concrete. The next time I saw Tom was when he came here asking for a job, the defence post to be exact but I denied him because he was clearly after something else. I believed it to be access to the Hogwarts library in search of clues to other Founders objects and a way of recruiting for his army to overthrow the ministry or myself. He left in a rage, and I didn't see him again for a while. The next time I did was after he had declared himself the new Dark Lord in the mid '60s. Now the last memory I have is one taken from our own Horace Slughorn. This was particularly painful to get as he tried to give me a fake one. He's not particularly fond of what it represents, it doesn't show him in a great light, but this memory is the most important one I will show you today. Again, after you Harry"

Diving into the pensieve for hopefully the last time Harry was transported to a classroom where Horace was teaching the Slytherins after hours. Harry noticed the ring on Toms finger, the Resurrection stone and wondered how he had got it. Putting it in the back of his mind he watched as Horace and Tom talked for a while until the true reason for Tom hanging back was revealed. Exiting the pensieve Harry Exclaimed "seven then. Including himself obviously"

"Yes Harry" Albus said grimly "And I have been trying for over ten years now to find the location of them all, but I've come up short. Gaining the memories was only part of the battle. It was only four years ago when you handed me the diary that I received confirmation of how he survived. Since then, I've pieced together bits and pieces and I'm certain know where one, maybe two more are. The others though I am at a loss as I have no idea what they are. The founders had precious few items that have survived the centuries. Godrics artefacts have never left these rooms so I'm certain they weren't used. Helga was obviously the Chalice in Hepzibah's memory, Salazar's was the locket and the ring was claimed by Antioch later on as a Slytherin artefact but I'm clueless as to what was used of Rowena's. I also believe that Tom used the Maledictus he keeps around with him as his last horcrux" seeing Harry's questioning look "the snake Nagini, Harry. She used to be a human being once upon a time, but a blood curse changed her permanently into what has now become Toms familiar"

Giving Albus a searching look he slowly pulled the two items from his pocket that he had brought with him from the chamber. Setting them down on the desk he saw Albus' shocked look. On his desk were the twisted items of Rowena's Diadem and Salazar's locket with suspiciously familiar burn marks going through them.

"I have had these for a few years now Albus" Harry said as Albus picked them up examining them "I felt Rowena's diadem when I was in the Room of Requirement, it reeked of Voldemort and the Grey Lady confirmed that this was her mothers. She stole it and fled with it as a way of getting back at her mother who she believed valued it more than she did her. Her mother sent her fiancé after her to bring her back. The Bloody Baron killed her when she refused to return and took his own life when he realised what he had done in his anger. The chains he wears are his self imposed penance. She didn't tell anyone until Tom asked her about it centuries later. Slytherins locket was in Sirius' house, stolen by Regulus who figured out what Tom had done and was killed before he could destroy it. A basilisk fang seemed to work on the diary, so I thought why the hell not try that way on these? I never knew what Horcruxes were before last night, not even Salazars scrolls had anything on them, just passing mentions of them being used by Pharaohs in Egypt and a warning to never violate Magic in this way. Tom obviously never took any notice.

So that's four down now Albus, three remain including Tom himself. Have you any ideas where the Chalice could be? Nagini never leaves Toms sight so she will likely have to be taken care of at the same time as Tom, unless we get lucky, and he sends her on a mission. I think you better tell your Order to focus on taking her out should they see her on any raids"

Coming back to himself Albus said "I have a few ideas. Lucius was entrusted with one of these and he was said to be Toms right hand man, so why wouldn't he entrust another with his most favourite lieutenant? One who attacks people on sight if they slight him? Someone who's loyalty has never been in doubt?"

"Bellatrix?" Harry asked "you believe she has one? She'll need to be captured alive and questioned then. A very dangerous task given how insane she is. But if we can find out Albus and take out Nagini he'll be mortal. And with any luck he'll never find out about their destruction until it's too late. Gellert did say that the soul is finite. Perhaps you can ask him what he knows about Horcruxes and their uses, as well as get information on the soul"

"I can try Harry" Albus said "But Gellert doesn't do anything for free. Not even for me. We need to offer him something of equal value in return"

"How about the Resurrection Stone to study?" Harry suggested "you did say it was the least dangerous of the three in his hands. And I'm not giving him my cloak. It's been in a Potters hand for centuries now, only my father loaning you it changed that"

"Your idea had merit Harry" Albus said "I shall call an Order meeting next week after your Blood Feud is over to discuss Bellatrix. Until then we'll keep this between ourselves. I shall write a letter to Gellert later. Hopefully he agrees. But for now, Harry this meeting is over. I have shown you everything I have to offer. If you think of anything else just send me a message"

"No worries Albus" Harry said standing up "but think on what I said before. You know I am right. I hope these changes you have made will make a difference" with that Harry left the room leaving Albus to ponder the items left on his desk. It could not be a coincidence that the Hallows and the horcuxes were connected. After years of them all being hidden, they now resurface? Fate had a hand in this. And given the Death Tolls last night so it seemed had Death himself. It was most concerning. Looking at his ruined hand he hoped that it would all come to a head soon, hopefully before he went onto the next great adventure.