The Potter Timeline
Chapter 44 – Horcruxes, the Prophecy, and the 'Shift'
Harry and Hermione sat in the chairs before the headmaster's desk as Dumbledore took his seat behind it.
"Try one of these, if you'd like," the wizard said while extending a bowl full of multicolored candy toward them.
They each took a piece and gazed at it in wonder. They were corkscrew shaped, Harry's was deep green, and Hermione's was dark red, both containing tiny specks that sparkled in the light. They popped it in their mouths and went wide-eyed immediately. Harry's started with an intense lime followed by a tingling sensation on his tongue. Then, there was a surprising burst of sour apple which, combined with the lime, created a very pleasing taste.
"This is really good!" Harry exclaimed.
Hermione nodded in agreement.
"Excellent! I'll be sure to let Mr. Flume know his new...Fickle Fruit Fizzbangs might be a hit. Mine was a delicious orange with pineapple," Dumbledore said.
The wizard leaned forward and gazed down at the second-years.
"Now, I mentioned talking with you about something I found among Riddle's memories. But before I get to that, there's something you'd like to tell me, Harry, concerning your experience during the lift?"
Harry swallowed the last of his candy and sat up straighter.
"Yes, sir..."
He went on to describe the whited-out version of King's Cross and the appearance of the station attendant who turned out to be a older version of himself. Harry mentioned what his other self said about Voldemort returning in his fourth year and battling him in the Forbidden Forest. The twelve-year-old then relayed to Dumbledore what older Harry said about the ring in the Gaunt ruins as well as Nagini being the sixth of something. When he finished, Harry and Hermione watched as a very astonished Dumbledore rose from his chair and paced back and forth behind his desk, stroking his beard. The old wizard finally stopped and looked down at them.
"Harry, my boy, I think we have the answer to the mysterious 'shift' I mentioned to you your first year. It would appear this older self of yours is the cause. And you say he helped you through the barrier at the actual King's Cross station your first year?"
"Yes, sir."
The headmaster nodded.
"Then it seems a foregone conclusion he came back to change his own...timeline, we'll call it. He altered it by aiding you personally through the barrier and onto the Express."
Harry's face scrunched up as did Hermione's.
"But why?" the twelve-year-old asked.
"That remains a mystery. But clearly something happened that convinced him it needed to be done. This is all very intriguing and quite astonishing, to say the least. Not to mention the incredible idea he has the ability to...go back, as it were, and change his own destiny. And the thought that, in the process of doing this, he apparently created two separate, but whole versions of himself simply boggles the mind. I must say, you two, we're dealing with something very mysterious and quite powerful in scope which hopefully will be made clear in time. However, it does seem to answer another curious part of this whole affair."
"What's that?" Hermione asked.
"The prophecy our centaur friends made a year ago."
The second-years glanced at each other, then looked back at the headmaster with rapt attention. Dumbledore sat down at his desk and began rummaging through a drawer while at the same time popping a purple Fizzbang in his mouth.
"I wrote down the words of Ronan the same day he uttered them to us," he stated through a mouthful of candy, "and have kept it safely locked inside my desk...drawer...now, where is it, exactly...ah! Here it is!"
The headmaster pulled out a sheet of parchment and was about to hand it to the second-years when he froze.
"Oh! Grape with...blueberry! Delicious!" he uttered with a gleam.
Harry and Hermione chuckled. The man resumed handing the document to the second-years who then silently read over the words. The professor finished his candy and continued.
"I have been pondering the mysterious words of Firenze and Ronan ever since our visit in the forest. Clearly, their use of celestial terms, the planets, to be more precise, was a reference to certain persons. And in this case, I believe 'Saturn' refers to you Harry, as well as your older self, who we now know about."
"Is it because Saturn has rings, professor?" Hermione asked.
The headmaster smiled at the girl.
"I would say 'yes'. As Saturn's rings make it distinct among the planets, so too that..." he said while pointing at Harry's scar, "...and his survival of the killing curse make Harry distinct from others. But where this mystery deepens is that the centaurs stated you were not the Harry Potter they knew, if you recall. That suggests they knew your other, older self first.
And the fact that Ronan mentioned, and I quote, 'Saturn himself decided this', makes me believe they were referring to him specifically - that he decided to change things. And yet, they still somehow see you both as one and the same. Firenze ended by telling you, Harry, 'you have chosen your own path'. In other words, your older self chose the path you are presently on."
Harry and Hermione sat back in their seats, dumbstruck, trying to get their heads around this stunning information. But Hermione was curious.
"If Saturn is Harry, then Mars is...Voldemort, correct?"
"Yes, Hermione, and as our centaur friends stated, 'Saturn and Mars shall war once more', suggesting Harry will have to face a resurrected Voldemort at some point in the future, like his older self did, though, according to Ronan, it will be sooner than the first time..."
The second-years stared at each other in concern. Hermione took Harry's hand in reassurance. The headmaster continued.
"...In which case, we should waste no time in preparing for it. But, I wouldn't waste time worrying over it either. Both of you must do what Harry's older self said: focus on what's important. And right now, that would be your schooling. If you do, the future, as I mentioned to you in the Forbidden Forest, will take care of itself."
They both nodded at the headmaster, though this all remained very bizarre. But Hermione was still curious.
"So, if Harry is Saturn, and Voldemort is Mars, then who is Venus, Uranus, and Jupiter in the prophecy?"
"Well, I've pondered that as well, and while I have my suspicions as to the first two, I cannot say with complete certainty who they are - not yet, at least. But as for Jupiter, well..."
"You're Jupiter!" Harry uttered.
Dumbledore smiled at him.
"My guess precisely."
Hermione pursed her lips.
"That makes sense as Jupiter is the king of the gods," she said.
"And the prophecy states that...Saturn will save Jupiter with his mighty hand," Harry added while looking down at the parchment.
The headmaster nodded.
"It would seem that way at first, Harry. But if you think about what your older self told you, that particular part could be read in a different way."
"How so?" Harry asked.
"He asked you to inform me not to wear the ring, correct?"
Harry nodded.
"Well, one wears a ring on a finger which is on the hand. If I had to guess, then, this ring was worn by my other self which led to some dire consequence, resulting perhaps, in my demise."
"So, it isn't referring to Saturn's hand, but Jupiter's," Hermione added, "by not wearing the ring, your hand remains...'mighty', and you live."
The headmaster smiled.
"There you have it. Another excellent deduction, Hermione. And I'd be a fool to wear the ring now, considering this new, 'inside' information."
"Was that the 'great knowledge' Saturn will give, then, referred to in the prophecy?" Harry asked.
"Part of it, yes, I imagine. And I suspect the other part is simply older Harry's information about the ring and Nagini which, in light of what I'm about to tell you, is 'great' indeed."
The wizard stood from his chair and paced back and forth again.
"We now have in our possession knowledge from another...timeline, if you will, which might give us a head start in the battle against Voldemort. And coincidentally, this exact subject was what I was going to share with you from Riddle's memories: his quest to create Horcruxes."
Harry's face lit up.
"He mentioned that to me too, professor. He referred to the two soul shards inside me as Horcruxes. What does that mean?"
The man stopped and looked at them.
"You remember what that book in the Restricted Section mentioned about the killing curse, Harry, second term of your first year?"
"Yes, sir. That when someone performs the curse, it can fragment their soul, a piece of which can then become lodged in their victim. And that's what happened when Voldemort attempted to kill me as a child."
"Correct. The term 'Horcrux' then refers to an object into which a soul fragment has been deliberately deposited. This, as opposed to accidentally, which was your case, Harry."
"So, Tom was deliberately trying to place a piece of his soul in the diary when he performed that ritual in the Hall of Reflection," Hermione asked.
"Yes. Though, as you both observed, he failed."
"Why?" Harry asked.
"He did not yet know that the death the ritual required would have to be of something more substantial than a mere feline. It would require...the death of a human being."
"But he did succeed after," Hermione asked, "which means...he murdered someone to do it."
"Yes, Hermione. And from what I have learned through Riddle's memories, and now from your older self, Harry, Voldemort managed to make multiple Horcruxes. In fact, he created six Horcruxes in all."
"Right," Harry uttered in surprise, "Harry said Nagini was the sixth. That's what he meant then."
"Correct."
"But why six, exactly?" Hermione asked.
"Seven is considered the perfect number, the number of completion. It's also associated with spiritual achievement. Tom Riddle no doubt saw that seven fragments would be much better than merely one or two. With seven soul shards out in the world, it would be extremely difficult to defeat him. But I imagine too, as someone who was rather self-absorbed and vainglorious, Tom would have chosen seven for symbolic reasons. And, he would choose objects to make into Horcruxes which would have equal significance. With the remainder of his soul residing inside his own body, plus six Horcruxes, Voldemort would have seven parts in all, thus completing or perfecting his quest for immortality."
Harry thought for a moment, then looked at the headmaster.
"So, while the shard in me was accidental, the shard from the diary was an actual Horcrux. Is the ring one of the six? What ring is it exactly?"
"According to the research I have done, it belonged to Marvolo Gaunt, Riddle's grandfather, and had been in the possession of the Gaunt family for ages. It was then passed on to Morfin Gaunt, Riddle's uncle. As the ring represented Tom's muggle heritage, it was most likely a powerful draw to the young man, for nefarious purposes, of course. And that's when something tragic occurred. Tom's father and grandparents were all found dead at the Riddle mansion under highly suspicious circumstances. Morfin was accused of the murders, was arrested, and sent to Azkaban. The Gaunt ring disappeared. And its whereabouts have been unknown...until now."
The headmaster turned and pulled a vial from the tray containing Riddle's memories. He then turned back and held the vial before Harry and Hermione.
"Among Riddle's memories, this particular one is most fascinating. It concerns a meeting between Tom and his friends, some of whom would become future followers of Lord Voldemort, by the way, and another person of interest: Professor Horace Slughorn, a former potions master here at Hogwarts and head of Slytherin House at the time of Riddle's schooling in the forties. I already possess a version of this memory from Slughorn himself, which, I might add, was clearly altered by the professor."
"Why would he alter his own memory?" Hermione queried.
"I believe to cover his tracks, to rectify what he saw as an error. You see, the discussion he had with Tom and his friends concerned this very subject of Horcruxes. In fact, it's very clear that Tom was attempting to get information out of Slughorn not only on the creation of Horcruxes, but also whether it was possible to create multiple ones. As you can imagine, when Voldemort made his appearance later and wreaked havoc on society, Slughorn felt regret at having unknowingly helped the teenager. Hence, his altering the memory.
However, thanks to Riddle's diary, I have been able to observe the same meeting unaltered...from Tom's point of view. And what's most relevant for our current discussion is that Riddle was wearing the Gaunt ring. But in later memories, he no longer does so, and I suspect the object might have indeed been made into a Horcrux. And now, thanks to older Harry's information, I know precisely where to look for it."
"So, the diary and the ring make two out of six Horcruxes," Harry stated, "what about Nagini? That's the snake you and Professor Snape mentioned last year, correct?"
"Yes, Harry. Nagini was a young witch who suffered from a blood curse which turned her permanently into a snake. She became a devotee of the dark lord and has, according to rumor, been his pet and an enforcer whenever he needed to threaten or kill someone. But before now, it was not known she was in fact a Horcrux. Thanks once more to the other Harry, we now know she was the sixth and final one."
"Where is she now, do you think?" Hermione asked.
"I believe she is residing with one of Voldemort's supporters. Harry here may have, in fact, given us that clue through his nightmares."
The headmaster looked at the twelve-year-old.
"You mean the manor house I saw?" Harry asked.
Dumbledore smiled and nodded at him.
"But whose house is it?" Hermione asked.
The old wizard nodded at Harry again, indicating he should answer. The boy thought for a moment.
"In that last nightmare, Voldemort was scolding someone, saying the shards were in danger because that someone had made a mistake. Then, that same person started screaming in pain. Since Nagini was there, I would bet she bit the person to punish them for her master."
Dumbledore leaned forward on the desk with a pleased smile.
"And when we were at St. Mungo's, Harry, an inside source of mine at the hospital informed me that one of their Healers had been called out on an emergency. Someone had been bitten by a large snake and needed to be tended at...Malfoy Manor."
Harry sat forward in the chair, wide-eyed.
"Lucius Malfoy! That's why he seemed to be in pain and was limping around!"
Dumbledore nodded.
"Correct. So, now we have a good idea where Nagini may be hiding out."
Hermione's face scrunched up.
"The diary was one Horcrux, the ring is two, and Nagini is three. What about the other three? Do you have an idea what they are, professor?"
The headmaster smiled.
"As a matter of fact...I do."
"Really?" Harry asked, amazed.
The headmaster spun around and pulled another vial from the tray of Riddle's memories and turned back, holding it up before them.
"This vial contains a memory of Tom who, under the guise of doing research for his History of Magic class, inquired of several professors, including former Headmaster Dippet, concerning..."
"What? Did someone call my name?" Dippet uttered from his portrait on the wall where he was still taking a nap.
"No, professor. You may go back to sleep," Dumbledore replied.
The second-years chuckled. Dippet frowned at Dumbledore and returned to his nap. The headmaster continued.
"As I was saying, Riddle was seeking information from several professors about the Hogwarts founders' artifacts."
"I read about those in Hogwarts, A History," Hermione said with interest, "they're magical objects belonging to each of the four founders of the school, right?"
"Correct. These objects were intended by the founders to become family heirlooms to be passed down to their rightful heirs throughout the generations. They are Helga Hufflepuff's Cup, Rowena Ravenclaw's Diadem, Salazar Slytherin's Locket, and Godric Gryffindor's Sword...the last one of which you see here behind me."
He turned to gaze at the silver sword with bright red rubies in its hilt and the name of Gryffindor etched in its side. The two students were amazed at it.
"It's been a fixture in the headmaster's office for centuries and remains safely locked here until the unlikely event it's needed."
The man turned back to them.
"As for the others, their present location is unknown. But as I mentioned earlier, it becomes clear from the Riddle memories that Tom was seeking to place his soul shards in objects of significance which would be both valuable and possess symbolic meaning. The founders' artifacts would have been an ideal hiding place for his soul shards."
"Putting it inside the artifacts would definitely ensure their protection," Hermione deduced.
"That's correct, Hermione. Creating a Horcrux out of a mere bottle or tin can would have been dangerous since someone, not knowing what they were, might very well throw them out with the rubbish. No, Tom no doubt wanted his soul pieces inside items which would tell the world of his 'greatness', that he was able to dominate and possess even the most valuable objects among us. However, I have examined the sword and determined there is no soul shard inside it. Tom would not have been able to get inside this office to create a Horcrux out of it anyway."
"So, the ring, the snake, the cup, the diadem, and the locket are all that's left of Voldemort's Horcruxes since the diary shard, inside me, was destroyed," Harry said.
"Correct. And so you see, we have been given a tremendous gift with all this information, just as the prophecy states: 'great will be the knowledge Saturn shall give'."
Harry looked down in thought, then back at the headmaster.
"And if all the Horcruxes are destroyed, Voldemort's spirit would vanish, right?" he asked.
"Yes, Harry, or so the theory goes. But, if he is able to regain a body before then, his spirit would create a new soul with that body, in which case he would need to be physically destroyed."
Harry and Hermione frowned at one another. Despite the incredible information they now possessed, the task ahead seemed difficult and harrowing. Harry wasn't looking forward to it at all. The old wizard went on.
"Now, I will begin researching the whereabouts of the three founders' objects and hopefully can locate them in short order. As for you two, be mindful of what we've discussed here as you proceed with your schooling. You are still very young and have a lot to learn about our world, and a lot to learn about magic too. But, as I also mentioned, do not fret over this either. Thanks to Harry's older self, I believe all will work out well in the end. And in the spirit of preparation, Harry, I would like to revisit our discussion from last term concerning your placement during the Summer."
Harry and Hermione both sat up straight.
"I am willing to grant your request to remain at Hogwarts for the Summer holidays."
The second-years grinned at one another.
"Thank you, sir! That would be great!" Harry uttered.
Dumbledore smiled.
"Yes, well, as I also mentioned to you during our discussion, it won't be all fun and games. We will spend some of that time in academic pursuits where I will teach you myself. Consider it Summer School. The more we can prepare you for what's ahead, the better. And, we might even visit the Gaunt ruins at some point."
Harry couldn't believe it. Being taught personally by the greatest wizard in the world? It was incredible!
"Great! I'm looking forward to it!" he uttered excitedly, looking at Hermione whose face was now downcast as her shoulders dropped, as though she had been left out of a grand party.
The headmaster, seeing this, smiled at the girl.
"And you are welcome to remain here too, Hermione, if you wish."
Hermione brightened back up and gleamed at Harry. Dumbledore continued.
"However, you must seek permission from your parents first, as I am sure they would like to spend time with you as well."
"Yes, sir," she replied with a nod.
"Excellent. Now, one more thing I wish to address concerning our discussion here this day..."
The headmaster leaned forward on his desk and stared at the two sternly.
"...let all this remain between the three of us for now. Do not speak of the older version of Harry, the Horcruxes, or the prophecy to anyone. Is that understood?"
They both nodded. The man went on.
"Secrecy in these matters is of the upmost importance. If any of our enemies should get wind of them, they could possibly turn the tables on us. Remember, Harry, what I told you your first term about dealing with dark wizards: use discretion and patience. The knowledge we now possess is powerful only so long as it remains a secret. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, sir," they both replied at the same time. Dumbledore smiled and sat back in his chair.
"Good, you are free to go and enjoy the rest of your day. And please, take this bag of Fizzbangs with you and share them with your schoolmates. I'm sure they'll be delighted."
He pulled a bag of the multicolored candies out of his drawer and handed them to Hermione. The pupils grinned at one another while rising from their chairs.
"Oh! I almost forgot!" Dumbledore spoke while turning and picking something up off the floor.
He turned back and handed it to Harry. It was a green plastic water pitcher, which Harry recognized immediately.
"I had Fawkes go back down into the Chamber of Secrets and retrieve it. We don't want that dear rooster, which was of such usefulness to you, Harry, languishing in another form inside the spooky chamber forever. Please return it to Hagrid for me, if you don't mind."
"Yes, sir," Harry said.
The two then exited the headmaster's office.
~HP~
Despite a chilly afternoon with cloudy skies, the pair decided to take a walk around the Black Lake that afternoon. The information they received from the headmaster concerning the Horcruxes, as well as the centaur's prophecy, was heavy and they both needed time to parse through it.
They were silent at first while following the trail along the edge of the dark water, their feet crunching in a layer of frost. But then Harry spoke.
"Everything seems so different. With what we now know, I feel like I'm being dragged into a future conflict I have no control over. I just hope it will turn out well in the end, as Dumbledore said."
The girl smiled at him.
"It will, Harry, I'm sure of it," she said.
He looked at her.
"How do you know?"
"Because of the prophecy. If you remember, it says that 'Saturn will once again be victorious'. You're going to beat him when the time comes, by the sound of it."
Harry looked at the ground beneath his feet.
"That's still a lot to live up to. But I'll certainly give it a go. And I'll do what my older self told me and what Dumbledore told both of us: learn as much as we can."
"And I plan to be with you, Harry. Remember our promise to each other our first year: we'll face this together."
She stepped over and wrapped her arm around his. Harry smiled back at her gratefully.
"Definitely," he told her.
They continued a little further in silence, until Harry remembered something.
"He asked about you," he said.
The girl's face scrunched up.
"Who asked about me?"
"My older self."
"Really?"
Harry nodded and continued.
"He seemed...concerned, like he was afraid you and I hadn't met. But when I told him you were my best friend, he seemed relieved. I might be wrong, but I got the impression he was...sad, like something bad had happened. Something having to do with you."
Silence again came over them before Harry finished.
"But he told me to stick with you and never let go. That you would be the most important person in my life."
Hermione looked at the twelve-year-old with curiosity. Harry smiled at her.
"I told him...you already are."
Her cheeks went pink at this as she smiled back. She tightened her grip around his arm. He went on.
"I'm so thankful to have you as my friend, Hermione. You mean the world to me."
The girl blushed even deeper.
"You mean a lot to me too, Harry. I'm thankful as well."
They smiled at one another glowingly and finished their trek around the lake.