Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters.
Chapter Six
The Ghoul in Pajamas
"The Ghoul in Pajamas," Tonks read.
Mentions Harry should set out to find and destroy Horcruxes as soon as possible:
"Horcruxes?" Several people said. Most people said this in a confused voice, having no clue what that was and why it would be something that Harry would have to destroy. However, one person paled at this as he gasped.
"That's how he did it! That's how he survived the first time!" Sirius said looking at Dumbledore.
"Yes, I have come across proof that Voldemort had indeed made at least one Horcrux, and I have feared that he had to have made more," Dumbledore said gravely and then eyed Sirius curiously. "I am surprised that you would know about them though, Sirius."
"It was in one of my father's books," Sirius shivered at that. "He had told Regulus and I never to look at them …."
"So naturally you just had to look," Snape said in an appalled voice.
"That's right," Sirius smirked though his eyes were dark and filled with hate as he looked at the greasy haired man.
"Professor, I still don't understand what a Horcrux is?" Hermione said, looking at Dumbledore.
Dumbledore looked thoughtful for a moment and then said, "I think we should continue to read and if they are not explained by the end of this chapter, or if you had any more questions you would like to have answered pertaining to this topic, I shall try to do my best to answer you."
Hermione nodded her head and Tonks took that to mean that she should start reading again.
Mentions Ron mouthed the word Horcruxes:
Dumbledore raised an eyebrow there, noting that it looked like Ron and Hermione must know everything that he told Harry. On the whole, he didn't feel comfortable with more people knowing about this (which was why he was so uncomfortable at the moment knowing that everyone in this room was about to find out about it). However, he also knew that Harry would need his friends if he was going to take on this task without himself being there to help the boy.
This was an interesting theory, and it also seemed to imply that he had realized that he wasn't going to be around to help Harry. If that was true, he glanced at Severus, that would be a very good explanation for why Severus would kill him. What better way to make Voldemort believe that Severus is his man than to kill his greatest opponent (besides Harry of course).
Ron says we've got to stay for the wedding, they'll kill us if we miss it:
"I should think so," Molly said. "A wedding is for family, and you have to be there!"
"Yes, I would really like you being there 'Arry," Fleur smiled at him and he smiled back reflexively, which caused Ginny to grimace.
Mentions Harry understood "they" to mean Fleur and Molly:
"Well, obviously you were right about that," Sirius chuckled, as both women glared at him, but he found that he didn't really care about that. It just felt so nice that he was finally near so many people like this instead of being alone in Grimmauld Place.
Ron says course they don't, they don't have a clue:
"And why don't we have a clue!" Molly said sharply, but her glare wasn't directed towards her son, or even Harry, but straight at Albus Dumbledore.
Now, Dumbledore always considered himself a brave man, but he found it rather difficult to look the fierce looking witch in the eye. "I believe I have told them not to tell anyone about this …."
"Yes, I've gathered that much," Molly said hotly. "But why?"
"I have always been wary of what would happen if too many people know about Voldemort's secrets. That it would only make him more guarded and him that much harder to destroy," Dumbledore said.
Molly opened her mouth to say something, but Arthur put a hand on her shoulder and said so only she could hear, "that's enough Molly." She huffed, and still looked upset but she didn't say anything.
Mentions Molly wanted Harry to identify a lone man's sock:
"You should never fall for the lone man's sock trick, Harry," Fred shook his head in disappointment.
"She's been using that one for years," George added.
"Honestly, I think we all fell for that at least once," Charlie chuckled. "It wasn't a very pleasant talk I can tell you that."
"And just what was it about, Charlie bear," Tonks teased him.
"Wouldn't you like to know," Charlie tried to look nonchalant but his ears started to turn red, though really, the blush could have been caused by Tonks using the nickname she had for him while they were at school (she knew he bitterly hated the name but he always called her Nymphy so she had to come up with something).
Tonks hesitated for a moment, really wanting to tease him farther, but decided it was better if she just started reading again.
Molly says Ron and Hermione seems to think you're all dropping out of Hogwarts:
Hermione shivered at that and Harry bowed his head. She was dropping out of Hogwarts because of him … so she could help him, how could he let her do … "Ow!"
"Serves you right for thinking such rubbish," Hermione huffed.
"I didn't know you could read minds," Harry grumbled, rubbing his arm where she had slapped him.
"I can't, but it was obvious what you were thinking," Hermione rolled her eyes.
Mentions Harry had been afraid of the 'concerned parent' attack:
"And just what do you mean by that?" Molly asked, turning to look sharply at Harry.
"I …." Harry opened his mouth but found no explanation, so he did the only thing he could, "I'm sorry."
Mentions that Molly's eyes were the same shade of brown as Ginny's:
"Really!" both Molly and Ginny said.
"Yes, they are," Arthur said, who had often looked into both their eyes. Then he looked curiously at Harry, why would the boy know how Ginny's eyes look.
Where Arthur was looking at Harry curiously, the Weasley boys were all looking at him suspiciously and didn't look all too pleased at this.
Harry says Ron and Hermione don't have to come, it's their choice:
"As if we have a choice," Ron and Hermione scoffed at the same time and Harry couldn't help but feel lightened by the fact that they would always be there for him.
Molly says you wouldn't mind helping with the preparations, there's so much to do:
"Don't agree to it mate … it's a trap!" Ron exclaimed.
"Hmph!" Molly glared at him, and he shrunk back into his chair.
"I don't think it matters mate, it's only right to help out isn't it," Harry shrugged and Molly smiled at him. Oh, what a considerate boy he is.
"You know something, Harry, sometimes I can't understand you at all," Sirius said shaking his head.
Mentions Molly has them doing chores ending with alone since the first night:
"You are being a bit obvious, dear," Arthur chuckled.
"Honestly Arthur, I'm sure I would have had them working just as hard if I wasn't afraid that they were planning something," Molly admitted. "Do you realize how much work we have to do if we're going to have a wedding at the Burrow?"
"No, but I'm sure you can enlighten me," Arthur said looking slightly amused. "Though, at a later time would be preferable."
Harry talking to Ginny and says someone else might kill off Voldemort while she holds us here:
"Wow … I can't believe you just said that!" Ron gasped, looking shocked.
"What?" Harry started to say and then blush. "I must not have thought …."
"Well, that's obvious," Hermione said. "But usually you're …."
"Closed up …." Fred said.
"Can't get a word out of you …." George said.
"Not when it is something juicy like this," Fred went on.
"Why are you talking to Gin-Gin like this," George questioned and Ginny hissed angry at him for his use of Gin-Gin.
"Honestly, I have no idea," Harry said, which wasn't exactly true, he had sense where this was all leading, as did most the people in the room. However, it was also true that he had no idea how he had come to be so open with Ginny.
It was true that he had noticed a difference in her this year, it was almost like he was seeing her for the first time and knew that she was more than just Ron's little sister that blushed whenever he walked into a room. However, he didn't have any of that kind of feelings for her … okay so she was kind of cute … oh crap, do you want her six angry brothers to kick your arse, Harry hissed at his previous thought. Besides, he was practically going out with Cho right now, and he definitely had feelings about her. Plus, Ginny had a boyfriend … she didn't like him anymore, right? He didn't have anything to worry about, right?
"Tonks, I think you should read before my godson has a nervous breakdown," Sirius chuckled.
Harry says I was joking:
"Yeah, right Harry, I'm not going to believe that," Ginny rolled her eyes. She was really liking these signs that showed that she and Harry had some kind of relationship … at the very least they had become closer friends and at the most … no, don't go there. You've worked so hard to get over him, she thought sadly to herself, though she knew that by no means was she ever really going to get over him and no matter how much she cares about Micheal, Harry would always mean more.
Mentions this was the first time Harry was alone with Ginny since those stolen hours in secluded corners of the Hogwarts grounds:
"Stolen hours!" Charlie was the one that shouted but each of Ginny's brothers looked equally as angry as him. All but Ron, who looked angry, a little hurt and distinctly sick. "Just what have you done with Ginny!"
"I have no idea … honestly!" Harry said, looking scared out of his mind.
"Leave him alone," Ginny snapped at her second oldest brother, who wavered a little at the glare she was giving him but quickly regained himself. "First of all, there no bloody point to yelling at someone for something that hasn't even happened yet! And another thing … and this one all of you gits should listen to … it's none of your damn business what I do with anyone!"
"Merlin, I thought Harry had to be out of his mind to go out with a girl with six older brothers, but that's nothing to the girl herself," Sirius 'whispered' to Remus. The werewolf looked uncomfortable, knowing that almost everyone heard that, but Tonks sniggered, and Hermione was having a hard time not smirking. She always thought Ginny would make a good match for Harry.
"Fine Ginny, but if he hu …." Charlie said, his ears as red as a brick and he was clenching his fists.
"You will do nothing! You hear me, Charlie! All of you!" Ginny said and shot a glare at all of her brothers in turn, even looking at Percy for the first time since he got here. "You can continue reading now Tonks."
"Okay," Tonks said brightly, ah, she knew there was a reason why she always liked Ginny.
Harry says but Snape would have told the Death Eaters the address by now:
"Yes, that is true," Remus said looking at Severus thoughtfully. Severus was looking at the book indifferently, but Remus couldn't help but note that this was one point in favor of Dumbledore's assurance that Severus really was on their side.
Mentions Harry being crammed next to Ginny:
Harry shifted uncomfortably, he had greatly appreciated what Ginny had said just a minute ago, but he wasn't sure what would have happened if he had done something that hurt her. Obviously, the relationship he had with her was strained at best. He was surprised about how much that seemed to affect him.
Harry says because I had no choice or because they don't want me to tell the world Voldemort attacked me:
"Probably the latter," Remus said, "though when all is said and done it might have been good to tell everyone about that."
"What do you mean?" Harry questioned. "Wouldn't they be scared if they knew that Voldemort was attacking people."
"Yes, I imagine they would," Remus said. "But it would also encourage them to know that you fought him … and lived again!" Harry made a face at that, "I know you don't like this, but you are a public figure and a symbol of hope to most people, especially now that Dumbledore is gone… er … sorry sir."
"Don't mention it, I agree with you," Dumbledore smiled.
"Whatever," Harry grumbled, that wasn't going to make him like that fact any better.
Severus was looking at Harry curiously, it actually looked like the boy didn't like his name in the paper … that can't be, can it?
Mentions the scar on the back of Harry's hand says I must not tell lies:
"What is that?" Sirius and Molly both said looking at Harry in concern and he subconsciously rubbed the back of his hand.
"Do you have that now?" Sirius asked, getting up and taking Harry's hand and indeed he saw the still red-looking scar on the back of his hand. "When did this happen?"
"It's nothing," Harry said taking his hand back.
"Don't be thick, Harry, that had to be caused by a blood quill! The letters are too fine to be anything else and it was obviously in your own writing …." Sirius said. "I've never heard of a blood quill leaving a scar like that though …."
"Well, it's bound to happen when someone makes you write the same thing over and over again until the message sinks in!" Ron hissed.
"You knew about this!" Molly gasped. "Why didn't you tell anyone? This can't be an acceptable form of punishment at Hogwarts!"
"I assure you; it most definitely is not!" McGonagall said, looking appalled by the very idea, though she also was looking sadly at Harry. "Potter, you should have come to me, I would have …."
"Honestly Professor McGonagall, I'm not sure what you could have done to the toad," Harry muttered and everyone's face darkened when Harry confirmed that it was Umbridge that did this to him. "And I didn't want to give her the pleasure of seeing me complain."
"I never understood that," Hermione shook her head.
"And yet you never told us about it!" Molly exclaimed again.
"Harry told us not to," Ron shrugged.
"I didn't want to betray his trust, even though I knew what was happening was wrong," Hermione sighed, looking down. She remembered how Harry had reacted when she had told McGonagall about the Firebolt in third year, and she never wanted to see that again. Of course, if she thought what was happening to Harry was life threatening, she would have told immediately, but though Harry was getting hurt it wasn't going to kill him.
"Look, this doesn't really matter, it's happened, so let's just start reading again," Harry said hotly.
The adults didn't look too pleased by this, but they could tell that he wasn't going to talk about it more.
Mentions that Fleur's parents are coming tomorrow:
"Ah great, all we need at the Burrow is more people," Ron muttered.
"Ronald, don't be rude!" Hermione hissed at him.
"What? I have nothing against them, I'm just saying that there's already too many people there," Ron snapped back.
"Tonks, please read," Harry said, for she had paused to let them talk but Harry knew a row when he saw one and hopefully, they would stop if the reading started again.
Arthur says what was left of Sirius's bike and I'm hiding … keeping it in here:
"I think hiding was right," Sirius laughed as Molly glare sharped. All the Weasley children were laughing out right, too, and Harry, Hermione, Tonks, and Remus were trying to hide their amusement.
"I can't believe you Arthur!" Molly shouted. "What are you thinking?"
"Er … I … um … I … don't know," Arthur sputtered.
Mentions that Harry slipped upstairs to Ron's bedroom:
"See what you have done Arthur!" Molly snapped.
"Honestly Molly, dear, I think it's best that they are able to talk together," Arthur said reasonably. "They are all too stubborn to let anything stop them from going and it's better if they have time to prepare for it."
Hermione says Molly had forgot she asked Ginny and her to change the sheet yesterday:
"I can't believe you didn't remind her of that!" Fred said.
"I always thought you were the honest one!" George added.
"Oh, she is, but obviously she wanted to spend some quality alone time with Ron," Ginny said waggling her eyebrow. Hermione and Ron both blushed at that as almost everyone else laughed.
Ron says all right, if you want him to be dead:
"Ronald, of course we don't want him to be dead!" Hermione snapped. "But there's no point in believing in something when it just can't be true."
"Whatever you say Mione," Ron rolled his eyes.
"Mione?" Hermione questioned, which caused Ron to blush.
"Uh … er … I didn't mean to say that," Ron sputtered, his ears turning redder the longer he talked.
"No, it's okay … I guess you can call me that," Hermione said softly, starting to blush herself. She's never had a nickname before … at least not one wasn't an insult.
"Really … you like it?" Ron said, perhaps with more enthusiasm than was warranted.
"I don't know about that, but it's no worse them my full name," Hermione said.
"What are you talking about Hermione, your name is beautiful," Ron said before he could think and then he turned brighter red than ever and stared at the floor. If he hadn't looked away, he would have seen that Hermione was quite flustered herself and was looking rather pleased. Of course, the sniggering going throughout the room wasn't really helping either of them at the moment.
"Argh, it's bad enough that I have to be stuck here reading about Potter but is it really necessary that I have to watch the Weasel and the M … Bushhead flirt," Draco groaned.
"Shut up Malfoy!" Several people snapped, though there was more sniggering at the fact that Ron and Hermione were now looking more embarrassed than ever.
Mentions that Hermione burst into tears:
"Come on, Mione, you have to be tougher than that," Fred said.
Hermione glared at him, though that had more to do with the fact that he called her Mione. She kind of liked the idea of Ron being the only one that called her that. But there was no way that she could say that now, for all it would do was cause another round of teasing from the Weasley boys.
Mentions Ron handing Hermione a slightly smoking handkerchief:
"Honestly Ron, giving a lady a handkerchief, you used to clean an oven," Bill said shaking his head.
"Shut up!" Ron grumbled.
"Yes, at least he was trying to be a gentleman," Ginny said trying not to laugh. "You have to give him points for that."
"Still, I think it would have been better to just conjure a new handkerchief," Bill chuckled. "But obviously he is learning."
Everyone was laughing at this as Ron and Hermione blushed again, they were starting to think that this was going to be a reoccurring theme in this book.
Percy, though he was chuckling, was looking a little sad, too. He didn't know what was coming over him, but he almost wanted to tease his brother, too. That likely had something to do with the fact that Ron so obviously liked Hermione for as long as Percy could remember, but still he was never one to tease. Perhaps he would give Ron some advice … or at least he would like to, however, it was clear that Ron, along with the rest of his siblings didn't want anything to do with him and that hurt more than he expected it to.
Ron says you know what Mad Eye would say to us if he was here:
"CONSTANT VIGILANCE!" Ginny shouted in such a good imitation of Moody that several people laughed though she did get a glare from her mum and oddly enough Harry, though she reckon the latter only glared at her because she had just shouted in his ear.
"Yes, I do believe that's what he would have said," Tonks chuckled before reading again.
Mentions the book had broken free and snapped viciously at Ron's ankle:
"That's what you get for trying to put your arms around our dear Mione," George said to more sniggering in the room.
Hermione grimaced at that.
Ron says I forgot we'll be hunting down Voldemort in a mobile library:
Several people laughed at that.
"And you were doing so well before that," Charlie said shaking his head.
"Well, a Ronniekins that doesn't say too much is not Ronniekins at all," Fred laughed as Ron glared at him.
"Honestly Hermione, how are we going to take all those books with us?" Harry asked. "I mean books are really heavy and bulky … it doesn't seem practical."
"I'm not really sure," Hermione frowned. "Maybe I'll shrink them or do something like that."
Mentions Hermione picked up Hogwarts, A History:
"Well that one's going with us whether it's useful or not," Ron smirked at Hermione. "I don't think you'll go anywhere without that."
"Shut up," Hermione huffed though she had to admit he had a point.
Hermione says no, Harry, you listen:
"Oh Harry, you've got her angry at you," Ron said. "It's best to just lay down and take it or you'll argue with her for hours."
"I'll take that into consideration," Harry said barely able to hide his smile, only made more difficult because Hermione had crossed her arms and looked a little too offended by Ron's commits. "You are after all the expert on having rows with Hermione."
"Too bad he doesn't know how to take his own advice," Fred sniggered.
Hermione says I've also modified my parents' memories:
Hermione gasped at that as everyone in the room looked at her stunned.
"Why would I do that?" Hermione mumbled, her lips trembling a little, she couldn't imagine doing anything like that to her parents now.
"It's okay Mione," Ron said putting his arm on her shoulder and was surprised when she leaned into him.
"I would imagine that you had to do something like this so that your parents would be safe," Dumbledore said. "Everyone knows how close you are to Harry; it is safe to say that they would go to all lengths to find your parents and see whether they know anything about Harry or if they could help them in other means …."
"No," Hermione started to tear up at that and Ron put his other arm around her and glared at Dumbledore, he didn't have to say all that. What good did it do? It just made Hermione more upset.
"I'm sorry …." Harry started to say.
"Don't Harry … please," Hermione said shifting out of Ron's arms, wiping her eyes and gave him a rather weak glare, though it was the best she could manage at the moment. "This isn't your fault …."
"If it …." Harry started to say but couldn't manage anymore because Hermione was hugging him this time.
"Shut up Harry!" Hermione said.
Mentions it was unusual for Ron to be teaching anyone else tact:
Several people snorted at that; that was so true. When Hermione started to giggle though, Ron huffed and took his hand away from her and crossed his arms. Though he had to admit it was nice that she didn't look quite as upset as she was a second ago.
Harry asks do ghouls normally wear pajamas:
"No, they don't," Sirius said laughing, "I think I know where this is going … nice plan."
"What?" Ron said, not seeing what was going on but several other people looked like they were putting the pieces together, too. They all looked like they agreed with Sirius's assessment.
Ron says the Death Eater will go to our families to see if they have information on you:
"Very true," Dumbledore said.
"Um … wouldn't they go after my parents like they would …." Ron started to ask, looking at Hermione and not wanting to continue. "Will this be enough to protect them?"
Molly looked at her youngest son mournfully, she was supposed to protect him not the other way around. Still, she was touched by how much he did to protect the family.
"I think it should suffice," Dumbledore said.
"No one would care if the Muggles got questioned about this," Draco said. "I mean their only Muggles …."
"Shut your face, ferret!" Ron snapped at him.
"And even though the Weasleys are blood traitors, they are at least wizards," Draco continued, sneering at all the glares he was receiving from everyone in the room.
"He has a point," Dumbledore said. "And he is speaking as any wizard that believes in Voldemort's ideology would."
Mentions the muffled sounds of Molly's shouting from four floors below:
"You can't really hear me for that high up, can you?" Molly said.
All her children looked at her incredulously before they said, "Yes."
Ron says guess aren't going to help Mum's stress levels:
"Hmph," Molly huffed again.
"I'm just worried about you mum, is that so bad," Ron said to her with an innocent expression.
"Don't give me that look," Molly said sharply but all the same she did seem slightly mollified.
Mentions Hermione tossing Defensive Magical Theory into the bin:
"My question is, why didn't you throw that rubbish out ages ago?" George said, making a face.
"I don't know," Hermione said.
"Honestly, I think you should throw it out now," Fred added.
"But we're still using it for our … for lack of a better word … Defense classes, I can't throw it away now!" Hermione said looking appalled.
"Hermione, you already read and memorized the whole book," Harry said and Hermione rolled her eyes at that. "I don't think you need it anymore."
"You actually read that book!" Fred said, making a face.
"What do you do for lessons if you already read the book?" George added.
"What do you mean by that?" McGonagall asked, narrowing her eyes.
"Well, that's all she has us do in class, read that awful book and take stupid test on the material," Ron groaned, it had to be the most boring thing he could imagine sitting their trying to read the rot that was in that book.
"I always feared what her 'teaching' style would be like," McGonagall said looking appalled. "But really, reading the books … argh!"
"I know," Dumbledore sighed gravely. "I wish there was someone, anyone that was willing to take the job, but it seemed to be unusually difficult for me to do so this year. I dear say that even a fifth-year student would have been a better teacher than her." He was now looking at Harry, his eyes twinkling with amusement.
Harry fidgeted as Molly glared at him and the Weasley children, Hermione, Sirius, Remus and Tonks laughed.
Hermione says I know you wanted to go to Godric's Hollow first:
"Why would you want to go there?" George asked.
"It's where …." Harry started, trying to think of what to say to that. "I lived with my parents …."
"It was a nice little cottage," Sirius smiled, "James went a little mad being stuck there all the time but at least he lived in a lovely town."
"Yeah, well the house isn't much to look at anymore," Remus said, he had gone back to Godric's Hollow once when the statue of his friends was put up. He had decided to look at the cottage but all he had to see was the hole in the roof to know that he never wanted to go there again. "It was left in the shape it was in after …."
It was clear that Remus couldn't say anything more on that as he clutched his hands into fist so Tonks added, "It's kind of a monument now."
"Really?" Harry said slightly intrigued and more than slightly annoyed.
Mentions it was where he survived Voldemort's Killing Curse, and he was facing repeating that feat:
Everyone in the room shivered at that.
"Do you really think you can?" Tonks asked.
"You mean like I did the first time … I don't think so," Harry said. "Voldemort has found a way to get past my mum's protections …."
"Your mum's protections?" a few people asked, looking confused.
"Er …." Harry said looking uncomfortable and glanced at Dumbledore to see if he should actually be telling them this.
Dumbledore nodded his head and Harry explained briefly about what his mum did to save him when he was a baby. However, Dumbledore wasn't thinking of this, he was thinking about what Voldemort had done to regain his body and he couldn't help but disagree with Harry. He was sure that the blood protection that was in Harry was now stronger than it ever has been. Strong enough, he was sure, to be able to save Harry for the terrible fate that Dumbledore was afraid the boy would have to have for a while now. When Harry was done talking Tonks started reading again.
Hermione mentions that Voldemort might expect Harry to go there, which had not occurred to Harry:
"Well of course it didn't," Ron said. "Honestly Harry, how do you think you're going to make it through anything without Mione helping you?"
"I don't know what I was thinking," Harry chuckled. "I really do need you two."
"Still, I don't know if you're all going to make it out of this," Fred said.
"Yeah, I'm sure Ron and Hermione are going to kill each other with one of the rows they're sure to have," George added.
"Or annoy poor Harry to death," Charlie added.
"They might have a point Harry," Ron chuckled. "Perhaps I shouldn't go with you."
"It's not …." Harry started to say until he looked at Ron. He looked like he was joking but Harry couldn't help but get the feeling that his friend was being a little more serious than was good for him. "Ron …."
"Come on Harry, it was a joke," Ron rolled his eyes, feeling uncomfortable. "There's no place I'd rather be."
"Yeah," Harry said seeing that his friend was telling the truth, but then again Harry wasn't questioning that. Still, there was definitely something Ron wasn't telling him, and Harry couldn't figure out what it was.
Harry reads I have stolen the real Horcrux and intend to destroy it:
"And that would be a good thing, right?" Sirius asked Dumbledore, who nodded his head. "And what kind of person would write a note like that."
"Hm …." Dumbledore said thoughtfully. "I would think there are many different kinds of people could have written a note like this, though of course they would have to be involved with Voldemort in some way."
"Like my brother?" Sirius asked.
Dumbledore paused for a long time, thinking that over and finally he said, "yes, I do believe one of Voldemort's supporters that has been disenchanted by the Dark Lord might want to do something like this. He would have to have a very powerful change of mind to go against Voldemort. However, Regulus was always braver than most and never struck me as someone that would believe in all of Voldemort's ideals … he might …."
"Right," Sirius said. "I suppose we'll just have to see if this is him."
Ron asks and once we get hold of it, how do you destroy a Horcrux:
Dumbledore grimaced at that; this was something that they should know. He must not have realized that he was going to die when he did.
Hermione says I've been researching that:
"Really?" Dumbledore raised an eyebrow at that wondering how she would have gotten a book on Horcruxes.
"Why are you so surprised? Mione researches everything!" Ron said and Hermione glared at him as she blushed a little. Before anyone could say more about this Tonks started reading again.
Harry says I thought there weren't any books on Horcruxes in the library:
"I believe that is why Dumbledore was surprised about this," Tonks smiled.
"Yeah, that makes sense," Ron chuckled.
Hermione turned pink and says they weren't:
"Ah, I sense something good coming," Fred said.
"Yes, perhaps Hermione has done something that we'd be proud of," George chuckled.
Hermione says Dumbledore removed them all, but didn't destroy them:
Dumbledore sighed, perhaps he should have destroyed the books, then again, it seemed like they would help Harry with what he has to do, so it wasn't so bad. Harry, Ron and Hermione wouldn't be interested in making a Horcrux after all.
Hermione says it wasn't stealing:
Everyone laughed at that.
"Which means that she really believes it is stealing," Ginny chuckled.
"Oh, shut up," Hermione said blushing.
Hermione says they zoomed out of Dumbledore's study window right into the girl's dormitory:
"Dumbledore really, I would think you would have better protection on those books if they were as dangerous as they seemed to be," McGonagall told him sharply.
"You are right of course," Dumbledore agreed, wondering if he might have purposely not put such protections on the books in hopes that something like this would happen if it needed to.
Hermione says I can't believe Dumbledore would have been angry:
"No, in this circumstance that is quite true," Dumbledore said gravely, "still, it would have been better if you didn't have to know what this is."
Hermione nodded her head, dying to ask what a Horcrux was again but didn't, he said he would answer her questions after the chapter was done.
Harry says he only approached Slughorn because he wanted to know if he could split your soul into seven:
Dumbledore smiled at the confirmation of how many pieces Voldemort had split his soul into.
Sirius made a horrified face. How could anyone make seven Horcruxes?
"What is it sir?" Harry asked, noticing the smile.
"I have just been trying to learn how many Horcruxes Voldemort had made for a long time now and it's nice to finally know," Dumbledore explained.
Hermione says I can't believe that he actually made six:
"Seriously, that is disturbing," Sirius groaned, making a face.
"Indeed, it is," Dumbledore said, this time showing the displeasure he felt about this.
"Will you stop saying things like that if you're not going to tell us what a Horcrux is?" Remus said annoyed, their comments were just making him more and more curious.
"I shall try," Dumbledore said almost looking amused, and Sirius started sniggering which meant that he was going to do the exact opposite.
Mentions it warns in the book how unstable you make the rest of your soul by ripping it:
"Ripping your soul," Remus said looking disgusted, as did most people here.
"Yes," Dumbledore said. "Horcrux is a piece of one's soul that is placed into an object for safe keeping. The theory behind this is that one cannot be killed as long as that piece of soul survives."
"So, he ripped his soul into pieces …." Remus said looking more appalled than ever.
"Well, obviously it worked," Draco said.
"Yes, it worked, but at what expense?" Dumbledore said looking the blonde-haired boy over closely. "There is little of the man that he once was … he has lost everything that has made him human."
Hermione says remorse:
"Ha!" everyone seemed to give a snort of disbelief at that.
"That's never going to happen," Draco was the one to voice what everyone was thinking.
Mentions what Harry did to Riddle's diary:
Ginny gasped at that and paled considerably.
"T-that was a H-horcrux!" Ginny whimpered.
Bill and Charlie both looked at their sister a little oddly, concerned as to why she was acting like this, she never showed fear like this before. They of course knew about their sister being in danger her first year, but they didn't know all the details. In fact, Fred, George and Percy didn't really know about the diary either but they had a much better idea why this would affect their baby sister so much. Ron on the other hand knew exactly what happened and he was mad at himself again for not doing more for her that first year.
"Yes," Dumbledore confirmed, wishing the girl wouldn't have to know about this. It was bad enough that she had to go through that horror in her first year, but to know this along with everything else just had to make this worse.
Harry didn't know what made him do it, but he put his hand on hers in hopes that she would know that he was there for her. She looked up at him then, straight into his eyes, and she didn't know how it happened, but she felt better … slightly. She wanted to lean into him, rest her head on his shoulder but she couldn't do that. She had to be strong, like she had promised herself she would be after … that happened, and she wasn't going to stop now. Still, it was nice having Harry hold her hand.
After Hermione says there's only one antidote to basilisk venom and Harry says Phoenix tears:
"Er … why do you know that?" Sirius asked, looking at Harry shocked, it sounded like he knew from experience.
"Er … you don't know that do you?" Harry said nervously.
"What don't I know?" Sirius asked.
"Er … I sort of killed a basilisk in my second year …." Harry said.
"What?" Sirius, Remus, Tonks, Bill, Charlie and Fleur gasped.
"No wonder you did so well in the tournament," Fleur muttered to herself.
"Merlin's beard Harry, how are you alive?" Charlie asked.
"Why would you ever face a basilisk?" Remus asked, looking terrified.
"To save me," Ginny answered, and everyone looked at her, but she tried to push it off, it helped that Harry gave her hand a squeeze of encouragement. "I was taken into the Chamber of Secret … no it was worse than that …."
"It's okay Gin, I can take it from here," Harry smiled weakly at her and she nodded her head, she noticed her mum get up and walk over to her. As much as she wanted to stay strong it was nice to have her mum hold her … besides she was making her mum feel better, there was nothing wrong with that.
"When Ron and I heard that she was taken by Slytherin's heir …." Harry started to say.
"Isn't Slytherin's heir, Voldemort … oh," Remus said, that was why she was so affected when the diary was mentioned … it must have somehow been involved and was the reason why Ginny was down there. Knowing what a Horcrux was, Remus could only imagine the horrors the diary did to the girl.
"Yes," Harry answered. "Anyways, me and Ron had to go down the sewers to save Ginny, we didn't really have any other choice, did we?"
"Right," Sirius said gulping, he thought what happened in the last two years were extremely dangerous adventures, and of course they were, but he never imagined that Harry's other school years would be just as dangerous. "I understand of course it's just …."
"Did you know that you were going to face a basilisk?" Bill asked.
"Yeah, we did," Ron said. "Thanks to Mione that is."
"Yeah, she even managed to help us even though she was petrified at the time," Harry chuckled.
"You were petrified?" Remus gasped. "That means you had to have seen the basilisk … well not directly of course, or you would have been killed, but you had to have seen it's reflection."
"Yes, in a mirror, that was right after I found out what Slytherin's monster was," Hermione answered him.
"I can't believe it," Remus shook his head. "Harry how did you manage …?"
"I had help," Harry said and Ron and Hermione rolled their eyes, they'd heard that one before. "Fawkes came with the sorting hat …."
"The sorting hat! How did that help?" Sirius asked.
"Well, I sort of pulled Gryffindore's sword out of it," Harry said and Sirius's eyes nearly popped out of his head.
"Cool!" Sirius said.
"Merlin, that is quite amazing!" Charlie said. "You're a true Gryffindor that's for sure!"
"Okay," Harry said uncomfortably about being praised like that. "Anyways, I killed the basilisk with the sword, but one of its fangs got me. Don't worry, Fawkes healed me in a second and then I stabbed the diary with the fang and Tom Riddle sort of disappeared …."
"What? What's this about Tom Riddle?" Remus asked confused.
"Oh, er..." Harry said.
"Tom Riddle is Lord Voldemort's given name," Dumbledore said. "And through the power of the diary he was able to … let just say … take a form."
"Okay," Remus said looking pale, "I guess we should start reading again."
Hermione says if I picked up a sword right now, Ron, and ran you through with it:
"Do you often think about doing that, Hermione?" Fred questioned.
Hermione rolled her eyes.
Ron says the bit of soul in the diary was possessing Ginny, wasn't it:
"Git," Ginny hissed at him.
"Sorry," Ron bowed his head. "But honestly, it's not like I'm actually talking to you about this."
"True," Ginny sighed, "I just …."
"I understand."
Mentions Ginny poured her heart into the diary and that made her incredibly vulnerable:
"I'm sorry," Hermione moaned and she could feel Ginny's glare on her. She knew that Ginny wouldn't want her to tell anyone that she was incredibly vulnerable.
Mentions Monsieur Delacour was a head shorter and extremely plumb:
"Really," several people said surprised by that, and Fleur looked affronted at all of them.
"My Papa is a good man, it doesn't matter what he looks like," Fleur said haughtily. "We do not only care about looks in my family!"
Bill sighed as he wrapped his arms around his girlfriend, he hoped that his family would stop being surprised by things like this, he knew that Fleur was a lot more compassionate than she appeared to be.
Mentions Gabrielle threw Harry a glowing look, batting her eyelashes and Ginny clears her throat:
"Ah, I think that little Gin-Gin might be jealous," Fred laughed.
"You really have to watch out, she quite the competition, too," George added.
"She does talk about 'Arry often," Fleur smiled. "I think you are her hero."
Everyone was laughing at the flustered expression Harry had now and the almost glare that Ginny was giving her brothers and Fleur.
Harry envisaging the additional strain his birthday would put on them all:
"Oh, Harry dear, you don't have to worry about that," Molly said sadly.
"It's alright Mrs. Weasley, honestly," Harry said. "Just being at the Burrow would make it my best birthday ever. Well except maybe my eleventh when I found out I was a wizard."
"You mean you didn't even know you were a wizard until you were eleven!" Draco said incredulously.
"Why are you so surprised?" Harry said looking at him oddly. "You're always making fun of me for not knowing anything about the wizarding world."
"Yeah, but I at least thought you knew about wizards before then," Draco said.
Molly says I'll invite Remus and Tonks, and how about Hagrid:
"Yeah, I'd like that," Harry smiled, that would mean just about everyone he cared about would be there.
Mentions Harry felt remorse for the inconvenience and the pain he was giving her:
"Harry!" Molly rolled her eyes and looked at him sadly.
"Don't bother Mum, nothing you can say will change him, trust me I've tried," Ron said.
"That was the end of the chapter, who wants to read next?" Tonks asked.
"I'll take that," Sirius took the book from her smirking, "I have a good feeling about this chapter."