Chapter Twenty-Seven: Strike Another Off the List

"What the bloody hell were you all thinking?"

Sighing heavily, Harry opened his eyes and looked up to see Tonks glowering at him.

"Hey, Tonks."

"Hey, Tonks? Seriously?" the Auror replied irritably. "Why didn't you run away with the others? You're lucky none of you were killed!"

"Too many people," he responded, too tired to offer a more thorough explanation.

Tonks obviously wasn't satisfied by that, but fortunately, Bill chimed in. "He's right," said the eldest Weasley sibling, giving Harry a hand up. "There was nowhere to go, and it would've been a slaughter if someone didn't stop them then and there."

"You're welcome, by the way," Harry added dryly.

"You —"

"Easy, Tonks," said Kingsley in a low, soothing voice. "We've got about a dozen injured civilians and some property damage, but no deaths. On the other side, two of the attackers were killed and another was captured. All in all, I'd say we owe these boys our thanks. Besides," he added, a slight smirk forming on his face, "they're the ones who are going to have to explain all this to Molly."

Harry's face fell slightly as the two brothers grimaced at one another.

"Oh, you're definitely going to get it," Tonks warned them, sounding more pleased than anything.

"Don't worry, I'm sure she'll mostly be relieved you're all okay," chuckled Kingsley. "By the way," he continued, addressing Bill, "that fire spell was really something. How were you able to do that?"

"That wasn't me," denied Bill, inclining his head towards Harry.

Kingsley turned to him in surprise. "Is that so?" he said slowly. "No offense, but I had no idea you were that capable. Where did you learn to cast a spell like that?"

Unable to help himself, Harry simply grinned back him. "Hogwarts," he replied cheekily. "I know it's been a while for you, but I would've thought an Auror would at least know Incendio."

Kingsley just stared blankly back at him for a moment before bursting into laughter. "Well, it was impressive, whatever it was," he chuckled, slapping Harry on the back — perhaps a bit harder than necessary. "In any case, I think we can take it from here," he continued. "Why don't you all head home? I have a feeling some of us will be seeing each other soon anyway."

"We probably should catch up with the others," agreed Bill. "Thanks, Kingsley — you too, Tonks."

"I am glad you're both all right," Harry added sincerely.

"Yeah, me too," replied Tonks, punching Harry lightly on the arm. "Just be careful, all right?"

"Likewise," he countered, then turned to leave with Ron and Bill to go find the rest of their party.

Fortunately, it wasn't too difficult to locate a cluster of redheads amongst the few people who were still lingering in the alley. Remus was leaning against the wall of Potage's Cauldron Shop and not speaking to anyone, even though Fred and George appeared to be locked in an animated conversation with Neville, Susan, and Hannah only a few feet down from him. Harry didn't see Ginny at first, but then he saw her standing across the street with Michael Corner, who had one arm wrapped around her shoulders. Wanting to delay the inevitable confrontation with Remus, Harry diverted from his path and crossed the street to speak with Ginny first, while Ron and Bill continued on towards the others.

"All right, you two?" he said as he approached.

"Harry!"

Ginny's look of relief quickly turned to panic, until Harry pointed across the street towards Ron and Bill.

"Everyone's all right; the Death Eaters are gone."

"Thank goodness for that," she replied, walking over to Harry and giving him a quick hug.

"Where's Terry?" Harry asked Michael. "Wasn't he here with you?"

"Terry's fine; he just went home already," he explained. "We weren't anywhere near the action, so we had no idea what was going on. Had we known, we definitely would've come to help you."

"I know," Harry assured him.

"If he would've even let you," Ginny said irritably, folding her arms in front of her. "He probably would have, though, since you're a boy."

"It wasn't about that," sighed Harry. "Hannah's our best healer, but she's not much of a fighter. She needed someone to protect her."

"Susan was there."

"Right, but you're a lot better than she is, and honestly, I didn't have time to argue with Bill over whether you should be allowed to fight or not."

Ginny gave him a hard look, though she seemed to be contemplating his words.

"Come on, you know he would've…"

"All right, fine," she replied, relaxing slightly. "But next time, you're not sending me to the back."

"Promise," nodded Harry. "Anyway, I'm going to go talk to the others. They're probably looking to leave as soon as possible."

"All right, I'll be there in a minute," Ginny told him.

Harry said goodbye to Michael, and then wandered back across the street to hear Ron filling the others in on the details of the battle, while Bill and Remus were having a whispered conversation off to the side. A short while later, Neville, Susan, and Hannah went inside the Leaky Cauldron to floo home. Michael must have done the same, because Ginny reappeared shortly thereafter.

"All right, you lot," said Bill, apparently having finished their discussion. "We're all going back to headquarters for now. Mum and Dad will probably be joining us soon, if they aren't there already," he explained. "We think it's best if we Apparate from here. The twins will take Ginny and Ron, and Harry, you'll be with me."

Harry sighed as Remus went on ahead without waiting for them. He obviously wasn't happy about the way events had unfolded, but Harry wasn't about to apologise for doing what he believed was right.

There was very little conversation as they made their way to the Apparition point near the Leaky Cauldron. Based on what Kingsley had said, Harry was fairly certain that he had killed someone that day. He supposed he should feel at least some degree of guilt, but instead he felt mostly numb, and Harry wondered if that would change once the reality of the situation set it. Heavily preoccupied with his own thoughts, as soon as the twins Apparated away with their younger siblings, Harry simply turned on the spot and disappeared with a soft crack.

Bill joined him in the familiar alley near Grimmauld Place a few seconds later, giving Harry an odd look. "I was supposed to be taking you by side-along, you know," he lightly chastised him.

"Oh — er — right, sorry about that," Harry said apologetically. "I got a bit distracted and sort of forgot."

"You're definitely full of surprises," remarked Bill, placing a hand on Harry's shoulder. "Come on, let's head inside."

As it so happened, Sirius and both Weasley parents had been waiting for them in the entrance hall. Mrs. Weasley fussed over each of her children in equal measure (perhaps spending a bit more time with Ginny), while Sirius mainly focused his attentions on Harry. All of the adults did have one thing in common, however, and that was the demand for a full accounting of exactly what had happened, both leading up to and during the attack.

Bill took the lead on the explanation, taking care to emphasise how crowded the alley was and the chaos that erupted at the appearance of the Death Eaters. Mrs. Weasley looked fondly at Harry when Bill described how he saved the young family from the falling sign, but her relative calm would be short lived.

"You did what?!" she shouted, a moment after Bill recounted their decision to stay and fight. "You went along to protect the children!" she continued, her ire directed towards both Bill and Remus. "How could you have done something so irresponsible?!"

"Now, Molly..."

"Don't you 'Now, Molly' me!" she countered, momentarily rounding on her husband before turning her attentions back to Bill. "You could have all been killed! What could have possibly possessed you to do something so...so..."

"It was my fault, Mrs. Weasley," Harry suddenly chimed in, causing everyone to turn towards him.

"Harry?" she said weakly, obviously taken aback.

"I was the one who said we should fight back," he admitted, with just a hint of defiance. "It wasn't Bill's idea. Remus even tried to get us to run away, but we didn't listen. There really wasn't much of a choice, though," he continued, glancing over at Sirius. "We were too close, and the alley was too crowded; if we'd tried to run, the Death Eaters would've just cursed us in the back."

Sirius nodded and placed a supportive hand on Harry's shoulder.

"Harry's right," offered Ron. "There was nowhere to go. Besides, none of us even got hurt."

"Well, that is just entirely beside the point!" said Mrs. Weasley, recovering from her shock. "I knew I shouldn't have let you go. I told you it would be dangerous! I —"

"Molly, please," said Mr. Weasley. "The children have been through a terrible ordeal, and now isn't the time to be shouting at them. For now, I think we should just be grateful that they all returned to us unharmed."

"Well, of course I'm happy they're all safe —"

"They were torturing people, Mum," Ginny said quietly, while her brothers nodded solemnly in agreement.

Bill took advantage of the lull to deliver an abbreviated version of the events that followed, up through the arrival of the Aurors and the conclusion of the battle. By the time he had finished, Mrs. Weasley was looking rather pale and unsteady on her feet.

"Come on, then," said Mr. Weasley, gently guiding his wife in the direction of the kitchen. "Dumbledore will be here before long, so why don't we go have a spot of tea whilst we wait."

"Well done, Harry," Sirius told him quietly, once the Weasley parents were out of earshot. "Bill obviously left out a lot of details, but it sounds to me like you did the right thing."

"Thanks, Sirius," he replied gratefully, relieved that at least one adult agreed with him.

"That being said, I do expect to hear the full story once you've had a chance to rest."

"Of course," agreed Harry, and with a nod, Sirius turned to follow Mr. and Mrs. Weasley down to the kitchen.

Already feeling worn out from the day's events, Harry started towards his room, only for Remus to pull him aside.

"Firstly, I want to thank you for saving my life," he told Harry seriously. "I don't think I could've reacted in time to avoid the curse, so if you hadn't acted when you did…" Remus shook his head and ran a hand through his hair. "I still don't agree with your decision to fight, but I recognise that I am likely the only one, besides Molly," he continued. "Whatever it is you've been doing at school, it's clear that the others all look to you as their leader. I encourage you to always remember your responsibility to keep those that follow you safe."

"I will," responded Harry. "You might have noticed that no one was hurt today."

"I did, and I sincerely hope that continues to be the case," replied Remus, before taking his leave.

Harry understood where the man was coming from, at least to an extent. While he still believed they had acted in the best interest of themselves and others, he resolved to avoid taking any unnecessary risks going forward, especially when others were involved.

With a sigh, he broke off from the group and headed upstairs. As tired as he was, Harry knew he needed to fill Astoria in on the day's events before she learned of the attack from someone else, so he trudged up to his room to write to her while the Weasleys were otherwise occupied.

He must have fallen asleep at some point, because some time later, Sirius woke him up to inform him that his attendance was being requested at a meeting of the Order of the Phoenix. Wanting to avoid looking like a feckless teenager in front of the Order, Harry changed out of his rumpled clothes and into something more suitable before making his way downstairs.

He opened the door to the kitchen to see that the room was already mostly full. While he didn't recognise everyone, there were certainly some familiar faces, including Mad-Eye Moody, Professors Snape and McGonagall, and most surprisingly, Amos Diggory.

"Mr. Diggory," said Harry, coming around the table to shake the man's hand.

"Hello, Harry," the man replied pleasantly. "Wonderful to see you, of course. And I'm fairly certain I told you to call me Amos."

"Er — right, sorry. I saw your quote in the Prophet. How've you and your wife been since?"

Amos bowed his head slightly before answering. "It's been difficult, but at least we can now close out that chapter and move on," he said. "We've already initiated the process to form the foundation that will one day give out scholarships in Cedric's name."

"That's brilliant," replied Harry. "Let me know if there's anything I can do to help. I'm sure Cho wouldn't say no, either."

"I might just take you up on that. Best be seated, now — it looks like Dumbledore's ready to start."

After shaking Amos's hand a final time, Harry went to sit down in the chair Sirius had clearly been reserving for him. Professor Dumbledore, who had apparently been watching their exchange, sent him an approving look before calling the meeting to order.

"Good evening, everyone," he began. "As some of you are already aware, today, Lord Voldemort's forces carried out simultaneous attacks in Diagon Alley, Hogsmeade, and one of the busier sections of muggle London."

Harry looked around in surprise, as he hadn't yet been made aware of the other attacks.

"Kingsley, are you able to provide us with any information regarding the outcome of these attacks?"

"Of course," replied the Auror, rising from his seat. "We are still piecing together the details, but from what we can tell, several Death Eaters Apparated directly onto the Albert Bridge and started attacking the muggles in their transports," he explained. "The bridge itself remains standing, but it sustained heavy damage and will likely remain closed for some time. It is difficult for us to tell exactly how many muggles were killed, but early estimates are just shy of fifty — including several whose vehicles were blasted off the bridge and into the Thames."

"Oh, how awful!" gasped Molly.

"Yes, and with the attack occurring in such a busy area, the Obliviators have had their work cut out for them," nodded Kingsley. "Similarly, the attack on Hogsmeade began when eight to ten Death Eaters swarmed through the rear entrance of the village and started blasting everything in sight. Several shops were burned, and by our last count, six people were killed and twenty-seven were injured — several of whom showed signs of Cruciatus exposure."

Professor Dumbledore nodded sadly. "I am sorry to hear it," he lamented. "I had Fawkes bring me there as soon as I learned of the disturbance, but I am sorry to say that I arrived too late to make a difference."

"It could have been far worse, had Madam Bones not already ordered more Aurors to the area," Kingsley replied gravely. "I was not there, of course, but I have been told that the majority of the damage was done within the first few minutes of the attack, before our colleagues had a chance to respond."

"Indeed," Dumbledore replied solemnly, his eyes briefly flitting towards Harry. "And the attack on Diagon Alley?"

For a moment, it appeared as if Kingsley had to fight off a smirk as he continued his report. "That is a far more interesting story," he began, noticeably glancing at both Harry and Bill, the latter of whom was seated a short way from him. "Reports indicate than an even dozen Death Eaters emerged from Knockturn Alley and began attacking. Tonks and I happened to be in the area and were able to immediately engage them, but we were significantly outnumbered," he continued. "The other on-duty Aurors were too far away at the time to help, but fortunately, a group of — ahem — civilians were able to lend their assistance."

"Harry, would you like to continue the story from your perspective?" Dumbledore asked him.

"Er — sure," he said, awkwardly standing up to recap the battle from his point of view. He made sure to credit everyone involved, and included all the details Bill left out when he first relayed the story to Sirius and the Weasleys. The reactions around the table were as varied as the people themselves, running the gamut from shock and disbelief all the way down to feigned disinterest on the part of Snape — which was, of course, no more than Harry would have expected from the man.

"Sounds like a damn fine showing, lad," growled Moody. "I'm glad at least someone was able to show those scum what for."

"That, they did," agreed Kingsley. "We were able to identify the three Death Eaters left behind. Both Gideon Gibbon and Commodus Nott were killed during the fight; the latter of whom was particularly difficult to identify, owing to the extensive damage done to his body."

Moody grinned maliciously while nodding slowly in Harry's direction.

"The captured Death Eater — remind me to thank young Ronald later, now that I know he was responsible — was, most disturbingly, our own Corban Yaxley," added Kingsley.

"No!" gasped Arthur.

"I am afraid so," Kingsley replied gravely. "For those of you who don't know, Yaxley is — or was, I should say — in charge of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement's Investigations Division. He had access to an incredible amount of sensitive information, which could have — and still might — do irreparable damage."

"That is quite disturbing," said Professor Dumbledore.

"That it is," agreed Kingsley. "However, I am glad to report that there were no other deaths resulting from the attack on Diagon Alley. Thirteen civilians were injured, but only three of them required transport to St. Mungo's," he continued. "While I would not encourage a repeat performance, the intervention by Potter and his allies undoubtedly saved multiple lives."

"Rabastan Lestrange was also killed," Snape suddenly chimed in. "His brother Rodolphus portkeyed him away, but he was already dead by then," he added, turning to Harry with a look of distaste. "Rodolphus also recognised you, Potter," the man sneered, which Harry figured was as natural as breathing for Snape. "Whether you were the one to cast the fatal spell or not, he has sworn to kill you himself — in defiance of the Dark Lord's orders, if necessary."

While he recognised that it would be both normal and sane to be worried over such a declaration, Harry simply couldn't bring himself to care — especially considering what he'd already been through.

"Yeah? Well, tell him I'm sorry, but he's going to have to get in line," he snarked back at his Potions professor.

Sirius snorted into his drink while most of the Order simply looked at Harry as if he'd grown a second head. Remus, on the other hand, simply shook his head and gingerly massaged his brow in exasperation.

"You've got some brass ones, Potter," cackled Moody. "Good on you — don't let that scum intimidate you. Just remember to practice constant vigilance, and I have a feeling you'll turn out just fine."

"Er — thanks."

"Moving on," said Professor Dumbledore, attempting to reclaim control of the meeting, "While these attacks were certainly devastating on their own, I am afraid that their true purpose was to serve merely as a distraction." Whispers could be heard around the table as the members of the Order glanced uncertainly at one another. "I have learned that while these attacks were occurring, Lord Voldemort personally infiltrated the Department of Mysteries in search of the object we have, until recently, been guarding."

More murmurs broke out at Dumbledore's unsettling news.

"Professor, your friend — is he…" asked Harry tentatively.

"Elton is just fine, Harry. Thank you for asking," he replied kindly. "In fact, he was not even present at the time. Sadly, another Unspeakable — Saul Croaker — was not so fortunate. He was found dead near the place where the object was being kept."

"So, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named now has the…object?" enquired Professor McGonagall.

"He does not," drawled Snape. "Croaker was killed because the object was not where it was supposed to be, and he was unable to tell the Dark Lord when, or by whom it was taken."

Harry got a sinking feeling in his stomach as Snape's pronouncement. Had he inadvertently caused someone's death by destroying the prophecy? Perhaps they should have just left it there — it wasn't as if Voldemort would have found it particularly helpful anyway.

Dumbledore must've known what he was thinking, because he looked directly at Harry and shook his head. "If anyone here should be blamed for Saul Croaker's unfortunate death, it is me," he stated sadly. "I had considered asking Severus to inform Voldemort that the item had been destroyed, but I elected not to. For months, Voldemort has been fixated on the item stored within the Department of Mysteries. This has distracted him from his ultimate goal of conquering all of Britain, thus giving us more time to prepare. Alas, I am afraid that I overestimated Voldemort's patience with the matter," he added with a heavy sigh.

"So…whatever it was…it has been destroyed?" asked Bill, who evidently wasn't the only one still confused.

"That is correct," confirmed Dumbledore. "Harry and I saw to it several days ago."

"Harry?" questioned Mrs. Weasley, her protective instincts kicking in. "Why did Harry need to be involved?"

"Let us just say that Harry was uniquely qualified for the task," Dumbledore replied sagely, before deftly shifting topics. "Now, however, we must determine our next steps. It is my belief that Voldemort will now shift his focus to bringing the Ministry itself under his control."

"I'm surprised Voldemort chose to act now, when most people still don't believe he's returned," remarked Remus. "Is there any chance these attacks will prompt the Minister to finally see the truth?"

"I cannot say with any certainty, although I must admit I am not overly optimistic," replied Dumbledore, before turning to Snape. "Severus, your thoughts?"

"As I have reported before, the Dark Lord's patience has been wearing thin," Snape replied in a low, drawling voice. "He will continue to take advantage of the Ministry's stubbornness for as long as it remains convenient; however, he recognises that the time for secrecy will soon be at an end."

"So, nobody at the Ministry noticed that Voldemort just happened to drop by this afternoon?" Sirius asked disbelievingly.

"I'm sure the Unspeakables have their suspicions about who exactly infiltrated their department and killed one of their own," Snape replied blandly. "However, the Dark Lord was careful to avoid detection and left no witnesses."

"And now that Voldemort has failed to procure the item?" said Dumbledore.

"The Dark Lord will want to remove certain obstacles from his path before finally making a play for the Ministry," replied Snape. "You are likely near the top of the list yourself, and I imagine Bones and Scrimgeour should also consider themselves targets."

"It's a good thing we caught Yaxley, then," Tonks pointed out. "With his help, it would've been easy for You-Know-Who to get at both of them."

"What about Fudge?" asked Amos. "Wouldn't it make sense to eliminate the Minister and try to replace him with one of his own people?"

"That probably depends on how long it takes for Fudge to pull his head out of the sand," offered Sirius. "If he continues to deny reality, Voldemort might see the value in leaving him in office a while longer."

"People were already starting to question things, after the Azkaban breakout and Potter's article," Professor McGonagall reminded them. "Surely, the public will realise the truth even if the Minister does continue to deny it — especially after today's attacks!"

"Either way, Voldemort won't want to hide forever — his ego is too big for that," said Harry. "Sooner or later, he'll get tired of others getting credit for his work."

"The only question is, how long do we have?" added Sirius.

"The Dark Lord will not openly reveal himself until he is certain of his eventual victory," declared Snape. "Our goal should be to delay that moment for as long as humanly possible."

The members of the Order shared a moment of contemplative silence before Professor Dumbledore called them back to attention.

"Thank you all for your insights," said the professor. "For the time being, let us create a list of Voldemort's potential targets and our plans to protect them."

Sounds of muttered conversation and the slight shuffling of chairs filled the kitchen, as the Order settled in for what was sure to be a lengthy debate. Harry looked over at Dumbledore, silently asking if his presence was still required. The headmaster nodded his understanding and waved Harry over to join him in the corner of the room.

"You may stay if you so choose, but I do not believe the remainder of our agenda will be of any particular interest to you," Dumbledore told him quietly. "If you do wish to leave, I will endeavour to pass any relevant information along to you the next time we meet."

"Sounds good, sir," replied Harry. "Will that be before or after we go back to Hogwarts?"

"As it so happens, I had already intended to call on you tomorrow morning," revealed the professor, which was certainly news to Harry. "As we discussed a number of weeks ago, I was hoping to secure your assistance with a small task, if you are willing."

Harry was confused for a moment, but then his eyes widened in recognition. "Sir…does that mean you found another one?" he asked eagerly.

"I believe so," Dumbledore confirmed. "I shall explain further after I come to collect you."

"I'll be ready."

oOoOoOo

Professor Dumbledore Apparated with Harry directly onto a country lane bordered by high, tangled hedgerows. Being a cold and frosty winter morning, Harry had wisely worn the new heavy travelling cloak Sirius had gifted him, along with a set of leather gloves imbued with Warming Charms. He glanced around to take in their surroundings, which seemed vaguely familiar for some reason, even though Harry was certain he'd never been there before.

The headmaster had called on him early, arriving at Grimmauld Place just as Harry and Sirius were having their breakfast and discussing that morning's special edition of the Daily Prophet. The entire front page had been dedicated to the simultaneous attacks carried out by the Death Eaters, including several photographs of the devastation left behind in Hogsmeade, and to a lesser extent, Diagon Alley.

Disappointingly, yet predictably, Cornelius Fudge was still refusing to admit that Voldemort had returned, instead placing the blame on Sirius and the escaped Death Eaters — even though there were far more attackers than there were Azkaban escapees.

Harry had been hoping that his name would be left out of it, but it turned out that at least a few witnesses had seen him and his friends gearing up to fight and had tipped off the papers. Add in a quote from an anonymous Auror (Harry's money was on Tonks), and he, Ron, and Bill were easily painted as the heroes of the day — which set up an interesting conflict between the Prophet's latest narrative and the previous line being pushed by the Minister's office.

"Would I be correct in assuming that you can now Apparate under your own power?" Dumbledore asked Harry, as they started off down the lane.

"Yes, sir," he replied. "It took me a few days to get the hang of it, but I think I'm good now."

"Very well done," said the professor. "I thought as much, based on how easy it was to guide you here. Since you did not approach me for assistance, may I also assume that you were able to successfully devise a means for you and Miss Greengrass to remain in contact with one another?"

"I did — Hermione helped, though," confirmed Harry. "I charmed a couple of diaries so that whatever's written in one shows up in the other."

"A reasonable solution," Dumbledore said approvingly.

The lane turned sharply to the left and down a rather steep hill, giving them a wide view of the valley below. A small village sat nestled between two hills, the smoke rising from the chimneys of a few dozen sleepy cottages the only signs of life on that early December morning. Across the valley sat a large manor house, surrounded by an expansive open field. While the view was likely quite picturesque during the spring and summer months, there was something about the cold, lifeless scene that left Harry feeling somewhat unsettled.

"Speaking of Astoria," said Harry, "I was wondering if you might give her the secret to Grimmauld Place."

Professor Dumbledore turned and looked curiously at Harry. "May I ask why?" he enquired.

"It's mainly so she has somewhere to go, if necessary," he replied, feeling encouraged that his request hadn't been dismissed out of hand. "Her mother invited a bunch of Voldemort's supporters over for a party, including people like Malfoy and Travers. I don't like the idea of her being stuck there with no place to go."

Dumbledore's brow wrinkled in concern. "I see," he replied thoughtfully. "May I ask the date of this planned party?"

"New Year's Eve."

"Very well," agreed Dumbledore, after a moment's thought. "Once we have completed our errand, I shall write down the secret for you to give to her. I take it you have already devised a means for her to escape?"

"Sirius is going to give me a portkey that can bypass the house's protections," he confirmed, as Dumbledore nodded in understanding.

Harry looked out over the village again as the lane wound back to their right, and he felt a shiver up his spine as he caught sight of the graveyard just outside the old, stone church.

"Sir, is that…"

"Yes — what you see is the village of Little Hangleton," replied Dumbledore. "However, that is not our destination this morning," he clarified, before guiding Harry through a narrow gap in the hedge and onto an overgrown dirt pathway.

The hedgerows lining the path were wild and unkempt, and the path itself was so rocky and littered with holes that one had to look down as they walked, in order to avoid tripping. Up ahead, towards the end of the path, there was a dense copse of dark trees that cast wide shadows over the entire area. With every step they took, the faint hum of magic in the air grew stronger, letting Harry know they were closing in on their destination.

"This is where Voldemort's mother lived, right?" asked Harry, even though he already knew the answer. "Do you really think he would've hidden an Horcrux here?"

"I do," replied Dumbledore. "Can you not already feel the defensive magic surrounding the area?"

"I can, but I'm still surprised he would choose a place like this to hide a piece of his soul," said Harry, gesturing to the sight ahead of them.

What remained of the dilapidated old shack had just come into view. Wedged between two large trees, the structure itself was half-hidden by overgrown brush and nettles, which rose high enough in places to mostly obscure the grimy windows. The exterior walls were almost entirely covered in moss and lichen, and the roof appeared to be on the verge of collapse, if the exposed rafters and missing or crumbling tiles were any indication.

"You are forgetting how obsessed Voldemort is with his lineage," said Dumbledore. "Though they had fallen significantly by Marvolo's time, the Gaunts were a very old pure-blood family, descended from Salazar Slytherin himself. Poor though they were by the time he was born, young Tom Riddle certainly would have revered their connection to his worthier ancestors."

"I guess that makes sense," replied Harry. "So, now what?"

"We obviously must enter the shack in order to retrieve the Horcrux," explained Dumbledore. "However, I would not recommend attempting to do so until we have dismantled the protective enchantments. Are you able to identify where they begin?"

Harry drew his wand and stepped forward with his empty hand raised in front of him. He stopped after a few steps and looked back at Professor Dumbledore.

"It's here, sir," he said. "I can feel something just in front of where I'm standing — almost like a wall."

"And what can you tell me about it?" enquired Dumbledore.

Harry turned back around and focused on deciphering the intent of the magic. "It — it feels a bit like that old castle, so maybe an anti-Apparition spell?" he said uncertainly, before shutting his eyes. "There's something else, though," he added, his face screwed up in concentration. "It's almost like it's…anxious, or something — like it's just waiting to be set off. An alarm, maybe?"

"My word, you certainly do have an interesting way of describing magic," remarked Dumbledore, smiling broadly. "You are, of course, correct. It is a relatively simple scheme, but bear in mind that if my suspicions are correct, this was either the first or second Horcrux Voldemort created, meaning that he was likely still young and relatively inexperienced when he cast the protections."

"All right, well…how do we get through it?" asked Harry. "I'm guessing a simple Finite won't work this time."

"No, it will not," replied Dumbledore. "In fact, attempting to do so would be more likely to set off the alarm than anything."

Before he could ask him exactly how they could break the spells, Professor Dumbledore drew his wand and marched forward to stand next to Harry.

"Breaking through curses and enchantments without a dedicated counter-spell can be a bit tricky," he continued, "so forgive me if I do not believe this the opportune moment for you to make your first attempt."

"Right," replied Harry, stepping aside as Dumbledore raised his wand and started muttering under his breath.

"It is just as I thought," the professor said after a few moments. "Observe, Harry — not with your eyes, but with your senses. Unravelling an enchantment is not dissimilar to untying a knot — the difference is that instead of using your fingers, you must carefully insert your own magic into the spell and probe for weaknesses, which you can then use to dismantle the enchantment."

Harry looked on as Professor Dumbledore set to work taking down Voldemort's spells. The professor said no words and barely did anything with his wand, yet Harry could somehow feel Dumbledore's more familiar magic spreading through the invisible barrier he had sensed earlier. Barely a moment later, there was a sudden pulse, and all traces of the magic encircling the shack disappeared.

"I was able to feel it a bit, sir," said Harry. "I could sense your magic working its way through Voldemort's spells until they broke."

"Very good," replied Dumbledore. "Of course, to use my previous analogy, some knots are stronger and more complex than others, but the principle remains the same," he explained. "The skill requires patience and a fair amount of practice — which we shall strive to provide you with, under less perilous circumstances."

"Sounds good," agreed Harry.

"Now, onto our next challenge," said Dumbledore, taking the lead as they slowly approached the shack.

Harry thought back to Bob Ogden's memory, recalling the eerie visual of the snake nailed to the front door by Voldemort's uncle, Morfin Gaunt. Thankfully, the snake was no longer there, but there was still something about the door that gave Harry an uneasy feeling.

Seemingly reading his thoughts, Dumbledore nodded thoughtfully and said, "Yes, this obstacle indeed seems more troublesome than the last." He passed his wand back and forth across the doorway a few times before turning back to Harry. "I have a theory, though I admit to being curious what you might make of it," he added, encouraging Harry to step closer.

"It's definitely different," frowned Harry, as he tried to get a read on the unusual magic surrounding the door. "Strangely familiar, though," he continued, mostly to himself, as he attempted to draw a connection to where he may have once felt similar magic. "There's something…elusive…about it, almost as if —"

Harry turned sharply back towards Dumbledore, having suddenly reached an epiphany.

"The Chamber of Secrets," he nearly gasped. "That's where I've felt magic like this before — I bet you have to speak Parseltongue to open the door!"

"Wonderful!" Dumbledore exclaimed brightly. "I admit that was my suspicion, but I am pleased to hear you confirm it. Would you care to do the honours?"

"Sure," replied Harry.

He turned back towards the door and shut his eyes for a moment, reaching back to call forth the magic that allowed him to speak the language of the serpents. Picturing a slithering snake clearly in his mind, he unclosed his eyes and spoke the command.

"Open."

At once, the lock clicked, and the door swung gently inwards.

"Well done, Harry," said Dumbledore, placing a hand on Harry's shoulder and stepping in front of him. "We must be on our guard from here on out. After me, I think," he declared, igniting the tip of his wand and carefully entering the shack.

The last time Harry had seen the inside of the small, three-room shack was when he and Dumbledore had entered the memory of Morfin Gaunt. While it was indescribably filthy even at the time, the room now resembled one large cobweb. A heavy blanket of dust covered every available surface, the stone walls were blackened with mould, and the wide floorboards had begun to rot in several places.

"Can you feel it, Harry?" asked Dumbledore.

"Yeah, it's definitely here," he replied, sensing the oppressive Dark Magic of the Horcrux.

"I do not detect any further traps or enchantments, which is as concerning as it is surprising," said the professor.

"Why's that, sir?"

"Because, while it may be as simple as hubris on Tom's part, it may also mean that he has an unexpected surprise in store for any who attempt to remove the Horcrux."

"Right…"

"Here," said Dumbledore, pointing to a spot in the floor. "Unless I am very much mistaken, the Horcrux should be hidden just beneath these floorboards."

Harry looked on as Professor Dumbledore pulled up the rotting floorboards with a flick of his wand, revealing the shallow hole dug just beneath. After first casting what Harry assumed were detection spells, he slowly levitated a small, golden box out of the hole and set it down on the floor beside them.

"Did you bring the sword?" Harry asked him.

"Indeed, I did," replied Professor Dumbledore, reaching deep into the pocket of his robe.

As the headmaster's hand re-emerged, Harry was surprised to see it gripping the familiar ruby-encrusted hilt of the Sword of Gryffindor. The pocket must have been equipped with an Extension Charm, because there was no other way Dumbledore could have fit an entire sword inside his robes.

"If you would be so kind as to hold this for the time being," he requested, passing the sword to Harry.

He accepted the sword with his left hand and watched as the headmaster knelt over the golden box, waving his wand in a series of complex patterns. After a moment, Dumbledore tapped the box once with his wand, causing the lid to pop open. Resting within the box's velvet lining was a golden ring, inset with a highly polished black stone.

"This is it…" Dumbledore said in an odd voice. "Finally…after so many years…"

"Sir?" said Harry hesitantly, but Dumbledore didn't seem to hear him.

"So long…" said the professor, again speaking in an oddly detached manner. He surprised Harry by reaching into the box and removing the ring without hesitation. "So long…" he repeated, and then moved to place the ring on his finger.

"No, don't!" shouted Harry, but he might as well have not even been in the room, for all the good it did.

Acting on instinct, he flicked his wand towards Professor Dumbledore and cast a Disarming Charm. Harry's spell lit up the darkened room with crimson light, knocking the headmaster on his rear and causing both the ring and his wand to fly out of his hands, a mere moment before he could slip the golden band onto his finger.

"No!" cried Dumbledore, as the ring sailed into the air.

The way the professor began desperately crawling after the ring was enough confirmation for Harry that the man was not in his right mind. Not knowing what else to do, he quickly bound Professor Dumbledore in ropes — buying himself some time to think, if nothing else. Harry had no idea why Dumbledore had suddenly started acting so strangely, but it obviously had something to do with the Horcrux, so he did the only thing that made sense.

Gripping the hilt tightly in his hand, he brought the sword down on the ring in one swift motion. A pained shriek emanated from the Horcrux as the now-broken ring shot off across the floor, skipping across the floorboards and coming to a rest halfway between him and the prone form of Professor Dumbledore. His heart still racing, Harry stared down at the ring in silence. He wasn't sure exactly what would have happened if Dumbledore had actually put it on, but it had obviously been a close call.

"I'm all right now, Harry," said the professor, in a weak voice. "If you would please release me."

"Yes, sir," he replied, bending down to pick up Dumbledore's wand.

As soon as Harry's fingers wrapped around the handle, a wave of cold magic rushed through him, nearly taking his breath away. He had never experienced anything quite like it; just holding the wand made him feel as if a whole world of possibilities had opened for him — he merely needed to seize the opportunity.

"Whoa…" muttered Harry, holding the outwardly unremarkable wand up in front of his face. It was significantly longer than his own wand, with a smooth, unadorned shaft that terminated at a handle fashioned from a series of conjoined spheres.

"Harry?"

"Right, sorry," he said, and then used his own wand to release the professor from his bindings.

"My apologies, Harry," said Dumbledore contritely, pulling himself to his feet. "I acted quite foolishly and allowed myself to become overwhelmed. There was almost certainly a curse on the ring, which means that I likely owe you my life."

"Don't worry about it, sir," replied Harry, handing Dumbledore back his wand.

"Oh dear…" Professor Dumbledore muttered to himself, peering at his wand with a look of consternation.

"Sir?"

"Nothing to be concerned about for the time being," he sighed. "Let us have a look at the ring, so that we may confirm it is no longer a Horcrux."

Being careful not to touch it this time, Dumbledore knelt over the ring and examined it closely. He cast a few spells around it, and even poked it with his wand for good measure before finally declaring it safe.

"You have done well, Harry," he said, standing back up while leaving the ring lying on the dirty floor. "Not only is the ring no longer a Horcrux, but all traces of the curse have been removed."

"So, the ring was cursed?"

"I have no doubt," confirmed Dumbledore. "I was able to detect some of its residual magic, though it has now all but faded. I cannot say with any certainty what type of curse it contained, but knowing Tom, I believe we can assume it was something most unpleasant."

"I'd say that's a safe bet," agreed Harry, gazing down at the ring. "So…what do we do with it now?"

Dumbledore shut his eyes for a few moments. "I believe that should be your decision, Harry," he replied neutrally, although there was a hint of sadness in his voice. "Today is only the latest proof that I am unworthy to possess such an item."

"You mean the Resurrection Stone?" asked Harry, deciding to let it all out into the open.

"Correct," Dumbledore replied sadly. "Long have I desired to use the Stone to speak with my sister, Ariana. This particular weakness of mine is also why I was so easily influenced by the Horcrux," he explained, looking disappointed in himself. "I sincerely believe that you are the one meant to wield the Hallows, which is why I introduced you to 'The Tale of the Three Brothers' in the first place. Today's events have only cemented that in my mind."

"All — all right," said Harry haltingly, stooping down to pick up the ring.

Surprisingly, it was still mostly intact, even after being on the receiving end of a blow from the Sword of Gryffindor. Now having a chance to examine it more closely, Harry could easily see the triangular symbol of the Deathly Hallows etched into the black stone, only now there was a crack running through its centre from where the sword impacted it.

It was difficult for Harry to wrap his head around the fact that he now held two of the legendary Deathly Hallows. That being said, while the idea of becoming the 'Master of Death' to defeat Voldemort was an alluring prospect, he honestly had no idea what that even meant. Sure, the Cloak could come in handy, and having a supposedly unbeatable Wand couldn't hurt, but what was he supposed to do with the Stone? Was something special supposed to happen once a person held all three Hallows?

"Sir…what should I do with it?" he asked Professor Dumbledore.

"That is not for me to say," replied the headmaster. "Firstly, I would implore you to always remember 'The Tale of the Three Brothers'; in particular, the cruel fate that claimed Cadmus Peverell when he used — or rather, misused — the Stone."

"I will, sir."

"Secondly, if you do not choose to keep the Stone with you, then I would urge you to keep it in a secure location known only to yourself," he continued. "If you do decide to wear it as a ring — which is your right, as a descendent of the Peverells — then I can teach you how to mask its presence, so that you may choose to whom it will be revealed."

Harry nodded his understanding, and after a moment's thought, he slipped the ring onto the fourth finger on his right hand. Finding it too large for the ring finger, he moved it over to his index finger instead. He half expected something to happen once he slipped it on, but the whole process wound up being fairly anti-climactic.

"So, that just leaves the Wand…" Harry murmured to himself, as he examined the ring on his finger.

"Yes, the Elder Wand," said Dumbledore quietly. "Also referred to over the centuries as the Deathstick, or the Wand of Destiny, and as dangerous to own as it is to face in battle. I no longer have any doubt that you will one day master the Elder Wand and unite the Hallows," he continued. "I simply hope that you are prepared for the burden and responsibility that comes with it, once that day arrives."

"You and me both," muttered Harry. "But say I do get the Wand — then what? What happens when one person holds all three Hallows?"

Dumbledore fixed Harry with a grandfatherly smile. "My dear boy, I honestly have no idea," he said. "To my knowledge, such an event has never occurred in all of history. It will certainly be exciting to find out, will it not?"

"I suppose so," he replied with a chuckle, appreciating Dumbledore's attempt to lighten the mood. "Sir," he added, his expression shifting. "If you ever want to use the Stone…"

"Say no more, Harry," said Dumbledore, holding up a hand to forestall him. "I have finally realised that it is time to abandon that foolish dream," he admitted. "She does not belong here, after all."

"No, I suppose not," he replied quietly, the faces of his parents flashing to the forefront of his mind. Had Dumbledore known that his first instinct was to use the Stone to summon James and Lily Potter? "Of course, he did," he thought to himself. The professor had been grappling with a similar temptation, hadn't he? Perhaps Dumbledore was right — perhaps it was better to leave the dead in peace.

"Sir…knowing what we know," he said hesitantly. "You know, between ghosts, souls, the Hallows…"

Harry sighed and cast his gaze down at the floor for a moment, before looking up into the bright blue eyes of Albus Dumbledore.

"We'll get to see them again, won't we?"

Well aware of the meaning behind Harry's question, Professor Dumbledore quietly nodded in a reassuring manner.

"Yes, Harry," he replied solemnly. "But until that joyous reunion, we must never forget to live our lives — both for our own sakes, and for that of those we love."