Chapter 20

The Plan

Harry was a man possessed. The ideas of pictures and drawings had lit a firestorm in him. He knew his locket vision was important. Finding the cup the next day matching the image he had previously seen seemed to verify the legitimacy of it. He knew he needed to find the other five items. He knew the odds of that increased the more people could actually look for them. But that wouldn't really be likely until others had something to compare too.

So Harry started drawing. He thought back and focused on the dream. Tried to slow the images down one at a time. As it appeared first he tried the book, but couldn't get it detailed enough for his preference, Harry dried but couldn't find any damn title. The wads of paper started to spawn around his table and by the woodstove. He had opened it for a place to throw the paper to, but as he wasn't focused on it, making the shot was rare. This felt important enough that Harry was giving this the night. He finally fired up some coffee on his stove and started sipping.

Harry tried a different track. He had seen two of the vision items in real life so far, so he chose to start with them. He took his time and he put as much detail in as he could. That act, using what he had seen as a bridge, seemed to bring him into more attunement with the vision. The locket came easy, then cup,

Finally the book came, black leather cover, well worn. Blank, the pages inside were bank. Harry looked again on the cover and the spine… still no damn title. In his mind he focused on it for what felt like hours, finally he relaxed a bit and noticed what seemed like maybe tiles, in the background?

Sensing he wasn't going to get further on the book, he mentally moved to the ring. It was gold, inset with a black stone. The stone had etching on it, a circle inside a triangle, with a line vertically going through both.

Moving on he saw again the tiara, yes definitely a feminine energy from it, a tiara. A large blue sapphire body made the body of a bird and ornate silver work for wings and headband.

Next his mind filled with the sound of a snake hissing. Some kind of python,meaninging fangs, long maybe twice as long as he was tall so …12 feet? It had a green diamond pattern over a black colored scales. There was a vague familiarity that Harry couldn't place.

Lighting, crying lighting, what the hell is crying lighting? So damn immaterial. Lightning crashes all around him, and the sound of a baby cry… but coming from nowhere and nothing just all around him. There had to be more to it. He had to be missing something. He stayed focused on that until his body gave out and he fell asleep on his desk.

The next morning Ginny was up as normal for their morning run. Usually, Harry was already up sipping on a glass of pumpkin juice waiting for her. Oh well, first time for everything. She walked over to his half stack trunk , opened the door, and called down. "Sleeping in?"

No answer.

She went on down to see the mess of paper wads on the floor and loose sheets on the desk, and Harry asleep half strung over his desk, still wearing yesterday's clothes. His glasses were cockeyed and his hair was even more a mess than normal. She knelt beside him and gently kissed his cheek. "Morning honey, you alright?"

Harry's eyes blinked open. "What time is it?"

"It's morning," she said with a gentle smile. "What happened last night?"

"I was working on something to try and find the other horcruxes. Your picture gave me ideas. Damn, I'm sorry."

Again with endless understanding, Ginny just rubbed her fingers through his air. "No apologies needed. And if you gave yourself that kind of night how about we skip a workout? Go at least shower and change, we get a jump on breakfast. Maybe do something nice for everyone. You can tell me what your idea is after you're fresh."

With a still sleepy smile, "I don't deserve you, Gin."

"Feeling is mutual. Go hit the showers, Potter. "

Harry grabbed a few things and headed in. Gin looked around to see Harry had already hung her photo on the wall. It was literally the only wall decoration he had put up. Not one to be domestic, but happy to be help Ginny started picking up the paper wads and tossed them into the magically fake wood burning stove. She even decided to go the extra mile and make his bed. To which Harry walked out on seeing her. "Gin?"

"Ya?

Harry just pointed to his bed.

"I can be kind," she said with a smile.

"Well thank you, truly appreciated." Harry said as he sat on the edge of the bed and put his shoes on.

"No problem," she said as she started straightening his desk.

In an instant, everything changed. Ginny's whole body became rigid. The color drained from her face and fire came to her eyes. "What is that?!" she asked.

"Gin, what's going on." Harry became greatly concerned.

"THAT.. Why would you draw THAT!"

"Gin, I need more specifics babe. I drew the items from my vision. The other horcruxes."

Gin grabbed the third one and held it up. "What the FUCK is this doing here?!"

Harry was extremely confused but far more concerned with Ginny. "That's the book I've been seeing the last week."

"Last week? Last week!? That's been in my nightmares for four FUCKING years! It's RIDDLE'S JOURNAL!" She threw the page down and ran up the stairs out the Burrow door.

Harry chased but she had a standing start and was naturally faster. "Gin… Ginny!"

Running in no particular direction she just needed air, and sunlight, and peace and beauty and …. anything that wasn't that damn chamber or book. She ran to the dock by the pond and finally stopped about midway down it. She put her hands over her head to try to catch her breath far more from the emotions of rage and trauma than from the run.

Harry was soon at the edge of the pier. "Ginny… I'm sorry. I didn't make the connection. If I had, you KNOW I would have told you, right?

She nodded.

"Okay, Gin, I know there is stuff to talk about, but right this second, ALL I see is my girl damn near in tears and pain. And all I really want to do is hug you and try to make it better. Can we try?"

Gin nodded and fell into Harry's embrace. "I know - I know it wasn't you. I'm sorry." she whispered.

"Shh, shh, later, later. I got you. We'll talk later, right now just try to breathe through things."

They could have stayed like that all day and into the next if that's what Ginny needed. He didn't even say a word. He just kept rubbing her back and breathing steady, because that seemed to have a calming effect.

"Four years of nightmares that damn journal has haunted me. I'm sorry." she started, still not leaving Harry's embrace.

"Gin, you don't have anything to apologize for. I understand nightmares. Is okay if I try to say something?"

She nodded. "You had that damned book for a year, in that form. When I think of it, I was around for maybe an hour. And I always remember stabbing it dead three times. That's why I didn't make the connection. Because that book has been butchered. That cover has been gouged through it's own dark heart. The book is dead and not coming back."

"I know Harry, I just … wasn't expecting that. I wasn't ready. Didn't handle it well. So much for Crimson Witch."

"Oi, Crimson Witch did just fine. You got out, got safe, you even kept it together to know I was here to help. Hell and in under an hour we were talking. Crimson is fine. "

"I always know you're helping. It comes to you like breathing. Merlin, you are noble to a fault."

"Right now, I won't even deny it " he said, kissing the side of her head still embracing.

"Thank you, it is one of the reasons I love you. And you're right, you stabbed it dead, it can't hurt me any more. Thank you."

Harry could finally feel her calming down.

"Harry, you stabbed it dead."

"I stabbed it dead, absolutely." Then he could start to feel her spin up again until she pulled away enough to look at him.

"No, you don't understand. One of the things we're looking for, you've killed already."

"Wow, okay I guess that's three accounted for. Okay, ya, good."

She raised her hands to his face to focus him. "No, no, you're STILL not getting me. If they are all the same spell, we already know how to kill them ALL!" she clarified in excitement.

"The basilisk fangs!" he said, finally putting the pieces together. "Ginny, I could kiss you!"

"Please!"

So he absolutely did. And picked her up and spun her around in celebration.

"We have a plan!"

"We gotta tell the others."

They sprinted back to the Burrow.

"I'll get the sketches!" Harry cried.

"I'll get them!" Gin volunteered as she sprinted upstairs. "Ron, Bill, 'Mione! We figured it out! Get down here!"

"Um… sis " Ron said apologetically, "We're already down here. Breakfast."

"Perfect! Harry and I, we figured it out, we have a plan!"

"Is everyone there?" Harry called, papers and journal in hand.

Arthur stood and bellowed. "QUIET!" waited a moment of silence, then normally "Alright, clearly you two discovered something. But please, each of you take a breath, then tell us… preferably from the beginning. "

"Yes sir, sorry sir. Right so, on the first trip to Grimmauld Place, I get shocked by a locket that triggers my Riddle headaches."

He put the locket sketch on the table where Gin and he would normally sit. "That shock gave me visions of it and six other items.

"One of which was a Silver cup." he put down that sketch. "We discovered that cup in my vault and it too triggered the same damn Riddle headaches."

"We go back to Grimmauld and Miracle 'Mione here finds the Journal of Regulus Black," he laid it down beneath the sketches. Regulus's final entries tell us that the damned locket is called a horcurx, Riddle made it, as a key to his immortality. That would explain why they trigger my Riddle headaches, and line up with Bill's study that they are necrotic in power and tied to resurrection spells. Regulus also tells us there were multiple."

"Taking us back to my vision, which tells us the other horcurxes: A ring, a tiara, a snake, the strangest crying lightning, and the book which Ginny recognized as… "

Ginny grabbed the last one. "Tom Riddle's FUCKING diary! And no mum I will not apologize for that one! This one tells us, we've already killed one! So they can be killed, and we know how. The basilisk fangs! This is how we put Riddle in the ground!"

Bill sounded a voice of calm. "Alright, everyone, take a breath. Let's not get ahead of ourselves. Now, you all have done some incredible work. I think we may want to do some testing. See if less… exotic, means exist to eliminate what we have. But we are being forced to wait regardless.

"Why wait?" Gin asked.

"Gin, you're excited and with good reason. But let's take this a piece at a time. You say we need the basilisk fangs. Where are they?" he asked.

Ginny and Harry looked at each other, but Harry answered. "Chamber of Secrets."

"Exactly, and that's not bad. It remained undisturbed for decades, and we have no reason to believe it has been disturbed since. My understanding is that it requires a parseltongue to enter, and Harry, you are the only one I've even heard of."

Ginny and Harry's spirits were being tempered. "Now, that's not bad either. It means, Harry, you effectively have one destroyed already, two more and the means to destroy them, literally under lock and key."

The pair exchanged looks of understanding. This wasn't bad.

Bill continued. "That is geography, let us discuss timing. As the Chamber is on Hogwarts property, it is currently inaccessible, practically speaking. So that gives us two choices. We can be patient until the fall, OR… you can seek access from Professor Dumbledore, who presumably is going to require being briefed on all of this."

Harry, looked to Ginny, he took a courage breath, "I'll ta-"

"No!" Ginny growled. Harry looked up, there were flames in her eyes. "You told me, after five years of attendance, ignoring you for a damn year, on the night of Sirius's death, his great revelation to you was that you and Riddle were fated to die together, right?"

"Neither can live while the other survives." he repeated.

Ginny turned to the adult Weasleys, "You three, who actually sit at the table of Order meetings, has Dumbledore even hinted at ANY kind of plan that doesn't involve Harry in some kind of …" she looked to Ron, "pawn sacrifice?"

Arthur, Molly, and Bill exchanged looks, they all shook no their heads.

Gin was fired. "Has he told us ANY plans for the war? Because we're a month in, and it feels like House Potter has more points on the board and he does."

"Actually Gin," Harry slipped in, "there are several of us, Diggory's included, that would say we're a year in."

"Even worse! No, Harry, we are partners, and you will NOT go talk to Dumbledore, because I'm crazy and I think the world is BETTER with you in it. "

"I agree with Ginny." Hermione said, surprising many. "Both that the world is better with you in it, Harry, and that the Professor is quick to consider you something akin to 'acceptable losses.' There is no question that the Professor is brilliant, he literally may be the smartest man on the planet. But he operates from pure intellect, what's the smartest call. The smartest decision is not always the best. You have heart Harry, I trust you."

"I'm inclined to agree with you, sister." Bill nodded. "If all we lose is time, time that frankly could be spent, say looking for the other items, the risk is not worth the reward."

"I 'ave questioned 'im since ze Second Task. You save two people and rank second? Cedric saves only one, leaving others to die. No zat is not my victor."

"Harry, for many reasons, Molly and I, agree, wait. There is still work to keep you busy."

Harry looked over to the quiet one. "Ron mate, anything."

"When have I ever suggested talking to the teacher?" It was both a perfect answer and a tension relief joke the table needed.

"Okay, I surrender, I will NOT talk to him. We make the slow play. We will do some book work and find the others."

"Harry, I may be able to offer limited help with one." Arthur volunteered.

Everyone turned to look. Arthur leaned over to tap on the sketch of the snake. "That is Riddle's snake. The one that attacked me back in December. Nagini, I think he called it."

"Are you certain?" Molly asked.

"As certain as Ginny recognizes that journal, I'll not soon forget that snake."

"It would make sense," Bill observed. "If these horcruxes are what bring him back from the dead, keeping track of one would be prudent.

"Which is why I said limited. It would be with Riddle."

"Still helps Dad," Ron said and the table turned to look at him.

"If we know where the snake is, then we don't need to waste time and energy looking for it. Also if any of us have an encounter with Riddle, then we know to kill the snake first. THAT's the higher priority target."

Hermione turned to look at him. "That's actually incredibly well reasoned. Where have you been hiding these skills all this time?"

Ron just shrugged.

"So that means we are down to focusing on two, the ring and the tiara." Harry summarized. "And try to figure out what the hell crying lightning is."

"From seven to three in under a month is not bad, Harry,"

"Agreed, Bill thanks."

"But for now," Arthur said, "I believe we are at an impasse. So those of us who need to, should head out for our days."

As everyone divided, Harry needed some air. He walked upstairs to the balcony, and took the opportunity to look at the country in the early morning. Mr. Weasley was right, this was a hell of a lot better than a cupboard.

"I'm not sorry," a voice sounded behind him.

With a smile on his face, Harry replied. "Why should you be?"

"Did I just break us up?" Ginny asked with more than a little nervousness in her voice.

"What?" Harry asked in genuine surprise, turning around. "Where is that idea coming from?"

"I mean, I really don't want us over. But I can't and won't let you do some noble.."

"Ginevra," Harry said, closing the distance, and quickly hugging her, lifting her off her feet and setting her gently on the railing. "What in all the world makes you think we would have broken up."

"It's just.. You wouldn't be the first bloke to re-think things once a girl shows backbone." she said softly, honestly trying to have the conversation.

Harry cupped both of her cheeks and looked straight into those brown eyes. "I knew the strong independent person you were, long before our first date. I love you, including that. Like you said, we are partners." he pressed his lips to hers to seal the sentiment and with much relief she kissed back.

"Thank you." she whispered after.

"Ginny, honey… That wasn't even a fight. That was a difference of opinion. My ego is not that fragile."

"Good, " she said with a smile. "Because I'm not changing that.

"Promise?" he asked. He did get the desired chuckle.

"Yes. Harry, the vast majority of the time, your plans, and way of thinking are the stuff of brilliance. But every once in a while, you are way too willing to play sacrificial lamb. And I know I can be reckless sometimes. You can be downright dangerous with your life. Add in Dumbledore and I get terrified it'll actually happen. I'm not kidding when I say I think the world is better with you in it. Merlin, sometimes I think our destiny is for you to save the world and for me to save you from yourself."

Harry wrapped up around her. "Okay for that, I am sorry. Old habits die hard. But I will work on it. Because I really don't want you hurting that way."

"Thank you, especially af- never mind."

"Wait no, hang on, Boyfriend privilege. After what? The locket shock?"

"No, not that." Ginny took the courage breath. "Back at Grimmauld, you said you had thought about us like 2-3 years down the line. So I've let myself have those thoughts and I rather like them, so much so that I actually want that. But it's going to be hard to have that with someone who's gotten themselves killed."

Harry pressed his foreheads together "how about this? Ginny Weasley, I solemnly swear I will do my best to stay alive and always come back to you."

"I'm going to hold you to that one, Master Potter."