A/N - Hey guys! Sorry for the extreme delay! I meant to update soon but...well...real life got me fucked up lol.
Anyways! Here's the next chapter! It's not too long, but I hope you enjoy it.
CHAPTER – 9
The next day dawned bright and for a change, Harry woke up with a smile. He yawned and stretched before quickly using the bathroom and putting on his running clothes and shoes.
His running habit was going consistent since a few days and he didn't want to break it. He had already started seeing the difference. Not just in his body, but also in his mind.
Running was like meditation for him. He could leave his mind blank. That in turn, helped his Occlumency and helped him to strengthen the shields.
Dumbledore was due to arrive today after his week-long vacation somewhere. Harry made a mental note to ask the man where he was. But somewhere, he knew the answer would be a riddle which he would have to solve.
He made his way out of the castle and towards the Black Lake. The weather was beautiful today. The sun rose above the grassy plains of Hogwarts and the castle was bathed in morning sunlight.
Harry allowed a smile to appear on his face as he started his usual laps around the lake. He had also taken to practicing a few spells after his run. His spell work wasn't always correct, but he knew with practice he could master it.
His thoughts drifted to Snape's offer from last night. He was shocked but kind of relieved at the offer. Dumbledore had always told him that Snape was the best man to teach him any kind of defence. But Harry was too far gone in his hatred for the potions master to ever think it through. Well, in his defence, Snape wasn't always so keen and helpful as he had been in the past few days.
He paused as he finished his fifth lap. He could see his stamina improving. He drank a little water and was about to start another lap when he heard a small giggle in a distance.
He turned around and saw Elara running towards him. Her black hair flapping in the wind and her small hands outstretched towards him.
With a wide grin Harry bent down and quickly caught her as she jumped on him.
"Harry!" She squealed and hugged him tightly. Harry relished the feeling and took a deep breath as he twirled her around.
"What are you doing here so early?" He asked her as she made herself comfortable on his hip.
"Good morning, Harry." Harry looked up and saw Albus standing behind him in his baby blue robes.
"Professor!" Harry said with a smile. "Good morning. How was your time off?" He asked the man as he put Elle down and she ran off towards the lake.
"Ah, it was good, my boy." Albus nodded, but Harry could see a sadness in his eyes.
"Is everything alright, Professor?" Harry asked as he moved closer to the man.
"Harry…" For the first time, Harry could see the tiredness in Albus' voice. It scared him. "I see Severus trusted you with Elle." He said softly and smiled as he watched the girl throw rocks in the lake.
"Yeah." Harry said. "It was quite a shock."
"I can imagine." Albus chuckled. "Severus hid her well."
"As he should." Harry commented. "She doesn't deserve to be caught up in all this."
"Yes." Albus nodded.
"When did you arrive, Professor?" Harry asked and squinted against the sun.
"Early morning." Albus responded. "I paid Severus a visit, and he said I would find you here. I am quite impressed at this routine you have built up, Harry."
"Snape offered to train me." Harry said as he took a sip of his water.
Albus looked at him, his eyes betraying his shock.
"I see." He said with a smile. "That is wonderful news, Harry. I dearly hope you don't pass on the opportunity."
"I didn't. I took it." Harry said. "Why do you trust him so much, Professor?"
Albus didn't respond for a minute. He kept staring at the lake and Elle.
"I trust Severus Snape with my life, Harry." He said after a while. "He doesn't show who he is to everyone. He has his ways...which are mostly unconventional." Harry snorted. "But, he is one of the best men I have had the opportunity of knowing."
"I'm afraid it will take me some time to see that." Harry said. Elle was slowly edging towards the water now and Harry's eyes were tracking her every move.
"I don't know how much time we have left." Albus said and Harry watched a sadness take over his features.
"What do you mean?"
"The war is upon us, my boy." He sighed. "The Ministry is falling. Voldemort's followers are roaming the streets. No where is safe."
Harry gulped. Those words struck a chord in him.
"I heard Fudge got replace." He said instead.
"Yes…by Rufus Scrimgeour." Albus said. "I have yet to meet the man. But I know it will happen soon." He spoke. "Let Severus help you, Harry. I trust him, and I hope that my trust is enough for you to rely on the man."
Harry didn't know if he could. Dumbledore hadn't exactly been the poster for trust in the past year.
"I have kept a lot of things from you, Harry." The older man continued. "But I realised that it cost us dearly."
"What are you saying?"
"Sirius." Harry's breathing hitched. "If I would have been straight with you from the start, maybe he would have been alive."
Harry didn't say anything. He didn't know what to. He wondered how many people blamed themselves for Sirius. He was one of them too. He didn't know how to offer comfort for something he himself was going through.
"Severus will guide you, Harry. Whether I am here or not, Severus will always guide you."
Harry didn't understand a word the man was saying. He was again talking in riddles.
"Spare a few hours for me this week, will you?" Dumbledore told him. It was more of an order than a request and Harry found himself nodding.
"Not too close to the water, Elle!" Dumbledore shouted at the girl who was attempting to put her foot in the water now. She instantly took her foot back and looked at the man sheepishly. She then ran over to them.
"Grandpa Albus, how come I've never seen the Giant Squid?" She asked him.
"Maybe you did not look properly." Albus said, his eyes twinkling as he looked at her.
"I don't have glasses. You do! And Harry does!" Elle pouted.
"It just gives us 2 extra eyes, my dear." Albus chuckled and patted the girl on her head. "Now, Harry here would escort you down to your quarters."
"You're leaving?" She asked him.
"I shall see you tonight, Elle. I have some work with your father. I shall drop by after dinner." Albus said.
"Alright." She sighed.
"That settles it then." Albus clapped his hand. "See you tonight." And just like that, with a swish of his robes, Albus was gone.
"Quite weird, isn't he?" Elle said.
Harry looked at her and suddenly they both burst out laughing.
"Come on, let's get you down before Professor Snape sends in a cavalry to search for you." Harry said and guided her towards the castle.
In their tracks, Elle suddenly stopped and shook off Harry's hand to run towards something.
"Elara!" Harry yelled as he followed her. He found her kneeling down near a tree where a plant with white flowers grew.
"Do you know what flowers these are, Harry?" She asked as he touched them gently.
Harry pursed his lip before nodding. "Lilies."
Elle smiled up at him. "Dad says not to pluck a flower, especially from this plant. He gets very mad."
Harry could imagine.
"He says someone special planted it. But he never says who."
Harry blinked at her questioningly. Planted it? Did his mother plant this? He softly touched the white Lilies and felt a familiar tug in his stomach. Maybe she did. But how did it survive for so long?
"Do you know who planted it?" Elle asked him innocently as she looked at him.
"No." Harry shook his head slowly. "I don't, Elara."
Elle made a face at him. "It's Elle." She said firmly. "Only Daddy calls me Elara when I am in trouble or I am annoying him."
Harry huffed out a laugh. "That must be quite often then, right?"
Elle glared at him and smacked his hand with her small one. "Don't be mean, Harry."
Harry laughed and took her hand in his. "Let's go…Elle."
He was honoured the girl had given him permission to call her by her nick name. All her little gestures made Harry feel so warm and belonged.
"What's your middle name, Harry?" Elle asked him as she skipped with her hand in his bigger one.
"James." Harry said mechanically.
"James? Is that your father?" She asked as they descended down the steps to the dungeons.
"Yeah." Was.
Harry watched as Elle passed Snape's office and ran forward towards the inner part of the dungeons. He figured she was leading him to their quarters' door. He followed her along the corridors and past a series of doors and finally they stopped in front of a mahogany one. There were very minute intricate carvings on the door and Harry wondered what they meant.
Elle stood on her tip toes and grabbed the doorknob with both her hands.
"My middle name is a flower." She said casually as she opened the door. "It's Lily."
Harry froze in his tracks as he held the door open. Elle ran inside in search for her father as Harry stood on the threshold.
Lily.
Snape had named his daughter after his mother? What the hell?
"Potter." Snape called him from where he had appeared from the kitchen. "My quarters are not cursed; you can step inside."
Harry blinked and nodded absently. "I-I just came to drop Elle off."
Severus raised an eyebrow at the use of her nickname but didn't say anything.
"Harry, stay for breakfast?" Elle asked him hopefully.
Harry shook his head slowly. He was still dazed. All his assumptions about Severus Snape were proving to be wrong and he needed a breather. And by that, he meant he needed a smoke.
"I wish I could." He said apologetically. "But I need to go, take a shower." He said and looked at Snape who was looking at him with scrutiny in his eyes. "See you later."
With that, he left, leaving behind a pouting Elle.
/
During the week, Severus had called Harry and had tested his defence knowledge. He had asked the boy to cast numerous spells and shields and had duelled him until Harry was left lying on the floor panting and sporting bruises.
"Is this really necessary? You look like you are deriving too much fun out of it." Harry grumbled at him as he stood up with a wince.
"I need to see what you know before teaching you, Potter." Snape said and added with a smirk. "But yes, it does provide me a sense of…amusement."
Harry rolled his eyes as he steadied himself. Damn, he was weaker than he had thought.
They were duelling in Snape's classroom currently. Snape had vanished all the desks and the room was empty.
With a flick of Snape's wand, the classroom was restored and Harry took a seat in on a bench.
"So, how did I do?" He asked.
Snape didn't reply instantly. He pondered over the question as he pocketed his wand.
"Acceptable."
Harry gaped at him.
"Acceptable?" He asked the man incredulously.
"Potter, you might be one of the best duellers in your class. However, you have much to learn." Snape said as he sat behind his desk.
Harry sighed. He knew he had a lot to learn. But 'acceptable' wasn't what he was looking for.
"Well, that responsibility now falls on me." Snape said as he crossed his legs.
"What are we going to start with?" Harry asked curiously.
"Some advanced spells that would improve your offensive and defensive capabilities." Snape responded.
"Are they going to be dark spells?" Harry asked softly.
"There is no dark or light when you fight him, Potter." Snape snapped. "There is just life or death. Do not restrict yourself to such feeble terms."
Harry didn't want to. He wasn't scared of Dark magic, but he would like to be informed just in case. He simply nodded at the man.
"What's the first step, then?"
"What do you first do when you cast a spell?" Snape asked him.
Harry frowned. "Take out my wand."
Snape rolled his eyes and got up, shifting into teaching mode. "No, Potter. Try again."
Harry bit his lip as he tried again. "Say the incantation?"
Snape nodded. "Exactly. When you say the incantation in a duel, that's where you shatter your defence."
"So, you're talking about non-verbal spells?" Harry asked, his eyebrows disappearing into his fringes.
"Yes, Potter." Snape said as he paced. "They are your best friends in a duel. They don't tell the enemy what you are going to cast and doesn't give them even a second of advantage to cast a shield or counter curse against it."
"But non-verbal spells aren't exactly easy to master, sir." Harry said dubiously. He ha heard it takes years for wizards to master non-verbal spells, especially defensive ones.
"You cast a full corporeal patronus at the age of 13, Potter. I wouldn't be too worried if I were you." Snape snorted.
"Well, still…" Harry said as he scratched his head with the tip of his wand.
"Practice, Potter." Snape told him. "Practice is what makes you better."
For the next hour Snape had guided Harry through a series of exercises and at the end of the session, Harry could finally float Snape's quill 1 inch off the ground after trying to cast a levitation charm non-verbally.
"Improvement." Snape declared as Harry rested on his seat. Duelling really did take a lot out of him, His stamina was increasing, but still he was tired pretty quick.
"Keep your running consistent, Potter." Snape said, sensing his train of thought. "You can build up your stamina that way."
Harry nodded. "What else do I need to learn?"
Snape looked at him with a blank expression. "Much."
"Such as?" Harry drawled, poking the man further.
"Potter, while your defence is somewhat strong, you lack certainty in offense." Snape explained. "You need to learn to attack more while defending."
"I do know how to do that." Harry said, offended.
"When you're in a war with almost 7 people shooting spells at you, you can't cower under a shield, Potter." Snape said knowingly. "It is bound to break."
Harry sighed and ran a hand through this hair. "I don't have the time." He mumbles softly, but Severus' ears caught it.
"Excuse me?" he narrowed his eyes.
Harry looked up and shook his head. "I just said I don't have the time and I have so much I need to do. I should have started way before."
Severus wasn't sure what to comment on that and simply stayed quiet for a moment.
"I shall teach you what I can to the best of my abilities." He spoke.
"I appreciate it." Harry said and stood up. "I'll uh…see you later, Professor. I have a meeting with Professor Dumbledore."
Severus nodded and lazily flicked his wand to open the door to the classroom.
"Tomorrow morning, sharp 9." Severus told him as he went out with a quick thanks.
/
Dumbledore had sent him a note that morning that he would like to meet Harry at 4 PM. Harry knew it had to do something with what he had spoken at the Lake that day.
'I have kept a lot of things from you, Harry. And I realized that it has cost you dearly.'
Harry definitely wanted to know everything. He wanted to know what Dumbledore was hiding from him. He wanted to know everything.
But somewhere, he was dreading it too. Knowing everything meant that he had to carry that burden. He never considered that he had a childhood, but whatever he had for the past 5 years would shatter as soon as he knew everything.
He gave the password the Gargoyle and climbed on it, soon knocking on the office door.
The door opened, revealing Dumbledore seated behind his desk. His blue eyes twinkled with a sadness and determination. He motioned for Harry to come in and take a seat.
"Good afternoon, Harry," Dumbledore greeted warmly, though there was a weight to his tone that Harry had never heard before. "Thank you for coming."
Harry sat down, his heart pounding in his chest. "Professor," he greeted, his voice steady despite the turmoil inside him.
Dumbledore sighed deeply, leaning back in his chair. "Harry, there are truths you need to know—truths that I have withheld from you for far too long. You have faced so much already, and it is time you understand the full scope of the situation."
"You have withheld a lot from me, Professor." Harry said, his eyes shining from repressed anger. "I dearly hope this time you don't leave anything out."
Dumbledore nodded solemnly.
"Harry, you must understand what I told you after what happened at the Ministry." Dumbledore started. "I had to stay away from you and keep you away from the Order business. I knew Voldemort could access your mind and find out everything."
Harry nodded. He knew that. It had made him feel like a time bomb, but he had gotten over it.
"Professor Snape says you are faring well in your Occlumency." Dumbledore said with smile.
Harry just pursed his lips. "Well, I couldn't get it right when I needed to, might as well try now again."
A darkness took over Dumbledore's face. "You blame yourself for Sirus." He stated.
Harry didn't say anything and gazed out of the massive window in Dumbledore's office. "It was my fault."
"Harry…it wasn't your fault." Dumbledore said softly. "Sirius' death…however much anyone denies, is my burden to bear."
"You keep saying that, but why?" Harry asked him.
"I kept him holed up in that house which he hated. I kept him from you." Albus said. "I have kept so many things from so many people, that somewhere it blew up on me." He said sadly.
"You keep orchestrating all these massive plans for Voldemort's downfall. But Professor, you need to understand that we are all in this together." Harry said and leaned forward. "I know the prophecy now. I know what I have to do. But I can't do it if you keep on keeping things from me."
Albus nodded at him. "I have learnt that the hard way, Harry."
Harry sat back, knowing his point was put across.
"I know a lot of things are going to happen in the next year or two, Professor." He said quietly. "I know a lot of lives are going to be lost and destroyed. It's going to be a war far bloodier than the earlier one." His face shown with determination as he spoke.
"No one can be expected to return to normal lives at this point in time, especially not me." He shook his head. "I need you to help me in every possible way to make sure I emerge victorious out of this."
A flash of something crossed Dumbledore's face and Harry couldn't exactly decipher what it was. Pain? Regret? Sympathy? Pride?
"Harry, you are right." Dumbledore nods. "I always thought shielding you from such things would give you a normal childhood-"
"I never had a childhood for it to be normal, Professor." Harry interrupted him.
"You have seen things which normal children your age don't even think of." Dumbledore agreed. "I am sorry Harry, I couldn't give you a life that you deserved."
"I can't blame you for me getting dealt a horrible hand at life." Harry said and cleared his throat. "Please Professor, let me fight."
Dumbledore drank from his tea cup before nodding.
"I called you here today for a particular aspect of the war." Harry frowned at his words.
"What aspect?"
"It is one of the biggest and most important aspect, Harry." Albus said over his spectacles. "Have you ever heard the term Horcrux?"
Harry blinked in surprise. "Horcrux? No. What is that?"
"Harry, a Horcrux is extremely dark magic." Albus explained. "Do you know what happens when you kill someone with the Killing Curse?"
"Well, I assume they die." Albus chuckled despite the seriousness of the situation.
"Well, yes, the person dies, but the caster, Harry. Do you know what happens to the caster?"
Harry shook his head.
"When you perform a Killing Curse on someone, the curse is not just an ordinary curse or spell that you do. It requires a lot more than your magic."
"What's that?"
"A part of your soul." Albus said softly and watched as Harry's eyes widened. "When you perform the Killing Curse, it fractures a part of your soul and it is ripped apart."
"A-and what does this have to do with Horcrux?" Harry asked, his palms sweaty.
"Horcrux is an object, Harry." Albus continued. "It is an object created by the Darkest Magic alive on this planet. When you perform a killing curse, and you have fractured your soul, you must perform a Dark ritual and store that part of your soul in an object which is in turn called as a Horcrux."
Harry sat frozen in his seat as he heard all this.
"Horcrux does not allow a person to die." Albus said. "Because a part of their soul is always kept alive."
"Is that how he came back?" Harry's voice was dangerously quiet. He did not trust himself to speak at such a time. "Has Voldemort created such a horcrux, professor?"
Albus looked at him with sad and painful eyes before nodding. "Not one, but multiple, I believe."
Harry's eyes almost came out of his socket. "Multiple? How can we know what they are? And how many exactly are there?"
Albus dusted off some invisible dust from his desk before answering Harry calmly.
"I believe, there are seven." He said confidently.
"Seven? That's awfully specific. Why do you believe that?" Harry asked him.
"There is a certain significance in the number 7, Harry." Albus told him. "7 is considered to hold significant power and symbolism. It denotes perfection and completeness. Voldemort, or rather Tom, held a very advanced knowledge of dark and ancient magic. Through my research and my knowledge of Voldemort, I can say that he has created 7 such horcruxes."
Harry shook his head defeatedly. "Professor…" He said shakily. "Every day I wake up I feel I am farther and farther away from destroying him." He put his head in his hands.
"Harry, you mustn't worry." Albus said with a hint of concern in his voice. "I am here in every step you shall take."
"Professor how am I going to find all these...horcruxes? How am I going to identify them? I haven't even ever seen them!" Harry cried out. "Even though I have your support and my friends' and the Order, I don't want to put anyone's life in danger. I can't have him killing more people over me."
"You have seen a horcrux, Harry. In fact, you destroyed one." Harry's head snapped up at him before his eyes widened in realization.
"Tom Riddle's diary." He whispered softly.
"Yes." Albus nodded. "You destroyed one of his Horcrux in your second year."
"Which leaves us with 6." Harry said. "That's still a lot more than I would like."
"I have an inkling of some objects which could be Horcruxes." Albus revealed slowly. "I have done extensive research about Tom Marvolo Riddle and his family, Harry. Day and night, I have found his acquaintances and his childhood memories and I have out together a list keeping in mind the psyche of Voldemort."
Harry gulped. "You did all that?"
Albus smiled. "I told you Harry…I am here for you every step of the way."
"What are they, then?" Harry asked after a moment. Albus slid a small parchment towards Harry and the boy took it.
1. Diary of Tom Riddle - Destroyed
2. Marvolo Gaunt's ring
3. Salazar Slytherin's locket
4. Helga Hufflepuff's cup
5. Rowena Ravenclaw's Lost Diadem
6. Nagini
7.
Harry's eyes narrowed as he read the list. "Professor, these are just 6." He said and looked at him confusedly. "You said 7."
Dumbledore looked at him, as if scrutinizing Harry. Harry was sure his gaze once travelled to his scar, but just for a flicker of second.
"I am still working on the seventh one." He said cryptically and was relieved when Harry didn't push further.
"And…are you sure about these, Professor?" He asked the man as he held up the parchment.
Harry expected the man to nod and confidently say yes. But instead Dumbledore looked down. The sun had almost set and the dark was engulfing the grounds of Hogwarts. Soft lamps were hanging in the air in the office, highlighting the expression of defeat and tiredness on Dumbledore's face.
"I don't know, Harry." He said finally. "I tried and wrote down what I could. But I don't know for sure."
Harry licked his lips.
"It's late, shall we can pick this up tomorrow?" Albus said, his voice tired. It wasn't a question, but more an order and Harry reluctantly nodded.
"Can I keep this?" He asked as he folded the parchment. Dumbledore nodded and the boy stood up.
"I will see you tomorrow, Professor." He said before moving towards the door. He suddenly stopped and turned around.
"Does Snape know?" He asked.
To Harry's utter shock, Albus shook his head. "He is already in a far dangerous position than any of us and has many things he needs to protect. I can't have him know this and jeopardize him further."
Harry gulped before leaving the office without a word. He climbed down the steps and slowly made his way towards the grounds, instead of the Common room.
It didn't feel right, keeping all this from Snape. The man had trusted him with his daughter, his life, he even gave him defence lessons. It just felt like Harry was wronging him by keeping this from him.
But Dumbledore wasn't wrong either. Snape was around Voldemort a lot, and being a spy, it was dangerous for him to know all this. If by any chance Voldemort did search Snape's mind and accidentally saw all this information, the Light Side was done for.
He sighed as he walked along the path towards the lake. He saw the small plant which Elle had shown him this morning and went and sat beside it.
The Lilies were in full bloom and Harry smiled at them. His thoughts kept going towards the conversation with the headmaster and he pulled out the folded parchment from his pocket.
He read the list again and again and tried to imagine the task lying ahead of him. He would need his friends for searching all these Horcruxes. But was he really willing to risk their lives for this?
It could be dangerous, this path. And Harry knew Voldemort would know once he started destroying them. That would just put Ron and Hermione in the limelight. Maybe he can do this alone. Just this once, he can keep everyone safe.
It was dark now, and Harry muttered a quick lumos as he kept looking at the number 7 on the list. Dumbledore had left it blank. He understood the Horcruxes. The diary, the Hogwart's founders and their ornament especially were very powerful objects. Making them Horcrux made sense. Even Gaunt's ring. It was a pureblood artifact which was a family heirloom. Obviously Voldemort would make it one.
But Nagini? How could Voldemort make Nagini a Horcrux? Can there be living Horcruxes?
Million questions roamed his mind and all he wanted to do was scream out in frustration. He had so many people to protect and so much to do.
He stood up reluctantly and made his way inside the castle. He knew he had to report to Snape, but he didn't feel like he could be a good company to Elle right now.
Instead, he made his way to the Common Room and quickly scribbled a note to Snape saying that he was tired and was going to bed early.
He skipped his dinner and directly went to his room where he locked it and put anti smell wards.
He lit up a cigarette and sighed in contentment as he felt the knot in his stomach loosen a little bit. He looked at his box and frowned as he saw only 1 cigarette was left. He was going through the boxes sooner than he did earlier.
He shrugged as he made a mental note to get 2 instead of 1 box next time. That would just save him a trip or two.
He smoked the last one as well and suddenly felt dizzy. He closed the window and quickly rushed to the washroom. After brushing his teeth and changing into some comfortable pyjamas, Harry fell down in his bed. The last thought before he drifted off to sleep was that he needed to research more about Horcruxes in the library.
A/N - Your reviews get me going fast, so let me know what you think!