AN: As always, a big thank you goes to KSummer and GryffindorHealer for their much appreciated beta services.
Ginny woke up early in the morning. Emily was still fast asleep, so she grabbed a change of clothes and a towel and headed quietly to the bathroom. She opened the door only to groan at the sight of the queue outside the loo.
"Fleur's in there. Says she'll be done soon," Tonks explained, her tone laced with exasperation. She sat on the steps with Charlie, rolling her eyes as she glanced at her watch. "We really need to hurry. We've got to meet with the parents of the new students."
Ginny shrugged, unsure what to do. With Harry likely still asleep, she opted to crawl back into her bed, choosing the cosy warmth beneath her blanket over the loud chatter in the kitchen. For a fleeting moment, her mind wandered to the theory Bill had shared with her the day before. She wanted to tell Harry about it, but the thought quickly faded as sleep reclaimed her again.
Almost an hour later, a knock on her door startled her awake.
"Yes?" she called, barely stifling a yawn.
Harry's head appeared in the doorway. "Gin, come on. You've overslept. We need to leave for Dumbledore's. Classes start in twenty minutes."
"What?" Emily groaned from her camp bed. "Why didn't anyone wake us?"
"I was already up," Ginny mumbled apologetically. "But I went back to bed because the bathroom was occupied."
"I'll make you some sandwiches," Harry offered. "Don't want you in a foul mood all morning because you're hungry."
"You don't care about my foul mood?" Emily muttered, lifting her head. "What sort of brother are you?"
Harry rolled his eyes. "I'll save you a slice of toast—to save poor Graham from your bad mood," he called with a grin before slamming the door and heading downstairs.
"Boys!" Emily grumbled, shaking her head as she stretched. "You should've told him what you wanted on your sandwich."
"He knows," Ginny replied with a smile. "Oddly enough, he knows quite a lot of things about me." She slipped out of bed and grabbed a change of clothes and a towel. "I'll hurry. Might as well skip washing my hair today so we won't be late."
After a hurried breakfast, Ginny and Emily joined Harry and Ron at the Apparition Point. By the time they arrived in Dumbledore's garden, Bill and Fleur were already busy adding the finishing touches to strengthen the wards.
Charlie and Tonks appeared shortly after them, accompanied by Colin Creevey and Mandy Bucklehurst. "Kevin, Graham and Hermione are already waiting in the classroom," Tonks called, motioning them into the house.
When they entered the classroom, Colin was handing out the photographs taken the day before. Everyone was given a group photo, along with 'private' ones he'd put in envelopes with their names on them.
"Let me know if you need any more copies," Colin announced proudly, a wide smile on his face.
Everyone took their usual seats, and Ginny immediately waved Colin over to join her and Harry. "Come sit with us, so we can help you better."
"Thanks for all your help," Colin replied happily, though his expression quickly turned serious as he lowered his voice. "Is it true that the dark wizard's back and we're in danger?"
"Yes, it is," Harry confirmed grimly. "And we'll probably be moving classes elsewhere in a few days because Dumbledore thinks we're not safe here anymore. That's why he wants to talk to our parents. Let's discuss it later. For now, my Mum wants to start the lesson."
The mood was notably more subdued than on the first day. When Harry's mother finally finished the last lesson before lunch, everyone turned to Ginny, Harry, Ron, and Emily. They bombarded them with questions about the mysterious events from the day before. The group shared everything they knew about what had happened at the Malfoys'. However, they left out the prophecy.
When Harry's mother dismissed them for the day, Tonks was already waiting by the door, ready to lead them all to the drawing room. Fawkes, Dumbledore's Phoenix, sat in his cage near the window and appeared to be sleeping. Dumbledore and their parents gathered around the table, engaged in hushed conversation, their expressions deeply worried. Ginny spotted Bill at the far end of the table and gave him a brief wave before motioning towards two empty chairs for herself and Harry.
Once everyone as settled, Dumbledore surveyed the room with a solemn expression. "Severe events have come to light which, after careful investigation, have been confirmed as true. I have called you all here on short notice to inform you of these developments."
"So it's true? You-Know-Who is back?" Mandy's mother called, her voice trembling.
"According to our information, it is indeed true that Lord Voldemort has returned," Dumbledore replied gravely and briefly summarized what had transpired at Malfoy Manor.
He paused, allowing the murmurs of alarm to subside, before continuing. "While the situation is particularly grave for Muggle-borns," he said, glancing meaningfully at Colin and Hermione, "we cannot rule out the risk to everyone else. As such, we will be relocating the students' classes to another location."
"Is it safer there?" Kevin Whitby's father interjected anxiously, shifted uneasily in his seat. "And why would he come after us? We've done nothing to provoke him!"
"The new location is as secure as we can possibly make it," Dumbledore assured him. "However, the decision to keep your children in attendance remains entirely yours." Glancing at Tonks, he added, "Dora here has already been attacked, and we have reason to believe it will not be the last attempt to intimidate us."
"Where will the classes take place, then?" Graham's mother asked.
"We will only disclose that information to those who decide to continue attending classes," Lily stated firmly.
"A Fidelius Charm," Rosalind murmured, her note of realisation in her voice.
"That is correct," Lily confirmed. "The secret will only be shared with students and parents who commit to the classes."
"What's a Fidelius?" Colin's father asked, confused.
"It's a spell that conceal a location," Bill explained patiently. "Only those who've been told the secret can find it."
"Will we be learning the spell in class too?" Colin asked eagerly.
Ginny snorted softly. "You need to be an experienced witch or wizard to cast it."
"Can you cast it?" Colin asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I doubt it," Ginny replied, amused. "Dumbledore certainly can, and my brother Bill as well. But apart from that…" She shrugged, her hands spread in a gesture of uncertainty.
"When must we decide if Kevin will continue?" Mr Whitby asked.
"It would be best to decide soon," Lily said. "You must understand—it's also a matter of making practical arrangements."
"Kevin would, of course, be welcome to return if you decide to withdraw him for a time," Dumbledore added reassuringly. "However, I agree with Lily that it would be helpful to have your decision before the move."
"I assume the Potters and the Weasleys will continue with the lessons?" Tonks asked, glancing at Lily, Bill, and Charlie.
Ginny exchanged a brief look with Harry and nodded firmly. Emily and Ron both nodded as well. Across the table, Hermione caught her mother's eye and said briskly, "I'm staying. Where else am I supposed to learn magic?"
Kevin and Mandy glanced uncertainly at their parents, while Graham leaned over to take Emily's hand. "I'm staying too," he said, his tone steady.
"Does anyone have any further questions?" Lily asked, her gaze sweeping the group. "We can, of course, discuss any concerns in private after this meeting. Please, let us know your decision as soon as possible."
A murmur of quiet conversation arose as fears and opinions about what to do were exchanged. Slowly, the first people stood up. Colin, Hermione, Mandy, and Kevin joined their parents at the door. Ron followed Hermione, while Graham watched his mother, who lingered for a moment before approaching Lily with an uncertain smile.
"I have one more request," she said quietly.
"What's on your mind, Rosalind?" Lily asked gently.
The woman hesitated, glancing around to ensure the other parents were out of earshot. Her hands trembled slightly as she spoke, "Can Graham stay here with you?" She faltered, her voice cracking as she continued. "They came to my home. They said Graham must take the oath and accept the Dark Mark." Her composure broke, and she whispered desperately, "That is out of the question. I want him to hide somewhere safe, with people we trust."
Ginny's eyes widened as she glanced at Graham, who was staring at Emily, while she looked back at him, her face stricken in horror.
Pressing his lips together, Graham gave a curt nod. "It really would be best if I went into hiding for a while." He turned to his mother. "You should consider doing the same."
"I can't," Rosalind said, her voice tight. "What about my business? We need the money to make ends meet."
"It's about your safety, Mother", Graham urged. "Please, think about it."
"There's still some room where we're going," Lily interjected gently, offering Rosalind a reassuring smile. "We can make arrangements for Graham. It might take a day or two to sort everything out, but he'll be safe. Would you like him to stay with us tonight?"
Rosalind hesitated, her eyes fixed on her son. After a long moment, she nodded. "Yes, I'd prefer that."
"Why don't you pack his things and come back in an hour?" Lily suggested carefully. "We still need to speak to Dumbledore, and after that, we can take Graham with us to the Weasley's, where we're staying."
Rosalind gave Lily a grateful look. "Thank you," she said softly. Turning to Graham, she offered him a relieved smile before walking towards the door. Graham hesitated for a moment, catching Emily's eye with a brief nod, then followed his mother.
Dumbledore gestured for them to come closer, and Harry, Ginny, Emily, and Ron joined Bill, Charlie, Tonks, and Lily at the far end of the table. "I took the liberty of asking Donny and Diara to prepare some tea and biscuits for you, so you don't go hungry just because I'm depriving you of your well-earned tea time," said the former headmaster as his house-elves served the refreshments. Kreacher and Dobby followed, taking seats on smaller chairs beside Dumbledore.
As everyone helped themselves to tea, Dumbledore cleared his throat and let his gaze wander over his guests. "We are gathered here today to understand how Lord Voldemort has returned," he began, turning towards Dobby and Kreacher. "Dobby, I hope you might be able to shed some light on these troubling events involving your former family."
Dobby's eyes darted nervously, flicking from Dumbledore to the others at the table.
"Don't worry, Dobby. No one will harm you," Lily said in a soothing voice. "You are no longer bound to serve the Malfoys, are you? You're free to tell us what happened."
Kreacher fixed Dobby with a steady gaze, resting his hand on the younger elf's. "Mistress Narcissa gave Dobby a cloth and covered him with it. Dobby is free from the House of Malfoy," the older house-elf confirmed.
"Did she know Dobby was still alive?" asked Tonks, astonished.
"Kreacher does not know, but Kreacher thinks Mistress Narcissa did know." Kreacher replied carefully.
"Do you remember what happened, Dobby?" Lily asked, giving the younger house-elf an expectantly look.
"Dobby remembers," Dobby said, shuddering at the memory. "There was so much dark magic."
"What kind of dark magic?" Dumbledore asked, leaning forward in his chair.
"The young master…," the elf whispered, his voice trembling as he paused. Glancing at Dumbledore, his big eyes filled with fear, he continued. "Young master was writing in a small black book for weeks. The book was full of dark magic—so much dark magic it was making Dobby dizzy. Young master grew sick… pale and weak."
"So, it was a diary?" Dumbledore asked.
Dobby nodded vigorously. "Dobby is seeing young master lying dead beside the cursed diary… then a boy, looking the same age as young master, is coming out of the book, saying he is being Lord Voldemort."
"That is most intriguing", Dumbledore mused. "It seems he created another Horcrux - perhaps more than one."
Noticing Kreacher's ears twitch at the unfamiliar term, Ginny exchanged a confused look with Harry. She opened her mouth to ask, but her brother spoke first.
"What's a Horcrux?" asked Charlie. "I've never heard of that before."
Dumbledore glanced around the room, his expression grave. "Let's save the full explanation for later. In brief, a Horcrux is a piece of a soul that has been split off to make a wizard or witch immortal. When they die, they remain trapped in this world because a fragment of their soul still resides here."
A certain unease spread through the room, and Ginny's eyes widened as the weight of Dumbledore's words sunk in. Immortal. That meant Voldemort had never truly been gone. A chill ran down her spine, and without thinking, she reached for Harry's hand.
"Lord Voldemort's real name is Tom Marvolo Riddle," Dumbledore continued once the murmur had subsided. "Like most wizards and witches in the UK, he came to Hogwarts at the age of eleven. I was one of his professors. As I later discovered, he created his first Horcrux when he was still at school, earlier than I could have imagined."
"His first Horcrux?" asked Lily worriedly. "How many did he make?"
"I always suspected he made three," Dumbledore admitted. "Three is a powerful magical number. Seven, however, is considered the most significant. Still, I never would have imagined..." He trailed off, shaking his head in disbelief. "It is utter madness to split one's soul six times to create seven Horcruxes."
Lily's eyes narrowed slightly. "Does this mean you knew about the Horcruxes?" she asked, her tone slightly reproachful. "No one else in the Order knew about them, did they?"
Dumbledore looked a little contrite. "I believed it would be safer to keep it a secret, to prevent Voldemort from realising I knew. Secrecy has its merits, after all," he replied with a faint, wistful smile. "But circumstances have changed. In my current condition, I am no match for Voldemort. That is why I will now share everything I know. However, I must stress this knowledge must not leave this group. It is not something to be spoken of lightly."
"How did you learn about the Horcruxes, Albus?" Lily asked, her worry evident.
Dumbledore sighed. "When Sirius inherited this house on Grimmauld Place in 1985, following the death of his mother, he generously offered it as the new headquarters for the Order of the Phoenix. Naturally, we conducted a thorough examination of the property first. Among the many items we uncovered was a locket, one that had once belonged to Salazar Slytherin himself. It emanated an unusual dark magic, and it was quite evident something was profoundly wrong." He glanced at the house-elves. "Kreacher, as I recall, was rather reluctant to part with it."
"The locket was Master Regulus's," Kreacher croaked.
"Indeed," Dumbledore confirmed gently. "Regulus Black, Sirius's younger brother, had once been a Death Eater but turned against Voldemort upon discovering that he had used the locket to create a Horcrux. Regulus believed no one should tamper with death in such a way, so he tried to destroy the Horcrux. Tragically, Voldemort discovered his betrayal and had him killed."
"And what happened to the locket?" Lily asked.
"Kreacher eventually agreed to hand it over, on the condition that we destroyed it, as it was Regulus Black's dying wish," Dumbledore replied gravely. "Of course, I examined it first and confirmed it was indeed a Horcrux. That discovery made me to search for others. After years of investigation, I located a ring belonging to the Gaunt family. Tom Riddle's mother was a Gaunt, a direct descendant of Salazar Slytherin. He made the ring into a Horcrux when he was still at Hogwarts. I had always believed it was his first Horcrux."
"How do you make a Horcrux?" Harry interrupted.
Dumbledore gave Harry a serious look. "By committing murder. Tom Riddle murdered his father, who was a Muggle, and his grandparents to create the Ring-Horcrux."
There was a moment of silence in the room as everyone tried to process what they had just heard.
Dumbledore let the information sink in, a hint of regret crossing his face. "A few months before Voldemort attacked Hogwarts, I discovered a diadem in a seldom-used room of the castle. The diadem, which had once belonged to Rowena Ravenclaw and was thought to have been lost for centuries, turned out to be another Horcrux. I destroyed it, believing I'd found them all." Dumbledore sighed deeply. "The existence of the diary proves I was mistaken."
"Do you have any idea what other Horcruxes Voldemort might have made?" Bill asked, his expression grave.
"Since the piece of his soul in the diary now resides in the young Tom Riddle, four Horcruxes have been eliminated. That leaves two more, in addition to the fragment housed within Voldemort's body – the one that perished in the Battle of Hogwarts. That is, of course, assuming he truly did create seven," Dumbledore replied thoughtfully.
"And how are we supposed to figure out where these Horcruxes are, let alone what they are?" asked Tonks, her brow furrowed in concern.
"A most interesting question," Dumbledore replied with a faint smile. "But one the sixteen-year-old Tom Riddle will also be pondering. I believe he doesn't know about the other Horcruxes yet. Tom probably created the diary Horcrux first, as a test so as not to accidentally destroy Slytherin's ring. Therefore, he only knows of the diary, the one he created. However, he'll without doubt suspect there are others."
"You really think he's on the level of his 16-year-old self?" Lily asked, disbelief written on her face.
"Indeed," Dumbledore confirmed. "It is my belief that young Tom Riddle possesses only the knowledge and experiences he had at the time he created the diary Horcrux. Beyond that, he will know only what he has since been told of his future achievements. There is, however, only one individual who truly knows the full extent of Lord Voldemort's secrets."
"Who might that be?" Tonks asked, narrowing her eyes in thought.
Dumbledore allowed himself a faint, almost wistful smile. "Voldemort himself. And, knowing Tom as I do, I believe he will seek out the fragment of his soul that perished in the Battle of Hogwarts."
Lily starred at him in disbelief. "You can't be serious, Albus. Are you saying we could end up with two Voldemorts running around?"
Dumbledore sighed, the weight of many years showing in his face. "With Tom, one must never dismiss even the most outlandish possibilities. His mind is both ambitious and deeply cunning. However, I do not believe such a situation would last long. Trust is something Voldemort affords to no one – least of all, himself."
A door slammed somewhere in the house, and moments later, Graham appeared in the doorway with his mother.
"Let's pause for now and continue this discussion another time," Dumbledore suggested.
The group slowly rose to their feet, most of them deep in thought, trying to process what they'd heard. Ginny turned to Harry, a wry smile playing on her lips. "I never imagined my boring life tending greenhouses would get so exciting once I had a boyfriend." She raised her eyebrows playfully. "Or is it because you're my boyfriend?"
"You've still got time to ditch me," Harry replied gloomily, his mind clearly still occupied by Dumbledore's revelations.
"Not happening," Ginny said with a resolute shake of her head. Then, as a thought struck her, she added, "Besides, I think we're stuck in this together, whether we like it or not."
"How?" Harry asked, puzzled, as they followed the others towards the exit.
"Harry, Ginny. May I have a word?" Dumbledore's voice called them back.
Lily turned around, worried. "Do you need me as well, Albus?"
"Thank you, Lily," Dumbledore replied kindly. "I believe you have other matters requiring your attention. If there are any developments, I shall keep you informed."
Once everyone had left, Dumbledore turned his attention to Harry and Ginny. "There's something I would like to discuss with the two of you."
"Something my mum isn't supposed to know about?" Harry asked, puzzled.
"Indeed," Dumbledore replied, his gaze shifting to Ginny. "Nor would I want Molly to hear of this—at least, not yet. I see no need to trouble them unnecessarily. At present, it's little more than speculation, much like the rest of our understanding of the prophecy. But should our assumptions prove correct, this matter could be of great importance. For now, I would prefer that only the three of us, along with your brother Bill, are aware of it. He's the one who brought this matter to my attention."
"You already know?" Harry asked, perplexed, as he noticed Ginny nodding.
"That's what I wanted to tell you yesterday," she admitted, giving his hand reassuring squeeze as she met his gaze.
Still confused, Harry turned to Dumbledore. "It's about the prophecy, isn't it?"
"Indeed," Dumbledore confirmed. "Until recently, we had no way of knowing whom the prophecy referred to, as – so far as I'm aware - Voldemort never marked anyone as his equal."
"But..." Harry began, only to be cut off by Dumbledore raising a hand.
"If we are to trust the words of Severus Snape—which, as you might imagine, must be treated with some degree of caution—Voldemort believes the prophecy concerns himself and you, Harry," Dumbledore explained. "I am quite certain, however, he only knows the first half of the prophecy and is unaware of the line, 'And seven shall be the Dark Lord's downfall.' This ignorance is to our advantage, and I wish to keep it that way."
Harry frowned. "But my mum already knows all that, and so does yours, Ginny," he said, confused by Dumbledore's secrecy.
Dumbledore's expression softened. "What they do not know is that the number seven may refer to you, Ginny," Dumbledore said, his gaze resting on her with a meaningful look. "Seven is the most powerful of all magical numbers. You, Ginny, are the seventh child in your family, and the first daughter born in the family in seven generations. And, as Bill assured me, your magical abilities are both advanced and formidable for someone your age. Why, then, should the number seven not refer to you?" He paused, allowing the question to hang in the air. "It is, of course, only speculation, but we must be mindful that there may be a grain of truth in it."
"Bill has already told me about his theory," Ginny admitted with a quick glance at Harry before turning back to Dumbledore. "He has often claimed there must be a reason I'm the Seventh of the Seven. That's why he' spent so much time training with me. But do you really believe I'm the one who's meant to help Harry defeat Voldemort? Couldn't the number seven mean something else?"
Dumbledore's blue eyes twinkled briefly before he offered a faint smile, "The number seven may indeed have another meaning, Ginny. It may have something to do with the number of Horcruxes he could create, and that seven is too large a number, making his soul unstable."
"Could it be both?" asked Harry. "Seven could refer to several things?"
"That is possible. There may be another "Seventh" we need to consider," Dumbledore said. "Only time will tell. But we must be prepared. You are already in danger simply by living here with us, Ginny. We must not make you an even bigger target by drawing attention to these suspicions. That's why I wish this to remain strictly between us for now, until we can be certain the seven refers to you."
"We can share the rest with our friends, though?" Harry asked, relieved.
"I ask only that you choose wisely whom you confide in, Harry," Dumbledore replied.
Harry frowned, a new worry forming. "But doesn't that put anyone who knows at risk?"
"Anyone who refuses to submit to Lord Voldemort places themselves in danger," Dumbledore said calmly. "That is the nature of resistance against tyranny. But you, Harry, are at the very centre of this. That is why you must be prepared."
"We've already started duelling lessons with Charlie and Dora," Ginny pointed out. "But Voldemort's so much stronger than us. Do we even stand a chance?"
Dumbledore inclined his head slightly. "It appears we are dealing with a 16-year-old Tom Riddle, the boy who later became Lord Voldemort. He's not much older than you, Harry. But don't underestimate him. Even at 16, Tom was already exceptionally powerful. His true strength, however, lay in manipulation and division, not raw magical might. He preferred to let others do the dirty work."
"So we won't have to face him directly?" asked Harry, hopeful.
Dumbledore gave a small sigh. "In your case, Harry, I fear that hope may be misplaced. Because of the prophecy, he views you as a personal threat. It is likely that, in the end, he will seek you out himself."
Harry exchanged a grim look with Ginny. "Brilliant," he muttered. "What a cheerful thought."
Dumbledore's faint smile returned. "Forewarned is forearmed, Harry. I will provide you with additional training in advanced defensive magic. Ginny, you should join as well—you'll need a duelling partner."
"Sounds perfect", Ginny said, offering Harry a small smile.
"I should also share with you what I know of Tom Riddle's life and character," Dumbledore went on. "Understanding your enemy is as vital as any spell. And all of this will be in addition to the lessons Charlie Weasley and Dora Tonks are already providing for you and your friends."
He paused to let the information sink in before continuing, "I would also encourage you to strengthen your trust in one another and in your friends. Voldemort's strength lies in exploiting division. You must not allow him to turn you against each other."
Ginny met Harry's gaze, determination shining in her eyes. "We won't," she said firmly.
Harry squeezed her hand and nodded. Together, they bid Dumbledore goodbye and headed back towards the Burrow, the weight of his words still settling heavily on their shoulders.