When Harry revived, he was lying on the couch in the commons room, still in the clothes of the previous night. Ron was on the chair next to him, sleeping, and Hermione was at the table, her legs under a blanket as she studied. She noticed him wake up, and put her pen down. She walked over to Ron and woke him up as well. Both of Harry’s friends walked up to him with the same looks of concern he remembered them having before he passed out. Harry held out his hand; in it, the Horcrux. Both Ron and Hermione smiled before tackling him in a group hug.
“How did you do it?” asked Ron. “I mean, those are supposed to be hard to get, right?”
“As it turns out, I had it the whole time,” Harry replied. When he noticed the shocked looks on both their faces, he told the story of what happened with Dobby and Moody at the Malfoy mansion. As he finished, both friends now had looks of admiration.
“That was risking a lot just for this, Harry,” consoled Hermione. “Don’t get me wrong, though. What you did was brave, and I know it was necessary for the Order. I’m just glad you’re okay.”
“So am I,” said Harry. “I’ve never liked duels in the first place, yet they seem to have a way of finding me no matter where I am.”
The three talked some more about the night’s events for a time, but another question led them to a different part of the conversation.
“So where’s the next one?” asked Hermione.
“I don’t know, Hermione,” responded Harry. “Can’t I just enjoy this for a moment and relax after what it took to get this one?”
“I’m sorry,” Hermione said, holding her hands out in front of her. “I didn’t mean it like that. I only meant, do you know where it is?”
“No, I don’t. I know what it is, though.” Once more, Harry’s friends had questioning looks on their faces. Harry leaned in towards them, pulling the locket once more from his neck.
“You see this?” he said, pointing to the emblem on the outside of the locket. “That’s the sign of Salazar Slytherin. This locket was his a long time ago. Voldemort wanted it, as he had a fascination with the founders of Hogwarts. Come on, Ron, you’re almost eighteen years old. Grow up a little and get used to that name. Anyway, he went to great lengths to find things they owned, and this is one of them. The second one is a cup that Helga Hufflepuff once had, and the third is the sword of Godric Gryffindor, which is safe in Dumbledore’s office.”
“What about Ravenclaw?” asked Ron, intrigued by the discussion.
“No one knows if Ravenclaw left any possessions behind. Dumbledore didn’t think so, at least.”
“Do you want us to go with you next time?”
“NO!” Harry shouted, his voice echoing throughout the room. “No,” he repeated, softer this time, for he did not intend to shout.
“I don’t want you two to get involved in this. This is my problem and mine alone. I don’t want you getting hurt.”
“But the Order’s going with you!” argued Ron. “Why can’t we? We’re your friends!”
“Yes, and that’s exactly why I don’t want you to be where I am, in case something should go wrong. I want to be the only one who has to be hurt by this, if it ever comes down to that.”
“What makes you say that?” asked Hermione. Harry hesitated, reliving the memory of the cave he and Dumbledore visited at the end of the previous school year.
“You weren’t there,” he said after a while. He looked at his friends, his eyes starting to tear up. “You didn’t see what Dumbledore had to go through just to get through the defenses Voldemort set up. And even then, it was a fake. I had it the whole time, which means that it’s my fault Dumbledore died.”
“Harry, don’t say that.”
“It’s true,” Harry cried, unable to hold back his emotion. “If I had only known that I had it the whole time, we never would have gone to that cave and he wouldn’t have...”
“But you didn’t know, Harry,” argued Hermione. “Besides, Dumbledore was a powerful, albeit stubborn wizard. He would’ve gone after it anyway, and you know he would have.”
“I still don’t want you two risking your lives for me,” Harry said, wiping away his tears roughly with what remained of his sleeve. “You’re not coming.”
“That sounds so familiar, doesn’t it?” asked another voice. The trio turned to look at its source, and there stood Ginny at the staircase leading to the girls’ dormitory. She had a look of determination on her face as she approached the group. Once she was there, she knelt down, placing her hand on Harry’s shoulder and looked him in the face.
“Harry, I told you before, and I’ll tell you again, you’re not alone in this fight. And we’re not going to let you be alone. Not when you need us the most.”
“Yeah,” Ron agreed. “We said we’d be with you to the end, and we meant it.”
Harry was grateful for his friends, even when they were arguing with him. He slowly got up and started pacing. It was more of a limp, as his legs were still tired from the running just hours earlier. He searched his mind for some way he could allow his friends to help him without actually having them go with him. After a moment, he spoke.
“Alright, how about this: you three help me find out where the next Horcrux is. That way you are still helping me, and I certainly need as much help on this next one as possible. However, you will not go with me when I leave to find it.”
After several minutes of protests, Hermione, Ginny, and Ron had no choice but to agree with Harry, as he refused to let up. He was so determined to keep his friends safe that he would do whatever he could to make it so. Shortly after reaching this agreement, the four left for bed, where Harry collapsed once again.
Three weeks passed with no luck on the location of Hufflepuff’s cup. Hermione, Ginny, and Ron all looked through the library on a daily basis, but to no avail. Harry told the Order at an impromptu meeting about the retrieval of the locket and the identity of the next Horcrux he was searching for, but even they were having trouble locating it. After the old lady who owned it last, it had truly vanished.
With it being the middle of October, the fair weather was fading swiftly. Three days after the Order meeting, a second meeting was called, in which Harry and the other Order members learned of another attack on the Muggle Ministry, this time directed at Parliament. Though the building survived the attack long enough for the Aurors to get there, the eastern side had completely caved in from the damage sustained. With this development, things became tense for the rest of the meeting. Harry left feeling overwhelmed once more, and he doubled his efforts in finding the next Horcrux. But no evidence of its continued existence was available in any record or recollection of any place or person.
Moody started using Veritaserum on different people who were linked with it in the past, such as Borgin and Burkes, but nothing turned up other than the sale to Hepzibah. Harry was quickly losing hope. He searched his mind numerous times, reliving the memories he and Dumbledore visited all last year to try and find some clue, but there was nothing he could remember.
The weekend arrived, and the Order was completely at a loss for words. A Hogsmeade trip was to take place on Saturday, and the foursome walked down to see if they couldn’t find anything there. They split up, Hermione going to Honeydukes, Ron going to the Hog’s Head, and Ginny going to the Three Broomsticks. Harry went to Zonko’s. Though the places were a long shot, at this point, they were all Harry could think of where there was a chance to find somebody who knew or worked for Voldemort.
Harry left Zonko’s disappointed. He leaned against the wall facing the main street of Hogsmeade and thought. He thought of the darkest places he’d ever been to. He found a couple he hadn’t checked and, quite frankly, he’d rather not revisit. Ron came back first, leaning on the wall beside Harry. He was silent for a minute before he started talking with more ideas.
“What about the graveyard you were in, Harry?” he suggested. “That might be a place to look.”
“Look for what?” replied Harry. “We can’t ask the bones of the dead Riddles to help us, nor do we know if he buried it. Besides, if the cave was a preview, there’ll be a lot more to go through just to get to the Horcrux, not to mention getting out alive with it in hand.”
“But you got the last one alright.”
“Yeah, but I had Moody with me, and it was also in Sirius’ house, which made it rather easy for me to get it. It’d already been taken. This one isn’t like that.”
“Well,” began Ron, but he stopped and fell silent again. Hermione and Ginny were on their way back when Harry asked what Ron was about to say.
“I was going to say, why not check Diagon Alley, but they’re all closed.”
“That’s it!” exclaimed Harry excitedly.
“What, Diagon Alley?” asked Ron, bewildered.
“No, not Diagon Alley. Knockturn Alley! There’s a whole load of dark artifacts and people there, and I’m sure I could find something that would give me some clue.”
Harry noticed Ron looked a bit taken aback by the fact that it was his idea that had spawned Harry to do something, but he didn’t have time to think on it. Harry pulled out his wand, pointed it in the air, and moments later his feet were lifted from the ground. He thought he felt a hand grasp his shoulder, so when he landed in Knockturn Alley, he looked around. There was no one there; it had to have been his imagination. He was sure Ron, Hermione, and Ginny were shocked by how impulsive he was, but after searching endlessly for a month, there wasn’t a risk Harry wouldn’t take to find it.
Not wanting to be noticed, he stopped in a shop nearby and bought a black cloak, so he could hide his face and features. He searched the nearest shops, keeping his hood up and his hand on his wand at all times, which was made inconspicuous with his arms crossed. Harry knew the crowd that was present in this part of the once grand shopping alley, and he was going to follow Moody’s advice now more than ever: constant vigilance. He tried Borgin and Burke’s, but there was nothing there upon inspection. He wasn’t about to outright ask them, but he knew of ways to coax information out of people. That was a trait he and Voldemort had both mastered at a young age in order to get things they wanted. However, Harry had no such luck this time. After searching the stores for any sign of a magical relic of historic importance, he leaned once more on a wall, watching the people who walked by.
Hidden under a cloak of black, Harry watched as a multitude of faces he didn’t recognized walked right past him, completely oblivious to who he was. It was nice, in a dark sort of way, to not be the focus of attention. He waited for over an hour in this spot, checking every face he could see for someone he would recognize, but had no luck. He was about to give up when he noticed an alleyway he hadn’t seen before. He walked towards it, his wand now fully out of its hiding place and hidden in his sleeve with his hand. In this dark street of Knockturn Alley, the shadows seemed to have a mind of their own, whispering to one another and jolting from one location to another. One in particular caught his eye, and it was walking straight for him.
Harry grabbed the figure and shoved him with all his might against the wall, his wand at the man’s neck. In his most foreboding voice, he said harshly, “What are you doing here, Wormtail?”
The man struggled to get away from the wall, but didn’t get very far. Harry tripped him and pounced on him when he was down, which pinned his shoulders to the ground. Whimpering, Wormtail started to beg for mercy from him.
“Please, I haven’t done anything but follow orders. You must understand that the man I work for is very powerful, and if I don’t do as he asks, he’ll kill me. It wasn’t anything personal, I swear.”
Harry now remembered that he still had the hood on, and Wormtail couldn’t see his face. Knowing he had the advantage at the moment, he tried to push his luck, keeping the harshness in his voice.
“So, what have you been getting into lately?”
“I was, err, getting supplies,” stammered Wormtail nervously, not looking away from the shadowed face under the hood.
“I’d recommend not lying to me if you’re hoping to see your master again in any recognizable form, Wormtail,” said Harry, pleased with his disguised voice, in addition to having one of his worst and most hated enemies quivering in fear beneath him.
“I wouldn’t lie to anyone,” said Wormtail, trying once more to wiggle his way out from Harry’s grasp, which gave Harry an idea. He stood up, freeing his adversary. When Wormtail started to get up, he kicked him back down, hurling a curse at him with his now drawn wand. Wormtail recoiled quickly, covering his cheek, which now had a cut the whole length of it. Harry reminded himself to thank Moody for that, as it felt good to finally get some anger out of his system.
“Care to try that answer again?” Harry asked once more, trying to sound even more menacing than before.
“I swear, I was only getting some supplies,” Wormtail squeaked. He covered his face with his hands to avoid any curses that may be sent again, but Harry believed him. He kept his wand pointed at Wormtail, but decided to try asking about the cup.
“Very well,” Harry began. “I need you to be honest with me once more. I’m looking for something, and I need you to lead me to it.”
“What is it you’re looking for?”
“A relic of sorts: Helga Hufflepuff’s cup, to be exact.” Wormtail looked as though the life had been completely sucked out of him. His face was completely white and covered in sweat.
“I don’t know where it is,” he said briefly, putting his hands up again. Not hearing the answer he wanted, Harry thought of another idea. He stepped back and looked at Wormtail intensely, thinking the words, Levicorpus! Instantly Wormtail was upside down, shaking even more than before. Harry once more approached him and repeated his demand.
“I can’t tell you where it is,” Wormtail cried. “If I do, he’ll kill me.”
“Voldemort doesn’t need to know about this meeting,” said Harry, dropping the harshness in his voice. He knew Wormtail noticed this, so he pulled his hood back to reveal his face. When Peter Pettigrew saw who it was, he gasped, knowing what Harry would be after.
“You can’t honestly think that I can take you there, Harry. It’s too dangerous, even for you.”
“Well, then it’s a good thing you’ll be there with me, so if anything bad should happen, it’ll happen to you.”
“And what makes you think I’ll take you there?”
Harry leaned in, his face inches from Wormtail’s, who was still shaking.
“You...owe...me,” he said slowly, knowing that Wormtail knew what he was talking about. With that, he released the Levicorpus spell and turned away, satisfied with the thump he heard behind him. He turned around with another intense look, and Wormtail looked truly afraid. He fell to his knees in front of Harry and begged him to ask anything other than that, but Harry would not accept no for an answer. Instead, he asked where the cup was. After a moment’s hesitation, Wormtail responded.
“It’s in an area far from here, near the mountains. It’s where we meet occasionally.”
“Take me there now,” said Harry, who had lost his patience by now. The feeling of empowerment over his enemy was something he hadn’t experienced before, and he liked the control he had. Wormtail slowly stood and nodded, grabbing his wand. Harry kept his at eye level to his opponent to make sure Wormtail didn’t try any spells on him. Peter pointed his wand up skyward, and Harry grabbed his shoulder. Seconds later, the sweeping sensation came, and seconds after that, they both landed on a cliff. Harry noticed a large forest several hundred meters away, with a mountain range beyond them. He scanned the area for some sign of a building or case, but couldn’t find one.
“Why have you taken us here?” Harry demanded. “There’s nothing here but trees and mountains!”
Wormtail didn’t respond to this. He seemed to be looking for something. He crawled on the ground, searching rocks and logs for something. He finally came to the edge of the cliff, looking over the steep side of it. He slumped back, looking pitifully at Harry. He pointed down below to a group of sharp rocks at the base of the cliff, which was at the waterline. Waves pounded the ground with a tremendous force, making the area hard to get to. Harry and Wormtail made their way down the side of the cliff, carefully navigating the rocks and slope, which grew more and more perilous the further they got.
They finally reached the beach of rock. Harry asked what had to be done. Wormtail didn’t answer, but walked forward. He climbed around a large rock, dodging the waves as they came crashing down. A couple hit him, almost dragging him out with them, but he held on. Once on the other side of the huge stone, Harry noticed Wormtail put his finger to his still bleeding cheek and place it on something Harry could not see. He returned a few minutes later along the same dangerous path, pointing upwards. The two climbed the cliff side again. As they reached the top, Wormtail pointed towards the edge of the cliff. Although it was now night, Harry could see a castle was now visible.
“Is that where it is?” Harry asked. Wormtail nodded, exhausted from the climb. Harry pulled him to his feet, saying, “We’re not done yet. Lead the way.”
Wormtail started to argue, but soon walked towards the castle, which was far larger than Harry had expected. When they reached the front gates, Wormtail stopped, not moving. Harry looked curiously at him, wondering what was going on. Just then, a huge barrage of large boulders was cast into the air, hurtling right at them. Harry and Wormtail leapt behind a huge log, watching as the assailants went rolling by. Once the coast was clear, the two proceeded through the gates into the main part of the castle. They stepped up the gravel road leading to the building, Wormtail continually shaking.
“Watch where you’re stepping,” he warned as they walked up the castle stairs towards the front door, which was shut. Harry made his way up the stairs in fine order, as did Wormtail. The door opened without consequence, and the two continued onward. They passed through several corridors before stopping in front of a painting. Wormtail moved aside the canvas and pushed in a stone protruding from the wall, which opened a hidden door. Both he and Harry lit their wands and continued down the path. Once again, Wormtail stopped. This time, though, he backed up a bit, pressing himself to the wall.
“Don’t cast your light over the edge.”
“Why not?” asked Harry.
“You’re better off not doing it. Trust me, Harry.”
“I don’t.”
“In this instance, you must. I owe you a life debt, and I swear I won’t betray that. This way.”
Harry was curious, and he leaned in to see what was scaring Wormtail. When he didn’t see his light anymore on the ground, he realized it was a pit. Before he could see what was at the bottom, however, Wormtail pulled him back, warning him again not to go there. The two grew more wearisome the further they got. Noises without sources started coming from different places. Things would move without warning, startling both of them. Harry looked where they were going and saw something that made him very angry: a wall. This was a dead end.
“Is this your idea of a joke?” Harry bellowed, making Wormtail jump again. He looked at Harry, then back at the dead end. He pointed his wand and said, “Ostendo ianus!” The ground before them disappeared, revealing another tunnel. Wormtail gave Harry an uneasy smile as he led the way once more. The tunnel was so narrow that Harry had to walk directly behind Wormtail just for the two of them to fit. They reached a second dead end. This time, however, Wormtail turned to Harry and gave him a nervous look.
“I can’t get past this one,” he whispered.
“Why can’t you?”
“You see that slab of stone over there?” Wormtail asked, pointing to a flat rock imbedded in the wall. “This door can only be opened by the tears of the one wanting to go in. And as neither of us are crying at the moment...”
“At the moment...my point exactly,” said Harry, delivering a swift kick to Wormtail’s shin. As the older man started hopping on one foot, Harry kicked him again in the other leg. He hit him a third time, this one a punch dead in the nose. Wormtail stopped hopping after a minute or so, put his hand to his now tear-soaked face, and placed it on the slab. Two doors opened, one on either side. Wormtail looked at both, as did Harry, who was waiting for the next move. They took the one to the right, walking slowly into the new room.
It was a long room with nothing in it other than a high ceiling, a table, and some stones. As Wormtail started walking forward, Harry heard a creaking sound. When Wormtail proceeded further into the room, the creaking sound turned into a roar as the wall furthest from him was broken down. Behind it was a troll, who appeared to have just been woken from a long nap. It stood up, glaring at Wormtail and Harry, who were too stunned to move. The troll bellowed and charged at the two intruders at full speed. Wormtail morphed into a rat and ran out of the room, squealing at a high pitch. Harry grabbed the pile of clothes on the floor and headed for the door as well.
By the time he reached it, however, the troll’s club had hit right in his path. Harry’s momentum made him run into it. Wormtail’s clothes went flying out the door, but Harry was forced back into the room. The troll started bashing the club at Harry, who could do nothing but run. Once he had a shot, he shouted, “Petrificus Totalus!” The troll was hit with the spell, but still came after Harry, who next said, “Expelliarmus!” When this did nothing as well, Harry looked at the large stones in the area. He remembered his first year and that troll encounter, so he tried to repeat it. He pointed at the nearest stone and yelled, “Wingardium Leviosa!” The stone lifted, but was then shattered by the now infuriated troll.
Harry was running out of ideas. He ran out of the corner, trying different curses and spells he knew. None of them had any effect on the troll. Harry tried charms as well. These took effect, but not in the way Harry had expected. The now deformed troll marched towards Harry, who was still trying spells to stop it. By that time, however, it was too late. The troll grabbed Harry and lifted him off the ground. He wasn’t able to breathe anymore, as the grip on him was too tight. His enemy lifted his club once more, a glint of accomplishment in its eyes. Just then, Harry heard another curse.
“Crucio!” Wormtail shouted, and Harry was dropped instantly as the creature let him go. He ran out the door, looking back for a moment. The troll was now convulsing in pain on the ground.
“Run through the other door, Harry!”
Harry didn’t need to be told twice. He ran into the next room, relighting his wand in the process. He looked around at the second room. This one was also long, but had a door at the end of it. Harry started towards it when a hand pulled him back. Wormtail was trying to shut the door, as the troll was charging towards them. Harry hurried to help, and together they sealed off their entryway and exit. Dust flew off the wall when the troll collided with the door, but it held shut.
“Where did you learn to fight?” asked Wormtail. “You’re pitiful! You won’t last a minute against the Dark Lord unless you learn to fight better than that.”
“Why does that concern you?” demanded Harry angrily. “I don’t need to be lectured by you. Besides, Voldemort is a few feet shorter than a troll.”
Wormtail shuttered at the name, but decided not to continue the argument. He walked past Harry and towards the door. Both of them walked gingerly so as not to agitate anything else. When they reached the door, Wormtail said another incantation. The door opened, but that wasn’t all that happened. Several screams were heard from the darkness behind them, and as they turned to see what it was, a wall of hands came after them. Inferi.
Harry and Wormtail were being pulled across the room by an insurmountable force. Curses and charms were of no use here. Harry frantically searched his mind for something to fight them off. Then he remembered what Dumbledore had said in the cave: “Like many creatures that dwell in cold and darkness, they fear light and warmth...Fire, Harry.” Harry pointed his wand at the nearest Inferi shouted at the top of his lungs, “Incendio!” The corpse burst into flames, and it spread to the rest of them, creating a scene of anarchy. The Inferi dropped their prisoners, flailing their arms everywhere, their cries filling the air with high-pitched screams that half-deafened Harry. He saw Wormtail lying on the ground. Hurriedly, Harry grabbed his robes and dragged him into the next room, shutting the door behind him.
Harry lit his wand once more stood in a new room. This one was even more foreboding than the rest. Wormtail slowly got back to a vertical base before shaking even more. Harry helped him regain his balance, and the two looked at their surroundings. This room looked like a cave. Several jagged rocks made up the ceiling, which looked as though it had fallen into place and could collapse at any moment. There was a narrow pathway of stone between two pools of some acidy substance. With all this facing them, however, there was something in the air that just didn’t feel right. Wormtail continued to quiver, leading Harry to wonder if he knew something about this feeling. Before he was able to ask the question, though, Wormtail stepped in front of him.
“This is it, Harry,” he said. “This is where our journey ends. I’m afraid the only way we’re going to get out is if we take the alternate route through the next room, which is where the cup rests. It’s in a clear box, but it is unbreakable save for one spell. I’ve gotten you here, Harry, but that’s all I’m able to do.”
“Let’s just finish this and get out of here,” Harry replied. “We’ll talk about what to do with the Horcrux when we’re safe.”
“You know, then? About the rest of them?”
“I know what four of them are. The other two I have no idea.”
“Then maybe you can defeat him after all,” muttered Wormtail. “You’ll need more powerful spells and countercurses to overcome the Dark Lord. There is a book he is searching for that, if you were to get it, would help you out a lot. I’ll admit, I doubted you, Harry, but I see now that you are the Chosen One. Once he finds out what I helped you do, I’ll be dead. But at least I got to see what you became. James would be proud of you, Harry. I know I don’t deserve to speak of him, but I want you to know that I do regret that night more than anything. Don’t ever lose the memory of him, or Lily, as they will give you the strength you need for the final fight.”
Wormtail stood right in front of the door and said, “Comperio!” The door opened slowly. He turned around and looked at Harry with an almost fond smile. Suddenly, as if by an invisible robe, his body was pulled violently off the ground and through an open section of the wall. Harry heard him screaming until the wall closed itself off. Despite trying every spell he knew, the door would not open. Harry found himself upset at how this quest ended, even though at its start he felt hatred towards Wormtail. Although he was a rat of a person, he had definitely redeemed himself in Harry’s eyes.
The now open door made him want to end this. Though he didn’t know what else was in store, Harry walked through the door, careful to avoid any more trappings. Once he had entered the room, several torches lit themselves, illuminating a room with several steps in the middle forming a square leading to a pillar. On the pillar was a clear box, which contained the cup, once owned by Hufflepuff. Harry pulled it off gently before backing away. Upon examination, the cup seemed to be suspended in the middle of the invisible box, held there by an unseen force. Harry looked around. He noticed a passageway on the opposite corner, and started for it. He pulled out his wand and lit the way.
Though the pathway was dreary in appearance, there was no activity whatsoever. It made Harry feel almost at ease. The corridor led to a huge room well over a hundred meters high and many more long. Harry looked up and noticed that there was a staircase that led to where Wormtail had told him not to shine light on. He still wondered why Peter had told him that. He looked in front of him, but couldn’t see anything threatening. He whispered, “Lumos Maxima!” The room filled with light, and Harry instantly regretted this last decision. At the opposite end of the room were several giants, who seemed to have gleams of deep hatred in their eyes. They stood still for a moment, as if to see who had arrived. Not recognizing Harry, they charged at full speed, causing the ground to shake.
Harry ran for the stairs, taking them five at a time. He had a long way to go, however. The first giant leaped for him and narrowly missed. The second brought his fists down on the stairs, destroying them. Luckily for Harry, he was a few steps ahead. By the time the rest of the group had reached the staircase, Harry was at the top and running for the door. He heard the shuffling of feet as he ran, but did not looking back. He ran through the entrance of the secret passage through the corridors of the castle. He flew down the stairs outside the front door, and almost regretted that as well.
After the first step on the stairs, they started moving. By the second and third steps, there was a gap in the middle of the now separated staircase with a pit of spikes at the bottom. Harry dove for the other side, barely reaching it. He continued to run through the front gate and out into the field. He turned around and, to his horror, saw eleven giants running straight for him. Harry knew he couldn’t outrun them. He was already out of breath, but he kept running. When he felt he couldn’t run any longer, he felt a hand grab him on his shoulder. Shortly after, he felt his feet leave the ground as his surroundings swirled in front of him. Seconds later, his feet reconnected with the ground and he fell to the ground, exhausted and breathless.
As Harry turned over onto his back, he noticed a figure was taking off an Invisibility cloak. It was William Garrison! The professor pulled out his wand and lifted Harry off the ground with a spell. He was levitated to a separate room, where the lights were turned on and the door shut and locked. Garrison turned around, grabbed a stool, and sat next to Harry, who now was lying on a bed. Once Harry regained his bearings, he looked at his professor, who had a stern look on his face.
“Did you somehow miss something when we told you not to go on any missions without someone from the Order with you?” When Harry didn’t answer, Garrison continued.
“You didn’t even have a way of escape. You were hoping to outrun a group of giants in their own region of the world on foot after running from them earlier. I don’t even know what happened inside that castle, but I’ll be finding out shortly. What the hell were you thinking, Potter?”
“I was with Wormtail,” Harry stammered out.
“I know full well who you were with,” said Garrison in a harsh voice. “If it weren’t for that idiot, you wouldn’t have that scar. You would still have parents and a family. Why do you continually take that for granted? That’s something I never did.”
Harry looked at his professor, who now looked at him with a pained expression on his face. Out of all his teachers, Garrison was the one Harry couldn’t figure out.
“My parents were murdered in front of me, Harry. I grew up learning the darker side of magic. I met Voldemort in school, back when he was Tom Riddle.” If Harry couldn’t speak before for lack of breath, he certainly had the problem now.
“But witnessing the taking of a life changes a man,” Garrison continued. “When that curse was said, and those eyes became lifeless, I just couldn’t believe it. I knew he was powerful, but no one has the right to take a life. Then I saw him grab a locket and placed it on top of the body. He did some sort of incantation, doing magic the likes of which I’ve never seen before. He started glowing orange. Then he screamed as the orange silhouette was pulled from his body and put into the locket, which then closed. He locked it and placed a spell on it before looking at me. I didn’t know what to say, and the next day I ran from him. If I hadn’t’ve run into Sirius and James, I wouldn’t be here.”
Harry was more shocked than he had ever been in his life. Here was a man who he felt very uneasy about, yet who knew his father and his greatest enemy. He couldn’t think. He just lay there, transfixed by the story.
“They were kind enough to allow me membership to the Order of the Phoenix shortly thereafter. A year later, they were gone. You were what they left behind. I vowed to protect you at whatever cost, should the day come that you would be in danger, and to that vow I will keep true. But under no circumstances are you to do what you did today, is that clear, Potter?”
Harry could only nod. He had so many questions that he wanted the answers to, but he wasn’t sure how to ask them.
“I know you have questions, but there’ll be another time for that later. Right now, we need to get you to Hogwarts.”
“Why did you bring me here?” Harry asked, breaking his silence.
“I felt you needed to know what you’re up against and who’s on your side. I’m no push over, Potter, and I will do what I can to help you, but you cannot do this on your own. Perhaps today proved that to you. I also wanted to warn you about something.”
“What’s that?”
“Your anger.” When Harry looked questioningly at his professor, Garrison continued.
“I saw what you did to Wormtail in the alleyway. That’s how it starts, Potter. You feel more confident by having power over someone. Then the power’s not enough. Soon you have to instill fear to have more power. That leads down a path darker than you could ever imagine. Take it from someone who knows from experience. That’s enough for today, however. Let’s get you back to Hogwarts. Here, drink this.”
Harry was handed a vile and drank the contents. He passed out after a few seconds. When he woke up, he was in the hospital wing surrounded by the members of the Order. Their faces were hard to read. Some looked upset. Others looked relieved. Still others looked disappointed. Harry knew he was in trouble.
“While your actions were rather rash, Mr. Potter,” started Minerva, “we’ll discuss them later. What’s important is that you were able to attain the second Horcrux.”
“And in the process,” continued Remus, “you proved yourself to be a worthy opponent for any Death Eater by going in there and coming out alive.”
“But if you ever do it again,” Moody growled, “you may not be as lucky.”
“In any case,” Minerva picked up where she left off, “you’ve gotten us the next part of this puzzle. Get some rest, Potter. You’ve got some explaining to do, but that will come later. For the time being, I’ll say this. Fifty points goes to Gryffindor for your efforts.” Harry smiled at this, as he wasn’t expecting to be rewarded. “And a week’s worth of detentions with me.” The smile was erased after that.
The Order left shortly after, true to their word. There would be a lot of questions to be answered, but Harry wanted to rest. These missions took almost everything out of him, and each one was getting worse. He dreaded the next two, whatever they may be. Madam Pomfrey came in with a potion that knocked Harry out for the rest of the night in a dreamless sleep, where he was able to rest for the remainder of the weekend.
By Sunday evening, Harry was allowed to leave. After being kept isolated in the hospital wing for more than twenty-four hours, he was anxious to get free of it. He walked down the corridors of the castle towards Gryffindor tower, still physically tired from his excursion earlier. When he got there, it was bare, as it usually was. He’d just spent many hours lying in bed, and he preferred to not go back to a bed at the moment. Just then, he thought of an idea. The weather was still good; why shouldn’t he take his Firebolt out and have a go for a while.
He headed towards the stairs when he was tackled by a red-haired girl in red and black robes.
“Thank goodness you’re alright,” Ginny exclaimed, her arms wrapped tightly around Harry.
“Of course I’m alright,” Harry replied, smiling. “You didn’t expect to get rid of me that easily did you?”
Ginny pulled back a little, keeping her arms around Harry but looking at him face to face.
“I wasn’t sure what was going to happen, Harry. You took off without even telling us where you were going. When Ron said you were headed off to Knockturn Alley, we were all scared for you. Then we heard that you had to be carried back by Professor Garrison, and you were kept in the hospital wing. What was I supposed to think?”
She leaned in and kissed him on the cheek before pulling him into another hug. Although it felt good to be in her arms again, the thought of what the dangers still in store for him made him cut the embrace short. Hermione and Ron were on their way down the stairs at that moment, so Harry was saved a potentially embarrassing predicament. The three wanted to hear what happened, as with the last one. Harry sat down, and, like a month ago, went over the details. He made it a point to emphasize how much of a role Wormtail had, and the fact that he was now dead.
“That’s why I don’t want you going with me. I didn’t even see that coming, and now he’s gone.”
“But why do you sound upset about it, Harry?” asked Ron. “We had to keep you away from him a few years ago when you found out it was Wormtail who betrayed your parents.”
“I know that. And I’m not sure why I feel this way. I guess I had a change of heart in that castle. I don’t know how else to explain it.”
“Well, that’s two down, right?” asked Hermione. “That means you have two more. Any idea what they are?”
“I’ve got an idea about one of them, but I’m not sure how to get to it. The other, well...”
Harry’s gaze drifted to the ground and he grew silent. It was obvious he was worried. But there was something else worrying him.
“I feel sort of helpless, though. I mean, I have an idea about the next one, but not a clue as to the last one. And I don’t know how to destroy them. Dumbledore did, but he wasn’t able to tell me before he died.”
Harry felt himself getting choked up again at the memories. He suddenly felt very lonely and lost. Ginny sensed he was getting upset and put her arm around him, pulling him close as the other two patted him on the back. He was grateful for his friends. At this time in his life, they were his only family, and there wasn’t anything he wouldn’t give to keep things the way they were.
A few hours later, Harry was, once more, in bed. As he slept, he saw himself sitting in a room. He couldn’t see the occupants of the room, but he knew they were beneath him in status. They feared him and his power, and that was all that mattered at the moment. He turned and looked at a shadow next to him, giving it instructions.
“The last time it was opened, things went a little soar. The lake should still lead into the castle, though. Go there and keep an eye on things for me. I trust no one but you with this assignment. Report to me on the doings there as soon as something of relevance turns up. Leave me.”
The shadow seemed to shrink to the ground before disappearing. Harry looked around at the other shadow in the room.
“So it’s true that Wormtail is dead?”
“Yes, my Lord.”
“Do you have any idea how it happened?”
“No, my Lord. All we know is that he ran off with a stranger in black robes and wasn’t seen after that.”
“Well, it’s about time that stunted waste of a man met his end. If it wasn’t for the man in black robes, I would’ve done the honors myself in due time. Perhaps I’ll look into who he is and send out an invitation for him to join me. But I digress. Snape, you have an assignment to do. The update was appreciated, but you deviated from the plan. Don’t make that mistake again.”
The shadow bowed silently and faded away. Harry sat there for a moment in a dark solitude. He thought of how powerful he had become and how little was left to do. The Muggles were running scared, as were the wizards. Those idiots at the Ministry of Magic would be begging for mercy in no time, and Harry Potter would be on his knees in pain before his last breath was forced from his body. He started laughing maniacally, knowing there was no way a boy of seventeen could stand a chance against Lord Voldemort!
Harry awoke screaming, feeling a pain he had not felt in years. His scar burned and his body was covered in sweat. Ron was at his side, looking concerned.
“You alright, mate? Have another dream about the end of the world?”
“No, this one was like the ones I used to have a couple years ago. I was Voldemort, and I was telling a spy to go to a castle. I think...I think the spy was supposed to come here. He also knows that Wormtail is dead. One of his Death Eaters told him.”
“Does he know about the Horcrux?”
Harry thought about this question for a time, retracing the remnants of the now fading dream in his mind several times before answering, “I don’t think so.”
The two exchanged nervous looks as they returned to bed. While it was still a long way off, Harry wanted a break. This was just too stressful.
Harry Potter & The Silhouette Of Eternal Benevolence by JourneyJosh
Chapter Notes: The search for the second Horcrux is on, but no trace of it is to be found anywhere, even with the Order's help. At the point of giving up, Harry encounters an old acquaintance in an unsettling location who leads him right to it. This time, however, Harry may have jumped into something he's not able to handle.