Harry Potter and the Headmaster's Pensieve

Chapter 7 - The Hunt Begins

They came. Only a week after Draco's visits stopped, Hogwarts officially closed, and Harry was met with the smiling faces of his best friends, although they did seem a bit overwhelmed. Neville and Luna were with them. Neville seemed a bit awed at the fact that he was somewhere other than his grandmother's house, but Luna, in her typical Luna fashion, seemed quite nonplussed by the whole situation. Harry ushered them in, hurriedly sealing the door behind them as they settled down into the small living room. Harry hadn't quite realized how tiny it was until he saw his four friends crammed on the small couch and two chairs, leaving him with no place to sit. He chose to stand instead.

"Uh, I'm really glad you all could come. Can I get you anything to eat or drink?" Harry asked uncertainly. They all shook their heads. Harry cleared his throat.

"Well, I'm sure you all know that I'm trying to defeat Voldemort," Harry started, glancing at Ron as he twitched at the sound of the name, "but there's a lot that needs to be done before he can actually be defeated. It won't be easy, and I'll need all the help I can get, but one thing is very important - Voldemort cannot find out what I am doing. This is why I'm not going to the Order of the Phoenix. If any of the members are captured, the information of what I am doing or where I am cannot be taken from them if they do not know. I may still need their help, but I'll go through you to them...I cannot have direct contact with them. I've learned a lot of things in my stay here, but there's still so much more that I need to know. I know you'll all help me in this, and I'm grateful that you're here," he finished, his voice a bit tense. Hermione sent him an encouraging look.

"What can we do to help? Gran knows that I'm helping you, and she's real happy about it. I've just promised to come see her every now and then, just to let her know I'm alright. I'm ready to help you, Harry," Neville said, his eyes bright.

"And my father is also very excited to have me helping you. He's hoping that when it's all over, I'll write him a story about what it was like to work with Harry Potter in the final battle against He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named," Luna said dreamily.

"You know we're by your side, no matter what happens," Ron said, and Hermione nodded feverently. Harry grinned at them all.

"I wouldn't want anyone else with me, but the final battle will have to be me and Voldemort alone. That's just how it has to be. But there's so much that I will need your help on, and I'm so glad I've got the greatest friends in the world to help me with it."

A somewhat uneasy silence followed as all of Harry's friends grinned at his words, and he walked over to the icebox and pulled out five bottles of cream soda. He passed them around, and despite their refusal of drinks beforehand, they all took them eagerly. Ron and Neville seemed a bit perplexed by the soda ("it fizzes!" "Don't shake it like that, Ron, it'll spray everywhere!" "It makes my nose feel funny...") but it seemed to break the lingering tension in the air. After a few moments of silence while everyone drank their sodas, Ron began talking about their time in school.

"It was dead boring, mate. Nearly all of the students were gone - you should've seen it! Slytherin only had ten students! And five of them were first years! But McGonagall and Hagrid were gone most of the time - on Order business, I guess. Slughorn's the same as usual, kept asking us about you. Of course we didn't tell him anything. The Defense teacher was nearly as boring as Umbridge, but not nearly as vile. Reminded me a bit of Binns, without being dead. Quidditch was cancelled, which put all of the team members in a right state. We kept fighting for it to be reinstated, but McGonagall refused. Pity, really, because I had some good ideas for the team. And me and Hermione...the professors kept us on our toes, being Head Boy and Head Girl and all. We've probably investigated every nook and cranny of the castle ten times over. But there was never anything exciting, never any danger...really, quite boring."

"Well, it certainly brought you two closer together, though, didn't it?" Luna said dreamily, peeling the wrapper off of the bottle of cream soda. Ron's ears turned red as he examined his fingernails, and Hermione blushed prettily as she focused on something just outside the window. Neville seemed to be trying to keep a straight face, but was failing quite miserably. Harry just smiled and cleared his throat.

"Well, I've been up to a lot while I've been here. I've been able to learn how to cast spells nonverbally, and something about just being here, in this house, has really helped me focus my thoughts and energies. I know what we need to do seems like a lot, but I think we'll be able to do it. We have to - we don't have a choice," Harry said. Everyone looked at him eagerly.

"Oh Harry, that's wonderful that you've learned nonverbal spells!" Hermione exclaimed, her cheeks still a bit pink.

"So, er, what exactly is it that we have to do?" Neville asked, confused. Harry thought for a moment before answering.

"We need to weaken him. He's done everything he can to make himself immortal, which is why he didn't die last time. We need to destroy everything he's done to keep himself alive, so my efforts against him in the end will actually kill him. I have ideas of what we need to do, but I can't do it alone."

"How are we going to do that? I mean, wouldn't you need to attack him personally to destroy anything he's done to make himself immortal?" Neville asked.

"Well, if you could get the ministry's help, I'd bet they'd let you use their army of Rock Elementals that they've been hiding in case the Muggles find out about us and try to kill us," Luna piped in. Everyone looked at her, but she just examined her soda bottle obliviously. Harry couldn't help smiling - he was continually amazed at the things Luna came up with.

"Er, no. I mean, the things he's done - they're not on him. It's...well, it's complicated," Harry finally said, sending a helpless look to Ron and Hermione.

"Well then, how are you going to do it?" Luna asked.

"I...well, alright. I need you all to promise that you'll never speak of this to anyone, but Voldemort has tried to ensure his immortality by creating horcruxes," Harry said tentatively.

"Horcruxes? What are those?" Neville asked.

"They're items that Voldemort has put a piece of his soul into. Whenever he kills someone, he can tear his soul. He's taken pieces of his soul and put them into items, and as long as those items remain intact, he can't completely die," Harry explained. Neville looked horrified, but Luna's dreamy expression never changed.

"But...but...how are we supposed to find the items? Do you know? I mean, couldn't there be hundreds of them, because he's killed so many people?" Neville stuttered.

"Well, I have a strong suspicion that he only created six horcruxes, so that his soul would be torn into seven pieces - seven being the strongest magical number. Dumbledore and I discovered exactly what three of the horcruxes were, and he destroyed one and I destroyed another. The third...well, we're still not sure what happened to it," Harry said, ruefully picturing the fake locket as he spoke. "Dumbledore had good ideas on what two of the last three could be, but we're not sure how to get them, or even where they are. That's where you two come in - we'll need to destroy the rest of the horcruxes before I can kill him, and I'll need your help."

Everyone was silent, thinking. Harry stood and paced the length of the living room, deep in thought. His task had seemed so simple when he had been on his own, but now he realized that he had no clue of how he was going to accomplish it.

Hermione was chewing on her nails nervously, and Ron was cradling his head in his hands. Neville seemed to be staring off into space with a look of supreme confusion written on his face, but Luna was absentmindedly gazing out the window once more. She was the first one to speak.

"What are the Horcruxes that you know of?" Everyone turned to look at her.

"His grandfather's ring was one, and a diary he kept that proved he was the heir of Slytherin. Dumbledore and I had tried to track down a locket - it was Slytherin's, but when we got to the place it was hidden, it had already been taken. We also believe that he used an heirloom of Hufflepuff's - a golden cup that he stole from an old woman after he killed her. Dumbledore believed - and I do, too - that his pet snake may also be a horcrux, but we don't have any proof of that. We don't know what the last horcrux is," Harry answered, thinking hard.

"Well, he certainly has an affinity for the Hogwarts Founders' heirlooms, doesn't he?" Luna asked.

"That's what we think. But the last horcrux can't be anything of Gryffindor's, because the only thing he ever left behind is his sword, and that's been locked up in the headmaster's office for a very long time," Hermione said.

"Well, what about Ravenclaw? She was a founder, too, after all," Luna said, a touch of irritation in her voice.

"That's why I wanted you here, Luna," Harry said, jumping in. "You told me at Bill's wedding that you're a descendant of Ravenclaw...do you know of any heirlooms, any trinkets that she passed down that went missing?"

Luna looked at him for a moment, her lips pursed as she thought. "I'm not sure," she finally replied, "but I'll ask my aunt. She might know something."

Harry sent her a grateful look, then focused his thoughts on the other horcruxes once again. At that moment, Ron's stomach let out a particularly loud growl, and everyone laughed.

"I'll just whip up some dinner for us, shall I?" Hermione said, grinning. With a wave of her wand she transformed a few crumpled up newspapers into a large plate of sandwiches, as was her specialty. They dug in, everyone asking Harry questions about his time away from school and what he had been doing. He told them as much as he could, but was careful to hide any information concerning Malfoy. After dinner, Harry went up to the nursery to get some books, and found that Ron was following him.

"Sorry Harry, I just...well, I wanted to talk to you. Er, Luna was a bit out of line with what she said about me and Hermione. We're not...I mean, nothing's happened...we wouldn't, you know, get together, while you need our help," he said, his ears flaming up once again. Harry had to fight back the urge to laugh.

"Ron, why the bloody hell not? You two are practically perfect for each other," Harry said, working hard to keep a straight face.

"So, you...I mean, you're not interested in her?" Ron said, a mixture of relief and suspicion on his face. This time, Harry could not hold back his laugh.

"Mate, if I was, I'd expect you to beat me within an inch of my life for how I've strung your sister along. And Hermione...she's more like a sister to me than anything else," Harry replied. Comprehension spread over Ron's face.

"Oh...yeah...Ginny. I...well, I'll still beat you within an inch of your life if you hurt her," Ron said, though it was half-hearted. He was grinning like mad, and Harry couldn't help but smile back at him.

"Out of curiosity, why did Luna say that?" Harry asked.

"Oh...well, it was nothing, really...she just found us kissing in the corridor leading up to the Ravenclaw tower," Ron said quickly, obviously embarrassed. Harry snickered. "It was our first kiss, really! And, well, it hasn't happened since..." Ron said, obviously disappointed at the way the events had turned out. Harry grinned.

"I'm happy for you, Mate, I am. You two have been the best friends I could ever ask for, and I want you to be happy. But, as I do see Hermione as a sister, if you hurt her I will have to beat you within an inch of your life," Harry said in a mock-threatening voice. Ron nodded.

"I'd never hurt her...ever...but if I do, I want you to kill me. Seriously," he said, worry etched in his face. "Because if I did hurt her, that'd mean that I was under the control of Death Eaters or something, and I'd be a danger to everyone," he said, his voice shaking. Harry shook his head.

"That won't happen. You're stronger than them, and I know you would never let them get to you," Harry said. Ron smiled weakly at him. Harry grabbed a stack of books off of the small changing table and started back out of the room, but Ron stopped him again.

"So, you're ok with me and Hermione being together?" he asked.

"Yes. What I won't be ok with is if you keep her waiting much longer, because she's a right mess when she's pining over you," Harry said. "Now lets get downstairs...I don't want to leave Hermione and Luna alone together for too long. Neville won't be able to stop any of their disagreements, and I need everyone to get along."

They went downstairs and Harry dropped the pile of books on the table. He instantly had everyone's attention, and he cleared his throat.

"Along with finding the horcruxes, I'm going to need to figure out how to kill Voldemort. He's still very powerful, so I'm going to need to be creative. I found these books in my parents vault, and I think they might be helpful," he said. Luna picked up 'Deciphering Death,' and Hermione snatched up 'Medieval Magic.' Neville tentatively picked up 'Prophecies of the 1500s' and Ron took 'The Magic of Time' from the pile. Harry was left with 'Realms of Magic,' which he began to leaf through. They spent a few hours reading until Neville let out a particularly loud snore from behind his book. With that, Harry sent them all home (Ron and Hermione returned to the Headquarters of the Order), while insisting they return bright and early the next day. He had to pry Hermione's book away from her, insisting that it'd be much safer if no one else knew what Harry was researching. Ron managed to calm her down, and they disapparated with a pair of loud pops that Harry hoped wouldn't wake the neighbors. Neville was still unsure of his apparation, and used a handful of floo powder he had brought with him to return home. Luna, still too young to Apparate on her own, followed Neville into the fireplace.

Harry stared at the once again empty living room, feeling slightly overwhelmed. He had hoped that his friends would arrive with all the answers, all the help he needed to bring down Voldemort. Their enthusiasm heartened him, but it was still going to be a struggle to do everything he needed to. He placed all of the books into a neat pile in the center of the kitchen table, then dug all of his information on horcruxes out and placed it next to the books. A glint of gold caught his eye - the fake locket gleamed up at him from the bottom of his trunk. He was tempted to toss it away, but he pushed is anger aside and place it on the table, too. He saw Hedwig soaring towards the window, and he let her in. She landed softly on his shoulder and nipped at his ear affectionately. He absentmindedly scratched her before she fluttered over to her cage to go to sleep. Harry looked over the house once again, making sure that everything would be ready for the day ahead, before finally allowing himself sleep.

Ron and Hermione appeared first, their arrivals so close that Harry was sure that they had come from the same place. He figured that they were staying with the Order, which while it was the safest place for them, Harry figured that they were probably being bombarded with questions about him and his plans. They settled in for a nice breakfast, and Neville and Luna arrived just as they were finishing their meals. Hermione had snatched up 'Medieval Magic' once again, while the rest reluctantly picked through the remaining books. Harry picked up the locket and twiddled it through his fingers as he tried to figure out the mystery of it.

"What's that?" Luna asked him.

"It's the locket that Dumbledore and I found. It should have been a horcrux, but apparently someone's already taken it," Harry said, handing it to her. She examined it closely.

"Why do you say it's fake?" she asked. "Couldn't this be it?"

"It's not the right locket - the locket should have Slytherin's mark on it, and this one doesn't. Plus, the note inside says its not," Harry said, irritation sneaking into his tone. He typically enjoyed Luna's strange take on everything, but there was so much he needed to do now that going back and explaining things they had already discussed only irritated him. She seemed to not notice, as she carefully opened the locket and read the note. Her eyes skimmed over it numerous times before she looked back up at Harry.

"Well, it seems to me that if you can just find this R.A.B. person, they'll be able to tell you if they've destroyed the Horcrux or not. It's simple, really," she said loftily.

"And how exactly are we supposed to find them? It's not like he left a forwarding address," Hermione said, a bit scathingly. The book still dangled from her hand, but Harry had the feeling that she had been eavesdropping on the whole conversation.

"Well, they must have been a death eater, since they call Voldemort 'The Dark Lord.' We could just see if anyone we know has a list or something of old death eaters, and see if anyone has the initials R.A.B," Luna replied calmly. Hermione actually snorted.

"I doubt anyone would have that kind of information just lying around," she said. "Besides, anyone we know that would know that probably wouldn't share it with people who were trying to destroy Voldemort, anyway."

Harry sighed. While Hermione was right, it wasn't helpful for her to start tearing down Luna's ideas. Luna didn't seem the least bit phased by it, but Harry would talk with Hermione later about it. He didn't need any more trouble than he already had.

"I'm sure we could find someone who's on the good side who might know that sort of thing," Luna said nonchalantly, folding the note and tucking it back into the locket. Hermione shot her a look of disbelief, but Luna only picked up one of the books and began leafing through it. Harry picked up the discarded locket once again and stared at it.

"I wish Sirius were still here. He knew all about the death eaters, without actually being one," Harry said ruefully. Everyone looked at him. "He always had an answer...even if it wasn't helpful, he always was able to point me in the right direction. I feel so lost without him," Harry said, the first real admission of his pain at losing his godfather. Ron and Hermione looked at each other tentatively, but Luna was the first to speak.

"So why don't you ask him? Just because he's dead doesn't mean he can't help," she said. Hermione looked as though she was going to say something, but Harry had the distinct impression that Ron had managed a way to get her to stay silent. Harry turned to Luna.

"I wish there was a way to talk to him, but I haven't learned a way to speak to dead people yet," he said a bit sarcastically.

"Oh, you can talk to them all you want, and they'll hear you. They may not answer right away, but they'll do what they can," she said. Harry looked at her thoughtfully, but she just returned to her book. He sighed, remembering the last time he'd seen Sirius really happy. It'd been Christmastime, and he'd been stuck at Grimmauld place, surrounded by awful things and left to stew in a house he hated, but he'd been happy. Harry hadn't thought it possible to be happy in a place like Grimmauld place, but Sirius had managed it. And then, he'd left it to Harry.

"Wait a minute, that's it!" Harry exclaimed, grinning at Luna. "Grimmauld Place! It's full of dark stuff...maybe we can find something there! And Sirius's brother was a death eater before he died...maybe he left some stuff behind! It's worth a shot, don't you think?" Harry said, grinning at his friends.

"Harry, Dumbledore was the secret keeper for Grimmauld Place...when he died, the knowledge of the location died with it," Hermione said tentatively.

"No, Dumbledore was the secret keeper for the Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix. Headquarters moved after Sirius died, and I'd assume the secret would move with it. Anyone should be able to get there now," Harry replied.

"Y'know, that's not a bad idea," Ron said. "I mean, Sirius's parents kept a lot of old, dark stuff. I bet there would be clues there. And besides, it's been a while since we've heard Sirius's mum yelling at us, and the noise might be a nice change," he said, snickering. Harry smiled, then jumped out of his seat.

"I'll apparate over there now, then make sure the floo is working," he said, then disappeared with a loud crack.