The Last Horcrux
“One must die at the hands of the other, because two people cannot both live; only one can survive…” Hermione’s brows furrowed almost into a knot. “Is that really what the prophecy says?”
"That's what Dumbledore told me, and I don't think I'm mistaken. He has no reason to lie to me."
“Are you serious, Hermione? Snape is a double agent, and his actions towards Harry—” Ron’s face contorted for a moment at the word he was about to say, “—protection, didn’t you hear me?”
“Of course I heard it!” Hermione glared at him, annoyed. “I’m just more concerned about the part that’s crucial to Harry’s life or death! This isn’t a prophecy, it’s a death proclamation! I knew Trelawney couldn’t make any decent prophecies!”
Ron blushed. "Oh, I—of course I care about Harry, he's my best friend, it's just that those things… don't tell me you really don't care!"
Hermione, "..." She simply ignored those things.
Ron: "Ha!" I knew it!
"Let's not talk about that for now," Hermione steered the conversation back on track. "Harry, I think that's why Dumbledore said those things to you. Maybe facing Voldemort is what you, as the savior, have to do."
Ron questioned, "But Harry said the Order of the Phoenix has already destroyed five Horcruxes. If Voldemort is really lured to Hogwarts for a final battle with the Order of the Phoenix, with Dumbledore there, surely he can kill him and the last Horcrux? He's the only person Voldemort fears."
Hermione started picking at her nails again. "I don't know... The prophecy says 'The Dark Lord marks him as his nemesis, but he possesses powers that the Dark Lord doesn't understand,' which might be related to Harry's 'power'."
Ron turned to Harry. "So, man, do you feel a power gathering within you that could defeat Voldemort?"
Harry lay sprawled on his single bed, feeling only a cloud of mist gathering within him.
To be honest, ever since he learned of Voldemort's existence, he had become accustomed to the idea of fighting him to the death.
But Snape... liked his mother?
Is it fake?
He even cursed his mother as a Mudblood! That's Snape's own memory; it can't be faked, right?
But why did he join the Death Eaters? Did he join the Order of the Phoenix first, and then infiltrate the Death Eaters as a spy? After all, being a Slytherin would certainly have been more convenient.
Hermione, seeing his dazed look, lovingly placed her hand on his knee, hoping to comfort him with the warmth of her palm. "Oh Harry, don't worry, Dumbledore has thought of a perfect plan. You'll be alright."
Seeing this, Ron put his hand on Hermione's hand and said, "Hermione is right."
“I’m fine.” Harry shook his head, banishing the inappropriate thought. “Where were we? Power? I don’t know what power I have. Uh, my mother’s love? Blood magic? Or rather, it’s my mother’s power, which Voldemort clearly lacked.”
Love, the magic of blood ties.
Hermione felt she might have grasped something.
She stood up nervously and paced around the room. "The magic of love...bloodline protection...Harry, Voldemort used your blood to reshape his body?"
“Uh, yes.” Harry still felt a little uncomfortable talking about it. Queenie said it felt like Voldemort had become part of his blood, and the thought made him feel nauseous.
"Did he touch your wound? On the day of his resurrection?"
"Yes." His scar was in excruciating pain at the time.
“Why did Dumbledore specifically send Sirius to bring you here tonight? Don’t tell me it was to let you witness the destruction of the Horcruxes; we all know that’s not the real reason. And why did he deliberately ask if you were willing to take on the mission of the saviors and face Voldemort? And even while you were using Occlumency, you were still forced to establish a visual connection with Voldemort. No, not just visually, you could even clearly perceive his anger, joy, and fear…” Hermione quickly pieced together the clues. “Harry, you can also speak Parseltongue.”
Harry sat up straight.
Ron watched her retreating figure. "So?"
Hermione suddenly snapped at him, "So can't you use your brain?!"
Ron, "..." In his opinion, it would be fine as long as he didn't say anything.
Harry remained calm. "State your conclusion, Hermione."
Hermione bit her lip. "Harry, you...you might be...a Horcrux."
“Impossible! Harry can’t be that kind of evil thing! He’s just Harry!” Ron retorted loudly, but his rebuttal lacked evidence and sounded weak.
Hermione twisted her hair in anguish. "Of course I wish he wasn't, but... but..."
The calmest person was Harry, who took a deep breath and said, "I see."
In the ensuing silence, the sound of the door being broken down was particularly alarming.
"Harry! Quick, go back and pack your things. I'm taking you out of England—out of Europe! If you want to take Quillie—" Sirius suddenly burst into Harry's bedroom. When he saw the two people who shouldn't be there at this time, he froze in place, looking utterly bewildered. "You two?"
“I called them here, I was so shocked tonight—” Even now, Harry’s lips twitched involuntarily as he thought of Snape.
It was quite late when everything was over, so Harry went straight to sleep at the old house to avoid disturbing Queenie. But he couldn't sleep, so he had to bother his two good friends.
Hermione stood in front of Harry, "Sirius, why did you take Harry away?"
“…” Sirius remained silent, but his hand had already reached behind him.
Ron, with his sharp eyes, spotted it and instinctively drew his wand. "Protect yourself!"
In a moment of desperation, the powerful Armor Charm blocked a Stunning Curse.
Hermione instantly drew her wand as well. "Sirius... because Harry is a Horcrux, right?"
Sirius's pupils dilated slightly. "You—"
"Alright, put your wands down."
Harry stepped out from behind the two and sat down on the edge of the bed, rubbing his forehead as if he had a headache. "Sirius, I won't leave."
Sirius panicked and crouched down in front of Harry. "Harry, you don't know Dumbledore's plan. He actually said that only Voldemort can destroy the soul that belongs to him in your body. He wants you to go and die!"
“No, not necessarily. Perhaps only that soul will die…” Hermione couldn’t continue; she understood what Sirius meant.
Sirius forced out a hoarse roar through clenched teeth, "But I won't gamble on the possibility of it happening!"
They don't.
Is there anyone who can?
“I would,” Harry said, repeating his previous statement. “If I were a Horcrux, I would carry out Dumbledore’s plan.”
Before Sirius could try to persuade them again, Hermione and Ron said in unison, "Then we want to go together too!"
The two exchanged a glance, and Hermione spoke on their behalf, "We've been learning from Sirius for so long, and he said we're already qualified warriors."
A hint of pain finally appeared on Harry's face. "Hermione, Ron, you don't have to—"
Ron warily raised his wand. "Don't think we're still the rookies who could be knocked out by a Stunning Charm. You think you can just abandon us? No way."
Harry couldn't bring himself to put his friends in danger, so Sirius spoke up first, "If you can avoid being discovered by Molly."
Ron said confidently, "Of course we can do it."
In the shadows outside the room, the effects of the Disillusionment Charm dissipated like ripples on water, and Dumbledore's tall, thin figure reappeared in the same spot, his expression a mixture of relief and compassion, as if praising courage and friendship.
Harry didn't sleep all night, and when it was broad daylight, he received a call from Queenie.
Her voice was languid and hoarse, typical of someone who had just woken up. "Harry? You haven't been home all night?"
Harry pretended to have just woken up, "Well, I'm at my aunt's house. Dumbledore said I have to stay at my aunt's house to maintain my mother's protective charm."
Queenie yawned. "Okay, but you didn't sleep all night? I know what you sound like when you first wake up, are you having trouble sleeping in your new bed?"
"Uh, a little."
Queenie heard the rustling of fabric on the other end of the line. She turned over in bed and asked, "So, when are you coming back today?"
“I’m afraid I can’t go back. Dumbledore said I have to stay for a full two weeks, including during the day.” Harry used Dumbledore as an excuse without any qualms.
"Two weeks?" Queenie said softly. "But your birthday is less than a week away."
Harry paused, "I'm sorry... we can make it up..."
"Do you really have to stay inside the house and never come out?"
Harry gave an awkward "hmm" twice.
"Alright then, your safety is the most important thing. Anyway, you're going out to sea—oh, we haven't seen each other for a long time since we were in school."
After talking for a while, the two hung up the phone.
Two weeks, Harry thought that should be enough; Voldemort, with his temper, would never last two weeks.
If he had been there back then… Harry gripped his phone tightly; he would have had to ask someone to cast a Forgetfulness Charm on Queenie…
In the afternoon, Ron and Hermione returned to the Black family home—they went back to the Burrow before dawn to avoid arousing Mrs. Weasley's suspicion—along with the Weasley twins.
With six Gryffindors crammed into Harry's room, the space suddenly felt cramped.
Ron glanced awkwardly at Sirius, his voice slightly unconvinced, "We really didn't let Mom find out, it was Fred and George..."
The twins put their arms around their younger brother's shoulders.
"Oh, so who told you to secretly write your suicide note there—"
"You're still wiping away tears—"
"We just wanted to play a little prank on you—"
Ron's face turned bright red. "I didn't cry!"
"We didn't say you cried—"
"You're probably just experiencing physiological tearing from the ink irritation—"
"Don't be shy, we don't like that taste either—"
"In short, make sure to take us with you to the final battle against the Death Eaters—"
"We're adults now—"
"That's much more fun than teasing Umbridge!"
The twins have already graduated; Sirius and his friends, at this age, have already joined the Order of the Phoenix to fight against the Death Eaters.
After last night, Sirius regained his senses. He calmly asked the twins if they were really sure, and after receiving an affirmative answer, he gained two more students.
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