Horcrux Hunt, The Trio's Biggest Challenge Yet

God this chapter was a pain to write, with all the different memories. I hope it's not too bad. Especially the Voldemort fights. Sorry. Next one'll be better


Chapter Five
Memory Lane


The world began to dissolve around them. Hermione looked over at her two best friends. Ron raised his eyebrows at her, shrugging. Harry’s face was totally unreadable. He seemed to be digesting what he had just seen.
The world snapped back in focus and they were in a living room, where a red headed woman in her early twenties Hermione recognized as Lily sat at a table, looking over papers. Across from her sat a familiar person, looking very cross. Hermione let out a small gasp and felt a jolt as if of an electric shock go up her body. It was very odd and disturbing to see Sirius, who had been dead for two years, sitting in front of her. She looked fearfully at Harry, who took a step back, his eyes going a little wider.
“I always knew…” Sirius muttered, glowering at a newspaper. He was young and handsome, his hair short and clean, much different from the Sirius they had known. Though incredibly sulky, he did not look tired or haunted, did not have the shadows of Azkaban under his eyes.
“You did not,” Lily snapped.
“I did! I always knew he would go bad!”
“So you made it your life’s mission to taunt him?”
“Me? He’s pathetic! Disgusting! Always picking a fight with us! A slimy little rat! Was I supposed to put up with that?”
“You would actively seek him out! Don’t act like the victim here, Black.”
“I can’t believe you’re defending him! After all those times he called you…you know…”
“I’m not defending him. I hate him. But if you knew, Sirius, that he was bad, you only made it worse. Even Slytherins have feelings. Don’t pretend you didn’t affect him.”
Lily sounded tired. Sirius softened slightly.
“But a bloody Death Eater!”
“Yes…horrible. But Snape always was…like that.”
“He’s already killed people!”
“Generally, that’s what Death Eaters do,” Lily answered wearily.
“You okay?” Sirius asked.
“Yeah…I dunno…I feel sick…hope I’m not coming down with something.”
“You and James work too hard.”
“What, are we supposed to slack off-“ Lily opened a letter scanned it and suddenly threw it down with such force that Sirius jumped.
“What?”
“I give up! She can rot in hell for all I care!”
“Who?” Sirius said puzzled. Then comprehension dawned. “Oh, your sister?”
“Yeah! God, she’s such an…idiot! I SAID I was sorry! But she holds a damn grudge. She was like that even when we were little. And she MARRIED that Dursley pansy….”
“You married James,” Sirius pointed out. “Always thought that was a lapse of judgment.”
“You’ve never met Vernon Dursley. He was just like Snape, in primary school, only stupider. Closed minded…. completely against anything fun…womanizer…I punched him once…”
Sirius snorted. “Ouch. What did he do?”
“Beat up on this poor chap…he was always a bully…bulky, with no neck, think his head was attached to his shoulders…was tiny kid, like six, and we were in fifth form…so I said get off…and he wouldn’t…so I said something, and he said something that made me mad, and I punched him. Petunia didn’t pay much heed to him at the time, but she kept reprimanding me that punching people wasn’t ladylike…” Lily looked lost in memories for a second. “She was bright, but now she’s a housewife. Always thought she’d cure cancer or something like that. She loved science and math. Always liked cold hard facts, nothing fanciful…and now she’s a bitch.” Lily suddenly said forcefully. “And I’m through with her rude replies. She’s not my sister anymore.”
“Well, I can relate to that,” Sirius said lazily. “I pretend I was found abandoned in a shed and some cute old lady raised me. Everyone in my family is cracked. ‘cept Andromeda. Her, and me we were flukes. My parents were the worst.”
“Yeah, mine were okay, except they completely ignored Petunia. Died last year in a airplane crash,” She told Sirius. “Petunia didn’t bother to come to their funeral.” She gritted her teeth. “Let’s talk about Voldemort, it makes me less angry than talking about my family.
“Once again, I can relate,” Sirius sang. “Well, we have an Order meeting tonight….’bout Snivellus, I think…Goddamnit, I’d crush his skull if I could-James!”
He greeted a forlorn looking James Potter who flopped down in a chair and conjured himself some coffee. He sighed and declared, “This is all my fault.” Hermione was reminded forcefully at Harry.
“What?”
“Snape.”
“Don’t be stupid,” Lily snapped.
“Hey! You were just telling me…”
“Shut up, Sirius. You had nothing to do with Snape’s decision. It was his choice, James.”
James did not look reassured. “If I had been nicer…”
“It would have been the same. Snape was messed up before he ever met you!”
“Yeah! Anyway, I did it too,” Sirius assured him.
“If you say so.”
“I do. Ugh!” Lily clutched at her stomach.
“What’s up?”
“Nothing…. just…uh…. uh oh,” Lily’s eyes went wide.
“What?”
“I gotta check something,” Lily rushed out of the room.
Sirius and James looked at each other and shrugged.
“Women,” Sirius muttered.
Suddenly a cry escaped from down the hall. “JAMES! I’M PREGNANT!”
The memory began to dissolve. Ron wrinkled his nose. “Gross. Harry that must’ve been you.”
“Unless I have a long lost sibling I don’t know about.”
“That was gross. I really didn’t need to hear that conversation.”
“Shut up, Ron.”
“New memory,” Hermione said, poking them.
They were in a dark room. Suddenly the door opened and James and Lily eased in.
“Be careful,” James muttered as Lily lit her wand.
“I’m not an idiot.”
“Oh, stop it, Lily. Whose house is this?”
“They said it was Edgar Bones.”
“Of course. They want to take out all the Bones. Powerful wizarding family.”
“Where do you suppose they are?”
Suddenly they heard a noise. Harry Ron and Hermione all jumped, as did Lily and James.
“Who’s there?” James called out.
There was silence. Then someone stepped out of the dark.
Hermione screamed, even though she knew it was a memory and he couldn’t hurt her. Ron made an odd choking noise. Harry looked slightly surprised, but observed the man coolly.
“Oh, shit…” James hissed as Lily grabbed his arm.
Standing before them was Lord Voldemort, just as terrifying as Harry had always described him.
“Lily and James Potter,” Voldemort said coolly. Then he shot a Killing Curse at them.
James pulled Lily out of the way and shot his own spell at Voldemort, who easily sidestepped it. Lily muttered in terrified whisper, “We have to get out…we can’t fight him, and Edgar is probably already dead.
“We can’t leave…”
“James, there’s a fine line between bravery and stupidity!”
“Fine!”
And the two dodged another Killing curse, then Dissaperated in a swirl of air, leaving Voldemort’s spell to connect with nothing.


A new memory came, it was of the Potters, and two people Hermione recognized with a shock as Neville’s parents, with fuller faces and healthier hair, full of life. They were tense in a dark room.
“Are you sure it’s here?” Lily whispered.
“Yes,” Neville’s father answered. “About…”
“Here,” Neville’s mother, Alice, extracted a parcel.
“Good,” James said. “Now let’s get back before-”
“Leaving so soon?” A voice hissed.
The four adults turned to face a Death Eater with a hooded face. The servant of Voldemort shot a spell at them, which they all scattered to dodge. Soon the room was filled with Death Eaters and spells flew everywhere shot from all sides.
The foursome managed to escape down a passage, but a voice stopped them. “Leaving so soon?”
For the second time, Hermione saw Voldemort’s ghastly face loomed in the dark. “I believe you have something that belongs to me.”
“Not anymore,” Lily said and the four of them shot out a side passage. What happened next was a cycle of spells and screams and Voldemort chasing them while they dodged and finally they were out in open air and a spell grazed Voldemort and he was stopped for a second and the four adults escaped in a blaze of spells.

The next memory came so abruptly Hermione saw Voldemort’s evil face leering at her before she was ready for it and jumped back. Lily and James were crumpled on the floor and Voldemort raised his wand, saying “You cannot escape me this time,” when order members shot in from everywhere and Hermione recognized briefly Hagrid and Moody and even Dumbledore and saw Lily and James fighting until someone carted them off and the memory dissolved into dust.

In the new memory, Lily and James sat in their living room, staring at a small child in Lily’s arms.
“Harry!” Hermione whispered. “That’s you!”
“Yeah,” Harry breathed.
“Lets test his reflexes,” James said.
“He’s two days old, he doesn’t have reflexes!” Lily groaned.
“I bet he’s a seeker. You can tell. He’s small anyway. That helps. He has to be a Seeker. He’s my son.”
“Honestly….”
James waved a finger in front of Harry’s face. The small baby, who already had some fine black hair, merely stared at him.
“Stop it!” Lily cried.
“Okay, okay…” James sat down beside Lily. “He’s cute, isn’t he?”
“He looks like you.”
“That’s why he’s cute.”
“Oh, shut up.”
“Hey, don’t his eyes look green?”
“A little.”
“Bet he has your eyes.”
“Well, he’s two days old. You can’t really tell ye-”
Suddenly there was a loud knock on the door.
“Wonder who that is…” James went to answer the door.
Dumbledore stepped in looking grave.
“Hello, Lily, James.”
“Albus! What a surprise!” Lily cried, scooting over, so Dumbledore could sit on the Couch beside her.
“Can I get you a drink?” James asked.
“No thank you, James. Ah, so this is Harry…”
“Yes,” Lily said proudly, holding up her child. “He looks like James, doesn’t he?”
“Ah, yes, indeed,” Dumbledore said, stroking Harry’s cheek. “Very much.”
“So what brings you here, Albus?” James asked, settling down.
“Actually…I need to talk to you about Harry,” Dumbledore said slowly.
“What about?” Lily said looking confused.
“He is in terrible danger…”
“What…?”
“There was a prophecy made,” Dumbledore said quickly. “And a servant of Voldemort’s heard it. I was present as well. It said that the one who could defeat Lord Voldemort would be born on the last day in July…to parents who had thrice defied the Dark Lord.
Lily clapped a hand to her mouth. “Oh my God…Harry….?”
“Yes. Or Frank Longbottom’s son. Neville. He was born on the same day.”
Hermione and Ron both shot a look at Harry. He hadn’t told them about this aspect of the Prophecy. He mouthed “later” and reluctantly; they turned away, Hermione’s heart beating fast.
“So…Voldemort…?”
“I believe he will come back to Harry next. So you need to be put into hiding.”
“The Fidelius Charm…” James said.
“Precisely. You will need a Secret Keeper…”
“Sirius,” James said swiftly.
“Are you sure? I would gladly-“
“We trust Sirius,” James said firmly. Lily nodded.
Dumbledore looked at them for an instant.
“Well…we shall discuss it later. I am going to drop you off at the Order Headquarters for now, then go alert the Longbottom’s. I shall give you a moment to get ready.”
Dumbledore left the room, leaving Lily and James alone.
“Harry…” Lily’s voice cracked.
“It’ll be fine, Lily,” James said. “No one’s going to hurt Harry.”
Lily looked at the baby, now asleep in her arms.
“He doesn’t look like he could bring about the fall of Voldemort,” James said softly.
“Everyone was a baby once…he looks helpless now…” Lily whispered. “What if it’s Harry? The Chosen One? Not Neville…sooner or later…Voldemort…. we can’t protect him forever…”
“We’ll face it when it comes. Maybe it is Neville. Come on. No use worrying about this now.”
“I don’t want this for him, James,” Lily whispered. “I don’t want him hurt. I don’t want him in danger.”
“Everyone’s in danger right now, Lily,” James said, putting his arm around her.
“I suppose,” Lily said softly. “All right. Come on.”
And they left the room, closing the door behind them, the light slowly fading into darkness. Hermione didn’t look at Harry’s face. She didn’t want to see the pain on it, or even worse, the blank unreadable expression she had grown so used too. She could feel Ron squeeze her hand. She squeezed it back, feeling a tingle go slowly up her arm.
She looked on as another memory came, the house dissolving and they were in the same living room, only it looked different somehow, and though no one looked that much older, they did seem to be.
Lily was sitting with her feet propped up on a chair, nursing the baby Harry. Peter Pettigrew, Lupin, Sirius and James were around her.
Lupin looked at his watch. “I have to go.”
“Why?” Sirius said suddenly.
Lupin raised his eyebrows at Sirius.
“Full moon tomorrow. I’m going to sleep.”
“He was really quiet tonight,” Sirius said after Lupin had left.
“He’s always quiet,” James said airily.
“And he looked strange…”
“He’s going to turn into a monster tomorrow night,” Lily reminded him.
Finally, dropping all pretenses, Sirius said, “I think Lupin’s the spy.”
“WHAT?”
“He’s acting so strange lately.”
“Sirius, we’ve been best mates with him since…” James began but Sirius cut him off, “Look, maybe I shouldn’t be the Secret Keeper. I think Peter should do it.”
“Huh?” James said.
“Wha-?” Peter sputtered.
“Remus KNOWS I’m your Secret Keeper. If he is a spy…”
“Sirius…”
“Look, someone’s the spy. Even if it isn’t Remus, it’s OBVIOUS you would make me secret keeper. I’d never betray you, but there’s ways Voldemort could get it out of me! No one will suspect Peter. It’s the perfect bluff.”
“I guess you’re right…” James said. “Lily?”
“If Peter agrees,” Lily said.
“I do,” Peter said eagerly.
“Okay…fine. Sirius, Peter, join hands,” James said reluctantly.
They did and Lily and James got up, Lily placing Harry gently on the couch. They pulled out their wands.
“We bequeath our secret to Peter Nealan Pettigrew,” the couple said together. Peter and Sirius’s had began to glow silver.
“I transfer this secret,” Sirius whispered.
“I accept.” Peter said.
The hands spread out a white light and Peter’s eyes glowed briefly. Then the light went out and the four of them were left, standing there.
Suddenly, Hermione felt something pull her into darkness and she was screaming as she whizzed through the air. Then she landed on hard concrete, next to Harry and Ron, the Pensieve glowing before them.
“Whoa,” Ron gasped. Harry’s face was as white as chalk. Hermione pushed her own hair out of her face.
“I guess that was all the memories,” she said.
She stumbled up to standing position and helped Ron help Harry up; he was shaking all over.
“You okay?” she asked as Ron handed him his bag.
“Yeah,” Harry said automatically, stomping the floor in an effort to stop his knees shaking. “I’m fine.”
Hermione didn’t believe him, but didn’t press the matter; she had learned that wasn’t best to do with Harry.
“That was weird,” Ron said.
“Yeah,” Harry said again.”
They stood there for a minute until abruptly Harry said. “Come one, let’s get the rest of this stuff.”
The gathered up all of the papers and books they could find, Harry stuffing it all in as quickly as possible. As soon as they were done, he strode out the passageway quickly. Shrugging at Hermione, Ron followed. Hermione adjusted a book in her hand, and noticed a ring on the floor. It was gold with a green skull on it. Hermione found this slightly sinister and wondered if she should bring it to Harry’s attention.
“Harry,” she called. “Harry!”
But he was too far ahead of her to hear. So with a sigh, she shoved the ring in the pocket of her jeans and followed them through the dark passageway,


“There are no safe choices in life. Only different ones.”- A Great and Terrible Beauty By Libba Bray

Thank you HRuleZ!. I know from your introductory commentary that you found this part difficult to write, and I can quite believe it. But what you wrote does tie up some loose ends, which is important. Also, you have shown what might very well have happened to create the situation in which Harry finds himself.

Who previously owned the ring, what does the ring portend, and at what stage will Hermione tell Harry and Ron?

Oh, I agree with Jem - this chapter was really worth the trouble you had writing it! I loved the little glimpses of characters in the pensieve. I especially loved the brief appearance of Neville's parents - that was a sweet surprise, very nice.

That captures their friendship so well - so much said in so few words - really well done!

And your characterisations are holding up really well - love this bit:

So perfectly Harry - great writing!

Oh, thanks you guys! Your comments really mean a lot to me.

You'll find out! Hopefully...I have the plot for the ring kind of half formed in my mind. So many subplots...

Sorry I've missed a few updates. I'm glad I've caught up now. I really like where you're going with this HR. I have to agree with Ivy that your characterizations are pleasantly consistent. Too often, fanfic writers waver with their characters. You seem to truely know these characters. It feels like you don't even have to think about how they would act. That makes your chapters very easy and enjoyable to read. So... thanks!!

I've finally gotten to sit down and read this, HRulez, and I'm so very glad I did! I've read many fanfics, but I've never been able to visualize and hear the characters as I do when reading the actual books. With this, however, I see and hear Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny and the rest just as I do when reading the books. That's probably the best compliment I can think of. Your interpretations of these characters just seems to be so spot on that my mind just accepts it without question. And agreeing with all the other comments, it's very enjoyable and easy to read. Keep up the very good work! I'll be eagerly awaiting your next update!!

Thank you!

This chapter is shorter than the others. It's kind of a transitional chapter.

Chapter Six
Grave Encounter

Harry, Ron and Hermione set up camp in a wood near the neighborhood. Hermione started the fire as Ron and Harry conjured up tents. The flames burned in Hermione’s eyes like lasers, dancing nastily. Through the crack in the fire, she saw Harry crouch down, staring blankly ahead.
“I’m starving!” Ron announced, breaking Hermione out of her reverie. “What’s for eating?”
Hermione rummaged through her bag and found the large box holding Mrs. Weasleys food with a refrigeration charm. “How’s chicken grab you?”
In response, Ron grabbed a chicken leg and began to tear at it. She handed one to Harry, who took a small bite in a mechanical sort of way.
“Well, um, that was interesting wasn’t it?” Hermione said nervously.
“Yeah,” Harry said. “Yeah it was.”
“I can’t believe your mum punched your uncle,” Ron snorted.
Harry cracked a smile at this. “Would’ve liked to see that.”
“Wouldn’t we all?” Hermione said wryly.
“Didn’t find out too much though,” Harry noted.
“There’s probably something in the papers,” Ron said through a mouthful of chicken.
Harry went over and gathered some papers. He looked at them for a while. “I can’t make head or tails of this. Hermione, you’re the problem solver, you try.”
He plunked the papers in Hermione’s lap. She scanned over the letters, looking for some sort of pattern, trying to remember all the books she’d read. Eventually, something clicked.
“It’s the Hobgoblin Code!” She explained.
“Wha-“
“A code invented by Pesuis Placardia in 1602 to pass on important information to a general that turned out to be something regarding him and his lover, it has been used in many forms by wizards due to the charm that allows only the person it’s meant to find see what it really says. Any outsider will have to break the code using intense mathematic and deductive skill and complex spell work.” Hermione said in one breath.
Harry and Ron stared at her.
“Do you remember EVERYTHING you read?” Ron asked.
“You can do it can’t you?” Harry asked. “Break the code? You’re good at that sort of stuff.”
“I’ll try,” Hermione sighed. “It’ll probably take forever though.”
“Just see what you can do. Maybe if we see the Order again, we’ll ask them to help.”
“All right. And for the record, Ron, yes, I do.”
They spent the rest of the night with Hermione working on the code with Harry looking over it too, until Hermione said she was breaking her concentration. Finally, they went to bed, Hermione in a separate tent from Harry and Ron. She tried to sleep, but too many thoughts went through her mind and she started working on the code again in the solitude of her tent. Around midnight, she heard rustling outside and peeked through the crack in her tent flap to see Harry walk away into the dark. She snuck out and shook Ron’s tent until she heard a muffled yelp.
“Get up, Ron, Harry’s going somewhere.”
Ron moaned and crawled out of the tent. “What-? Hermione, he’s probably just gone to take a leak or something.”
“Don’t be disgusting, Ron. Come on.”
Ron grabbed her arm to lift himself up and Hermione felt the familiar warm tingle she got whenever he touched her. She couldn’t help smiling as he rubbed his eyes and said, “Alright, alright, I’m up. But if you walk in on him taking a leak, don’t blame me.”
“Ron! Stop putting bad images in my mind!”
They walked quickly along the path and soon heard rustling up ahead.
“It’s him,” Hermione hissed. “Try not to make any noise.”
They crept along behind Harry, who was rubbing his neck in an annoyed fashion, all the way into the neighborhood. Harry seemed to wander around aimlessly for a while and just as Ron whispered something about him probably just taking a walk, Harry said, “There it is,” and turned into a small graveyard.
“Oh…” Hermione said with understanding. “He’s going to look at his parents graves.”
They followed Harry into the graveyard. He walked along, scanning the graves and finally stopped at one. He looked around, but Hermione and Ron were already hidden behind a large tombstone. Harry crouched down, staring at the graves. He didn’t cry. Harry rarely cried. In fact, Hermione couldn’t remember ever seeing him cry, except at Dumbledore’s funeral, and even then, she hadn’t been sure, as he looked away. He just stared at it, biting his lip.
“Maybe we should go,” Hermione whispered.
“I think we should stay,” Ron whispered back. “Just, you know, to make sure everything’s okay.”
Hermione nodded. It was heartbreaking to watch her best friend stare at his parent’s graves as if hypnotized and she didn’t want to leave him alone, even if he thought he was anyway.
Harry sat there, for maybe a half hour, then took a deep breath and got up. He crossed his arms uncertainly and finally said, “Goodbye.” Then he turned and trudged away.
Ron and Hermione stood there for a moment.
“I kind of want to see-“ Ron said.
“Me too,” Hermione agreed.
So they padded over to where Harry had sat, next to two small tombstones.
One said “Lily Evans Potter: Loving Mother, Courageous Woman,” while the other said, “James Potter: Devoted Father, Strong Protector,” along with the years and both had in small letters: they looked death squarely in the eye and sacrificed all they had for the one they loved. Rest In Peace.
Hermione shivered and Ron put his arm around her. She rejoiced in the warmth he provided and leaned her head on his shoulder, which really didn’t require her to move it much. They spent a few minutes in silence before Ron said, “Oh, shit, I have to get back before Harry does!”
So they scrambled through a short cut in the woods and were barely seated by the fire when Harry arrived, claiming they had woken up in the night and gone out to get some warmth.

The next day, Harry, looking rather pale from his late night said, “Okay, we need to get down to it. We have to figure out where the Horcruxes are.”
There was a brief silence.
“So, um, where the hell are the Horcruxes?” Ron asked.
“I have no idea,” Harry admitted.
“Maybe you do,” Hermione said suddenly. “Voldemort put the Horcruxes in places of his past before right? Hogwarts, the Gaunts, the Cave…. all places Dumbledore showed you from Voldemort’s past. So what we need to do is list all the places Voldemort went that we know of.”
“Brilliant!” Ron said as Hermione got out a piece of paper.
“Okay, so list every place you know of.”
“Well…” Harry said, “It all started in Little Hangleton…then Voldemort was born in that Orphanage…what was it called…” Harry screwed up his eyes in memory. “I don’t think it had a name!”
“That’s all right,” Hermione said, marking the list. “We know a Mrs. Cole worked there, and that Tom Marvolo Riddle was registered and it was in London, I’m sure we’ll be able to find it…”
“Okay…then he went to Hogwarts…and he’d go back to the Orphanage on summers and…he went to the Gaunts once…then he worked for Borgin and Burkes…and went to Mrs. Smiths house…. then he quit and that’s about it I think.”
Hermione read out the list.
Little Hangleton
Orphanage
Hogwarts
Borgin and Burkes
Mrs. Smith’s House
“Alright then, we should check all those places.”
“It’s probably not in Little Hangleton, because Dumbledore already got one in there, right?” Ron said.
“Yeah, but it wouldn’t hurt to check, and we might find out some stuff to help us even if there is no Horcrux.”
“Okay then,” Hermione said, taking a deep breath. “Let’s go to Little Hangleton.”





“Everybody has talent. What’s rare is to follow that talent to the dark place it leads,”-Erica Jong

Such a sad moment!! The passage on the graves was lovely though.

Well done again, HR.

I love when you update your story!! Gives me something good to read!!

I liked that it was Ron who said they should stay. To me it showed how protective he was of Harry - and the twofold nature of that protection - that he was not only watching out that Harry was safe as he mourned by the graveside, but also that if Harry wasn't okay emotionally, Ron would be there to help for that as well.

I'm a bit of a sucker for big-time angst - so I maybe might have liked to have read a bit more of Harry's feelings as he sat there, maybe a bit more of how Ron and/or Hermione were understanding what Harry was going through.

Nonetheless, I did like what you had written and look forward to the next update. Hope we don't have to wait too long!!!