It's been two days, it takes more then two days to write a good chapter, when i'm having a good day, I can get out a chapter, but i'm kinda busy this week, so expect the next chapter sometime tomorrow, but don't expect anymore chapters for a while after that one.
A few days past and Ron finally awoke and was released from St. Mungo’s. He arrived at order headquarters and was immediately seized by Harry. “Ron, we have information to tell you.” Harry said, “It’s about the horcrux, we decided we weren’t going to go without you.”
“Thanks” Ron said, “but I don’t think I should be going anywhere for a while. I’m still not feeling too well, and the healers say I should get as much rest as possible for the next few days.”
“Well, we can always wait for you to feel up to it.” Harry said.
“No, you guys need to get the horcruxes destroyed as soon as possible.” Ron said, “The sooner we can defeat Voldemort the better, it means less people will get hurt like I did.”
“If you really feel that way we will go without you, but we will fill you in on the details anyway.” Harry said.
“Sounds good mate.” Ron said as he sat down on his bed.
“The next horcrux is Hufflepuff’s cup, it’s deep under the house of gaunt, where Voldemort’s mother was born and raised.” Harry began, “Snape has been sent to protect it, so I finally get to deal with that git.”
“It’s about time as well.” Ron said.
“Yes, but if it weren’t for Snape we wouldn’t have found out where it was so soon.” Hermione said.
“You still trust Snape after what he did to Dumbledore?” Harry asked.
“I trust Dumbledore, and if he trusted Snape, and Snape was still communicating with Lupin, then I will trust Snape.” Hermione said.
“Wait,” Ron interrupted, “Snape told you where the horcrux was?”
“Well not exactly, I guess he hadn’t heard that Lupin was dead, he sent a letter, using codenames to tell him what he knew, and to have Lupin tell us.” Harry replied.
“Harry, don’t you think it’s a trap?” Ron asked.
“Yeah a little, but he knew we would trust Lupin, and if Lupin was working with them, or if he was working for us, then what is in the letter is going to be correct.” Harry said. “But I’m going to follow it’s instructions because I have to get to that horcrux, and at the end, I finally get to deal with that evil git.”
“What if Snape really is on our side?” Ron asked, “Then what will you do Harry.”
“Give him what he deserves for killing Dumbledore.” Harry said.
“Whatever, so continue on telling me the details on the horcrux.” Ron said.
“Well,” Hermione began, “like Harry said, it’s deep under the house of gaunt through ten levels of mazes, each maze huge with only one correct path. Snape said he would place creatures for us to fight along the correct path.”
“Snape, the teacher that doesn’t like us, told us this?” Ron asked.
“He didn’t mean to tell us, he meant to tell Lupin to tell us, but he didn’t know Lupin had died.” Hermione said.
“Ok.” Ron said, “Anyway, please continue.”
“Well, that’s pretty much it Ron, that’s all we know, and all we need to know about the horcrux.” Harry said.
“Well, how what’s your plan to get through the mazes and past the creatures?” Ron asked.
“Simple,” Harry said, “I snuck a couple hats from your brothers shop, and since I gave them the money to start their shop, I don’t feel guilty at all.”
“I guess that’ll get you through the maze pretty quick.” Ron said.
“Yeah, we are getting ready to go, if you don’t want to come with us.” Hermione said.
“You guys go ahead and go, I’ll just relax here, and have some fun.” Ron said.
“Alright Ron, we will see you when we get back.” Harry said. Harry, Hermione and Ginny went to tell Mad Eye, that they were leaving. They finally found Mad Eye in the kitchen.
“Professor Moody,” Harry said, “We are going to leave on part of our mission.”
“Very well, I’ll expect you to keep up with your school work.” Moody said.
“Schoolwork? I thought we were done with school.” Harry said.
“Not you Potter, Ginny. She still has some work she will need to do. After all, she is going to be in school next year.” Moody said.
“Ok, Professor Moody, I’ll do my best.” Ginny said.
“You guys may go then.” Moody said.
The trio then headed off to the house of gaunt. They apparated there and stood in front of the house. It was a little more torn up then Harry had seen it when he was visiting memories with Dumbledore, but he recognized it as the correct house.
“Let’s go.” Harry said.
“Right,” Ginny said.
Harry, Ginny, and Hermione headed into the house. Upon entering they were surprised at what they saw, from the looks of the house on the outside, it definitely wasn’t what you would expect on the inside, it looked nice. “It’s like the opposite of headquarters,” Harry thought, “nice on the inside, trashed on the outside.”
They proceeded through the house, looking for a way to get under the house, the finally came to a set of stairs that led to the basement. The trio slowly proceeded down their stairs. When they reached the bottom stairs there was a door, they went through the door and saw a huge maze.
“Well Snape was correct about the maze.” Harry said, “So I say we follow the paths that have creatures placed on them.”
They proceeded down the long path of the beginning of the maze, without coming to an intersection for what felt like hours. It was long, dark, and cold, they could barely see, even with having their wands lit. They finally reached the first intersection, the looked to the left and saw nothing, so they looked to their right and saw a sphinx.
“Why would Snape place so strong creatures in our path?” Harry asked.
“Simple, he told Voldemort he wanted to add extra protection, by adding creatures to the maze, and Voldemort had him add stronger creatures.” Hermione said.
“You are so trusting in him. I think it’s time to place our hats on so we can get by it.” Harry said.
The other two agreed and the three of them placed their hats on their heads. They all disappeared and continued proceeding down the path to where the sphinx was. Then Harry realized the sphinx was blocking the entire path. “Well,” he thought, “there are only a couple ways to get by this sphinx, and I know a pretty good one.” Harry pulled out his wand, summoned up as much strength as he could, pointed his wand straight at the sphinx and screamed “REDUCTO.” The sphinx flew backwards into the next turn and went through the concrete wall that the maze was built out of. Hermione took off her hat.
“Harry, you really are becoming extremely powerful, I think you need to watch your power, you could really hurt somebody, or maybe even yourself.” Hermione said, while recovering from the shock.
“Sorry Hermione, but I figured it would be easier then solving the sphinxes riddle.” Harry said.
“Well maybe if you were alone.” Hermione said, “but I’m sure we could’ve figured it out pretty quickly.”
“We need to continue, we don’t have much time.” Ginny said.
The group continued on their way down the path, making sure to always choose the path with creatures, they ran into dragons, and boggarts, and all sorts of other creatures they had fought in the room of requirement. They found that each level of the maze brought more and more creatures and stronger ones as well, once they ran into three Hungarian Horntails at once, while on the tenth level of the maze. After defeating the Horntails, they left the maze and went through one last door. They saw the horcrux sitting on a pedestal and a man standing close by it, they removed their hats.
“It’s about time you got here Potter.” Snape said, “The horcrux is over here, the death eaters are getting suspicious of me and Draco, who I’ve kept on our side and sent into hiding, so I don’t have much time, I’m sure they will be here soon.”
“What do you mean our side?” Harry asked.
“Those who are fighting against Voldemort.” Snape replied, “I am on the Order’s side”
“I don’t believe you.” Harry shouted. “REDUCTO”
Snape just stood there without his wand and without saying anything, but the spell did nothing to him. “You can’t hurt me with that weak of a spell Potter, I’m more powerful then any of you ever knew, only the Dark Lord and Dumbledore know my true power.” Snape said.
“How did that not effect you?” Harry asked.
“Every wizard has a special power, you might say, if they can tap into their full magical energy, they can release it without a wand. My power is a very strong defense, I was always careful to let some spells through do after I learned how to use my power.” Snape said. “Harry just take the horcrux.”
“You can’t be on our side, there is some trap that will kill me when I take the horcrux, you KILLED Dumbledore, and now you want me dead.” Harry said.
“You can’t be that stupid Potter, Dumbledore is a brilliant man, if you just would look and use your mind, you would find everything you needed to know about that night on the tower.” Snape said. “Now just take the horcrux.”
Snape walked over and to prove there were no traps took the horcrux off and slid it over to Harry’s feet. “Now take it and go.” Snape said.
“I’m sorry I ever doubted you Professor, thanks for all your help.” Harry said, “now what was this talk about the death eaters being suspicious?”
“The death eaters are starting to doubt my loyalties, the Dark Lord hasn’t noticed anything yet, but that one death eater, Bellatrix Lestrange, she thinks I am faltering in my training of Draco in the Dark Arts, and my loyalty to the Dark Lord, I fear she is on her way here to kill me and protect the horcrux herself.” Snape said.
“Then we need to get you out of here, we can always use you on the inside.” Harry said, “Here take my hat, it will act as an invisibility cloak, but only temporarily, enough time to get outside and apparate away. If we see her, we can take care of her.” Harry said.
“Here, take the map, and make your way out, I’ll follow, but as soon as we reach outside, I am gone.” Snape said. Harry traded Snape the hat for the map. Harry reached down and picked up the horcrux, and they started on their way out.
“Wait,” Hermione said, “Let me see the horcrux,” Hermione then muttered something Harry couldn’t understand, and another identical cup appeared on the ground. Harry, take this horcrux and destroy it while we are down here, if Bellatrix is coming she will try to make us give her the horcrux, and we can give her the fake, I got the idea from the locket, and I figured now would be a good time to use it.”
“That’s brilliant Hermione,” Harry said, “Everybody stand back.” Harry set the real horcrux down backed up a bit himself, and screamed “REDUCTO” The horcrux blew to bits, the group then went around destroying all the pieces until it was practically dust then began out of the maze again.
They were halfway out of the mazes when they ran into somebody familiar. It was a person they hadn’t seen in almost a year, he had slick blonde hair, and a pale face. “SECTEMSEMPRA”
thank you for being patient, I'll try my best to get as much work done as possible during my family reunion, but this is going to be the last time i see most of them for two years, so i can't gurantee much.
give me two days for the next chapter, which is actually going ot be a combination of Debt Paid and A Giant Mistake, just because I'm running out of time, and am just going to start resolving most of the loose ends the other books left, while adding a little bit of cliff hangers in my own book but not nearly as much as I was going to be doing this late in the story the story will deff be complete by Aug 20 which just happens to be my 19th birthday
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Jul 8th, 2006 07:49 PM
