Chapter 48
Chapter 47
“I’m sorry… what?!” Amelia struggled to comprehend. “Albus Dumbledore imprisoned you for how long?!”
“About 30 years but we shouldn’t focus on that now.” Harry waved it off. “What we should be focussing on is that no two of the same souls can live in the same reality at once. And as I am immortal. Sadly your Harry Potter had to pay the price,”
“But you were here for 30 years?! Why now?!” Ron blurted out. “Why was Harry even born then?!”
“That is something I can’t explain,” Harry replied. “While I know more than the average wizard due to being the Master of Death I don’t know all.”
“Okay so Dumbledore was trying to get you to fulfill the prophecy that mentioned our Harry, but since you are not him exactly then it shouldn’t apply to you,” Amelia reiterated.
“That is very likely so,” Harry nodded. “Albus Dumbledore is caught in the dilution that both Harrys are the same. We are not. We have the same soul but our experiences differ as does our age. I fulfilled the prophecy in my timeline. It should not count a second time. Neither would any other prophecy regarding this timeline’s Harry. If the Goblins themselves recognized me as Harry Potter but can’t grant me access to the Poter vaults because I am not your Harry Potter then the point seems established. Magic works along a set of rules.”
“As interesting as Mr. Potter’s tale is there are some other things we need to discuss,” Severus interjected. “Perhaps I’ve become somewhat desensitized towards reality hopping but I am more curious about the compulsion potions and why Mr. Weasley and Ms. Granger are here.”
“As it stands, several Ministry employees and Aurors have also been doused with compulsion potions. According to the Healers the potions have been in our system too long to determine who exactly is the culprit though the Healers have been able to determine that the potions have been renewed consistently without anyone being the wiser.” Kingsley related. “However, the case of Mr. Weasley and Ms. Granger is slightly different. Besides compulsion potions additional mild love and lust potions had been detected in their bloodstreams.”
“I’m sorry… what…” Harry was speechless. He remembered his Hermoine and Ron. They were the IT couple in the Ministry. So in love, so supportive. No one in their right mind would even imagine that love and lust potions played a part.
“Yes, the potions were geared to the other,” Kingsley stated.
“So the person that dosed them was very interested in their relationship developing,” Severus pondered aloud while bringing a hand to his chin. “Why though?”
“We don’t know Professor,” Hermoine answered. She looked more lost than ever. “We… just… I just…. I don’t even know how to feel right now,” Ron said nothing though he couldn’t look Hermoine in the eyes.
“Ms. Granger, Mr. Weasley, perhaps it is prudent to get an ancestry test done at Gringotts,” Amelia suggested. “I have seen several cases over the years where if a love potion was involved it mostly had to do with some type of inheritance. It is suspected among some circles that the Muggleborns are descendants of Squib lines from Pureblood families that may or may not have gone extinct. You too Mr. Weasley. There may be something in your family line someone wants to desperately get their hands on,”
“It is a rather strange conundrum,” Snape muttered. “Though as we aren’t going to make any headway with that at the moment given that we have no more information then I do wish to move onto a subject that might interest you all,” Severus indicated towards Harry and for him to go ahead.
“I am willing to kill the old Voldypants once if the Ministry is willing to cover it up,” Harry stated which caused Tonk’s hair to turn green in surprise while Lupin stood up with wide eyes.
“Harry you can’t!”
“I sure as hell can Remus,” Harry stated. “I am more than capable of turning Dark Lord Snakey into a pile of ash. The problem is him resurrecting afterward. Tell me, do any of you know what a Horcrux is?”
“A what?” Hermoine asked with a hunger for knowledge in her gaze.
“Impossible…” Amelia gasped. Harry looked towards the Aurors but they seemed rather clueless.
“I see Dumbledore hasn’t clued you in,” Harry sighed. “To give a quick summary a Horcrux is an object where someone hides a detached fragment of their soul to stay immortal. Know that the only way to create a Horcrux is through murder. There are only two known ways to destroy a Horcrux. Basilisk venom or Fiendfyre,”
“That sounds absolutely foul, mate,” Ron remarked.
“It is the foulest magic I have ever come across,” Harry stated “Though there is a downside to this resurrection part,”
Those in the room waited eagerly for Harry to explain “In second year one of the Horcruxes was destroyed. The diary Ginny had in our second year Ron,” he continued. “It was where I discovered a Horcrux’s greatest weakness,”
“Which is?” Ron asked while staring wide-eyed.
“For Moldyshorts to resurrect he needs to siphon the lifeforce of another witch or wizard. I don't know if it also would work on any other magical being but that’s the weakness. For him to fully resurrect more than half a school year was needed. It would take even longer if no one came in contact with his Horcruxes,”
Harry then proceeded to place the warded box he had next to him on the coffee table before using his wand to open it. The sides of the box fall to reveal a gleaming golden cup inside. “Hufflepuff’s cup, a Horcrux,” Harry stated as he watched those in the room recoil.
“WHY IS THAT HERE?!” Ron shouted as he wanted to be nowhere near that object.
“Normally I would have destroyed it but I would like to pose a deal,” Harry stated as he looked point-blank at Amelia. “A diary, Hufflepuff’s cup, Ravenclaw’s diadem, the Gaunt ring, Slytherin’s locket, his snake, and your Harry. All Horcruxes.”
“Our Harry?! No… No… NO!” Ron shouted as he stood up and pointed an accusing finger at the other Harry. “Our Harry wasn’t evil!”
“You don’t have to be evil to be a Horcrux container,” Harry snapped back. “Why do you think your oh so wise Headmaster used Fiendfyre on your Harry’s body?”
“You said a locket boy?” Moody, who had been silent for a good chunk of the meeting finally spoke up. He hobbled over, reaching into his jacket pocket, and took out something silver before putting it on the coffee table. “Is something like this? My eye’s been going crazy ever since I confiscated it from Mundungus and yer cup is giving off the same reading.”
“Uh… yes… that’s Slytherin’s locket,” Harry stared somewhat dumbfounded. He hadn’t expected to see the locket so soon.
“What about this one?” Minerva said next as she used her wand to lay a wooden box on the table. With a wordless Alohamora, she opened the box to reveal a silver diadem. “The School wards had been going crazy until we found this thing in the Room of Requirement,”
“Hold on… are you lot actually saying that I have three of He-who-must-not-be-named’s soul fragments on my coffee table? Bloody freaking hell!” Amelia let out an atypical curse for a lady of her upbringing but it had to be said.