Chapter 208: "Revelations, OWLs and End of Another Year"

Harry stepped into Black Castle, his heart racing with anticipation. The familiar halls echoed with his footsteps as he quickly searched for Arcturus, eager to learn of the progress on the Horcrux. He was certain that by now, Arcturus must have managed to retrieve it.

After a brief search, Harry found Arcturus in the study with Sirius, deep in conversation. The absence of Bellatrix was immediately noticeable, and Harry's curiosity peaked.

"Hello, Grandfather, Padfoot," Harry greeted them, trying to keep the eagerness from his voice. "What's the topic of discussion?"

Sirius grinned, recognizing the barely concealed excitement in his godson's eyes. "Nothing important. But I suspect you're here about a certain cursed object?"

Harry nodded, a smile tugging at his lips. "Of course. I'm dying to know if my guess about Bellatrix's vault was correct."

Arcturus leaned back in his chair, his eyes twinkling with a mixture of pride and amusement. "Your instincts were spot on, Harry. We found Helga Hufflepuff's cup in the vault, transformed into a Horcrux." He paused, stroking his beard thoughtfully. "It seems Riddle had a penchant for founder items. First the Slytherin locket, and now the Hufflepuff cup. We've eliminated three of these soul anchors now, and if he created more, I think we should be on the lookout for items related to Ravenclaw and Gryffindor."

Sirius nodded enthusiastically. "Great idea. I'll start researching famous items associated with those founders."

Harry's eyes gleamed with excitement. "So, have you destroyed the Horcrux yet?"

Arcturus shook his head. "Not yet. We've been waiting for you before making that decision. There was no rush, so we didn't call you back immediately." He pointed to a black box on a nearby shelf. "The Horcrux is in there."

With reverent care, Harry retrieved the box and placed it on the desk. Opening it revealed the famed cup – a small, golden vessel with two finely-wrought handles and a badger engraved on the side. Harry's eyes traced the intricate details, his mind recalling the rumors of its magical properties.

"It's said to purify anything poured into it," Harry mused aloud. "And drinking from it supposedly provides great nourishment. Some even claim it can amplify the effects of potions." His eyes gleamed with curiosity. "I can't wait to test those theories once this cup is free of the dark soul."

"Padfoot, do you want to do the honors?" Harry offered, looking at his godfather.

Sirius hesitated, his eyes flicking between Harry and the cup. "No, I'm content with the enhancement I've already received. You should do it, Harry."

But Harry shook his head. "I don't really need the boost anymore. I'm already quite powerful, and this enhancement probably wouldn't make a noticeable difference for me." He paused, considering. "If you don't want to, we could offer the opportunity to Amelia or someone else."

A lengthy discussion ensued, with all three weighing the pros and cons of various options. Eventually, they settled on Sirius destroying the Horcrux. It made the most sense – Harry didn't need it, and involving anyone else would risk exposing their secret. Moreover, they were unsure of any potential long-term side effects of their method of destroying Horcruxes and absorbing the soul power within.

With the decision made, Sirius raised his wand. A flash of white light illuminated the room, accompanied by an unearthly scream. When the light faded, the cup sat innocently on the desk, now free of dark magic. Sirius looked slightly dazed, there was an illusion of new strength that seemed to radiate from him.

Harry smiled, hoping this added power would help keep his godfather safe in his dangerous career as an Auror.

"Grandfather," he said, turning to Arcturus, "you should keep the cup after it's repaired. Try having your tea with it – it might make it more refreshing."

Harry's thoughts turned to Arcturus's longevity. He had already changed things to allow him to live longer than in the canon timeline, but the old man was still... old. This train of thought led Harry to consider working on the Philosopher's Stone. He still had the failed product; perhaps he could try to create the real stone and use it to extend Arcturus's life further. It was a project to consider for the future.

With the Horcrux matter settled, Harry's curiosity about Bellatrix resurfaced. "Where is Bellatrix?" he asked.

Arcturus's face became unreadable. "Bellatrix Lestrange née Black is no more," he said cryptically.

Harry nodded slowly, understanding the implication. "So you somehow gave her a new life." He didn't think Arcturus would kill Bellatrix - she was his granddaughter, after all. But Harry knew from the spells he'd seen in the Black family grimoire that Arcturus could very well wipe her memories and use rituals to give Bellatrix a new identity, face, and a fresh start.

Arcturus confirmed Harry's suspicion. "Yes. But that's all I can tell you. I want her fate to remain a secret. I'm sorry I took the decision without asking your opinion, Harry. You were the one who captured her, after all."

Harry waved off the apology. "No worries. I don't have a big grudge against her anyway."

With this matter resolved, Harry returned to Hogwarts, his mind now fully focused on his upcoming OWL exams. The fate of Bellatrix faded to the back of his mind.

The final weeks at Hogwarts passed in a whirlwind of intense study and preparation. Then the ministry officials came to conduct the exams with all the fanfare. The stress levels of all of Harry's friends were high while Harry still calmly just did a few last-minute revisions of theory.

Then the exam days arrived and flew by in no time. Harry breezed through the theory exams and left the ministry invigilators in awe during the practicals. His silent casting and occasional displays of wandless magic during the practical exams left the examiners gobsmacked, many of them unable to perform such feats themselves.

As the OWLs concluded, and before the students could have enough fun, the school year drew to a close.

The Hufflepuff team as expected clinched the Quidditch Cup, a feat which left Professor Sprout with a smile on her face for the whole last week of the year. She seemed to be showing off the cup to Professor McGonagall who was very irritated. Her house team was great too but due to the first match loss in bad weather, they lost the cup.

The house cup, however, was secured by the Ravenclaw house by a huge margin, largely thanks to the points Harry had earned for his heroic actions in saving fellow students from the Death Eaters. Those points made it so that no matter how much effort the other students put in, they never had any real chances of winning the cup for their house.

There were only house points though. Harry did not win any school awards like he did last year for his actions. Harry had no idea why.

With the school year drawing to a close, Harry and his friends packed their belongings, a mixture of relief and excitement for the summer ahead evident on their faces. They had all performed admirably in their OWLs, but the weight of exam preparation and the stress of the tests themselves had taken its toll.

As Harry boarded the Hogwarts Express for the journey home, his mind was already racing with thoughts of the summer ahead. The European Dueling Tournament loomed on the horizon, promising fierce competition and a chance for Harry to further hone his skills. And beyond that, the Quidditch World Cup beckoned - an event Harry knew would mark the beginning of a new chapter in the ongoing struggle against Voldemort and his followers.

As the train pulled out of Hogsmeade station, Harry gazed out the window at the receding castle. The summer awaited, full of promise and potential danger. But for now, as the Scottish countryside rolled by, Harry allowed himself to relax and enjoy the company of his friends. There would be time enough for battles and strategies later. For now, he was content listening to jokes, the weight of the wizarding world temporarily lifted from his shoulders.