Chapter 17

Daphne and Harry had spent an hour together atop the Astronomy tower, until the cold had gotten to be too much for Daphne. She convinced Harry to come inside with her. Harry collected the locket, stuffing it back into his pocket, and took Daphne's hand following her into the castle.

"We need help." He said as they strolled casually through the castle halls. "We can't do this on our own."

"I agree." Daphne nodded. "We're definitely in over our heads here. I'm guessing you want to get Hermione and Weasley?"

"Hermione's really smart, and if she doesn't know the answers, she'll not stop until she finds them. Ron's good at figuring stuff out. Like strategy stuff. I've always had them with me…"

"I get it. They're like good luck charms or something." Daphne nodded understandingly. "Just promise you'll listen to my ideas as well as theirs."

"I promise. It'll be good to have a different point of view to help me."

Daphne stopped and faced Harry. "I meant what I said, Harry. I'm not going to give up on this. I…" Daphne wanted to tell him she was falling for him, that her heart nearly broke when he had tried to brush her off. She could see in his eyes that he felt truly sorry for what he'd done, and that having her by his side meant a great deal to him.

Harry leaned slowly in and kissed her very gently, tugging her lips softly. "I know." he said softly. They kissed for several moments before Harry began escorting her around looking for his wayward friends.

It took a little while, but Harry and Daphne found Ron and Hermione and convinced them to join them in the Room of Requirement, where Harry caught them up on everything he'd learned in the past 24 hours. When Harry finished his tale, he was unsurprised by his best friends reactions.

"Please tell me this is some horrible prank." Hermione stuttered, her face flush with horror. Hermione still held teachers up as flawless protectors, even though it had been proven false. Harry was convinced that Hermione had some sort of mental image of what teachers should be like, and he knew she hoped against all hope that the professors would one day live up to that dream. Harry however was sure that would not happen until Hermione herself became a teacher.

"I wish it were, Hermione." Harry said, sorry that he had to once again disappoint her.

"I think I need to sit down." The bushy haired witch said, clutching her chest, trying to focus on not passing out.

"You already are." Daphne pointed out. Ron gave a small smile at Daphne's remark, and began rubbing his girlfriends back, hoping it would soothe her.

"Oh. Good. That's good." The bushy haired witch said, staring blankly at them all.

"I don't understand." Ron said after several moments of silence. "He was never going to properly train you? He was just going to convince you that you could beat You-Know-Who, and let you get killed?"

"That's pretty much it." Harry sighed. He was incredibly tired at the moment. He had not slept at all since he'd returned from the cave, and it was beginning to catch up with him. His mind was foggy, and he felt wobbly on his feet. He sat down heavily on the sofa that the Room of Requirement had conjured.

"So he just expected you to …to…"

"Die, yes." Daphne concluded Ron's question. "We can't let this happen."

"How do we stop it?" Hermione asked, shaking off her shock. "If Dumbledore couldn't find a way to prevent it, how are we going to?"

"I don't know, but we can't just give up." Daphne shouted pleadingly. "You three have done things that many grown-up, fully qualified wizards can do. Together we can figure this out."

"I'm in. There's no way I'm letting my best mate get killed without a fight." Ron vowed firmly. "But, we're going to need more help than just us."

"Ron's right." Hermione said shakily. "Normally, I'd say let's ask Dumbledore, but it seems we can't trust him."

"What about Professor Snape?" Daphne suggested.

"Obviously you've forgotten how Snape treat Gryffindors." Ron smiled wryly. "Why would he help us?"

"Who else can we go to?" Hermione asked. "Snape at least already knows what's going on. Anyone else and we'd have to explain everything, and I doubt we could make anyone understand, much less believe us. Harry, what do you think?"

Ron and Daphne turned to look at Harry, curious as to what his opinion might be.

Harry was fast asleep. While his three friends were discussing their situation, Harry had succumb to his fatigue and fallen into a deep sleep. Daphne sighed, worried for the boy who'd so completely stolen her heart. She reached out gently and ran her fingers through his messy black mop and felt a thrill as Harry hummed softly in his sleep.

"Well, I guess we'll have to wait to see what he thinks." Hermione chuckled softly.

"I don't think he's slept since yesterday. I found him in the Astronomy tower." Daphne said still watching her sleeping beau.

"Do you know if they actually got the Horcrux?" Hermione asked.

Daphne reached gently into Harry's sweater pocket and extracted the golden locket, Shivering at the nausea she felt in touching it, and handed it to Hermione.

Hermione immediately felt dirty and disgusting the moment the locket fell into her palm. She swore she could hear whispering, a voice telling her that she would fail, and that she was worthless. Berating and insulting her, until she dropped the locket in a panic.

"That's…It's…" She stammered, looking quite shaken up. Ron looked at the two girls curiously.

"What's wrong with you two?" He asked.

"That thing,… it's vile. I swear it was talking to me., saying horrible things." Hermione cast fearful eyes to her boyfriend who looked unbelieving.

"How can that be possible?" Ron said as he bent to pick up the offending locket. "It's just…"

But as his fingers clasped around the golden locket, Ron heard it. A sinister whispering voice telling him he would never be any good. That Harry was not really his friend, and that he was destined to live alone and in poverty.

Images flashed in front of his eyes. Images of Hermione with better men, images of his family dead and gone. Ron dropped the locket as if it had burned him.

"We need to destroy that as soon as possible. Like right this minute." He said shakily.

"But, we don't know how." Hermione reminded. "We couldn't find anything in the library about these things. I should know, I've checked there a hundred times now."

"We have to take it to Professor Snape." Daphne urged. "I think it's affecting Harry. You should have seen him hold it. It was like he wanted to protect it."

"You think it has something to do with the one Dumbledore said was inside him?" Hermione wondered.

"I don't know. But if it's true, and there is part of Voldemort's soul in Harry, then it stands to reason that this thing might be trying to reconnect with it. To repair itself or something. Or maybe it just thinks that Harry might protect it somehow. Whatever the reason, we need to get rid of it before it hurts him."

Severus Snape had been released from the Hospital Wing and had just returned to his private quarters. He was angrier than he'd ever been in all his life. Angry that Dumbledore had asked him to take part in the sacrifice of Lily Evans' only child. It was true that Snape hated Harry, he was a constant reminder of the torment and ridicule he had been subjected to by James Potter. Snape hated Harry as much as he had hated James Potter, but he also cared for the boy. He cared for Lily's son, and did not wish to see the boy permanently hurt, much less dead.

Snape had ridiculed and tormented the boy ever since his first day at Hogwarts, but he had never once done anything that would have truly jeopardized his health. He had protected the boy just as he had promised he would. And he would continue to do so as long as he lived. This was why he could no longer follow the great Albus Dumbledore. Snape had to believe that there was a way to save the boy.

Dumbledore was the most powerful, and the most knowledgeable wizard in all the world, but even he made mistakes. He admitted to this often. So it was for this reason that Snape had to believe that the old man had missed something.

Snape was sitting down to a cup of tea, contemplating the dilemma when there was a frantic knock upon his door. Snape growled at the sound, guessing it was some raven claw who wanted to verify they were correct before finishing their essay. Snape often wondered what had possessed him to take up teaching, and then reminded himself it was far better than prison.

With a moan of pain, he stood from his chair, prepared to tell off the student who had disturbed his solitude.

"What is it?" He asked opening his door, only to be surprised at who he saw standing before him.

"Professor, we need your help." Daphne Greengrass said, holding something inside a bunched up sweater. The know-it-all Granger girl and Weasley were with her, all of them looking pleadingly at the bitter Defense teacher.

"I'm not giving you any help on your essays, you'll have to do your best…"

"This isn't about homework, sir." Daphne interrupted, shifting the bundled sweater open to reveal the Horcrux locket. Snape's black eyes went wide at the sight, and quickly ushered them inside, making sure there was no one else in the corridor.

"Set it on the table." He ordered. Daphne did as she was told and backed away quickly.

"How did you get this?" Snape asked impatiently.

"We took it from Harry. He fell asleep, and this thing just feels wrong. Like it's alive." Daphne tried to explain.

"We need you to destroy it, sir." Hermione said. Snape saw all three of them watching him carefully. "We think it's affecting Harry."

"Affecting him how?" Snape stared at the locket, looking so benign on his little table.

"He's strange when he holds it. Like he wants to protect it." Daphne answered. Snape turned and peered into Daphne's eyes. She felt odd as he looked at her, like he was examining her under a magnifying glass or something, and then it was over.

"He's told you everything, hasn't he?" Snape finally asked.

"Yes, sir." Daphne nodded.

"And I would be correct in assuming he's also share everything with the two of you, am I right?"

"Yes, sir." Hermione said, nodding her head. Ron also nodded, still looking apprehensive at having to come to Snape, who he hated almost as much as Harry.

"I see. Well, this complicates matters." Snape said, rubbing his temples. He then looked at Daphne again.

"Tell me, Miss Greengrass, what is you relationship to Potter? Tell me the truth, this is very important."

"Well," Daphne said, feeling herself blush.

"Do you have strong feelings for him?" Snape pressed.

Daphne felt her throat close, but nodded all the same. She felt very awkward talking to her Head of House about her love life. She couldn't understand how that was relevant to the present situation, either.

"The old fool." Snape said in a near whisper.

"Sir, do you know how to destroy it?" Hermione asked anxiously. Snape turned to face her, making the bushy haired girl feel intimidated.

"I…do not. Only Dumbledore knows how, as he's destroyed one already. Potter has also destroyed one as well."

"He has?" Ron asked looking awed.

"Indeed. A diary." Snape said settling back into his seat. "It was revealed to myself and Potter last evening. I didn't have time to ask Potter how he managed it, and Dumbledore has not enlightened me on his method for ridding the world of these accursed things."

"If the diary was one, then I might know how it was done." Ron spoke up. "He used the fang of a Basilisk. That is, if it's the same diary I'm thinking of."

"That's right. He stabbed it in the Chamber of Secrets." Hermione looked hopeful.

Snape also looked up a bit hopefully. "A Basilisk fang? Are you sure Weasley?"

"Yes, sir. I'm positive."

"Do you know where the Chamber of Secrets is?, Can you take me there?"

"Not without Harry. You can only get in if you speak Parseltongue." Ron said dejectedly. "I don't think I could do it."

"Damn." Snape said pounding his fist on the arm of the chair. "We have very little options left to us, then. I'm afraid I will need to speak to the Headmaster." Snape was staring at the innocent looking locket, wondering what horrors it held, and sure he never wanted to find out. He could feel waves of dark energy pulsing from it, but it was only barely noticeable. He was sure none of the three students felt it. He was sure the three students couldn't detect it, as I was so subtle, but it was definitely there.

"Leave this with me. Speak of it to no one." Snape said, eyeing each of them in turn. "I will talk to the Headmaster and figure out the best way to destroy it."

"Sir, we'd like to be here when you do." Daphne said, Hermione and Ron nodding as well.

"Very well, when I have the answer I will send for you all, Potter as well. Until then…" He said motioning for the door. The three students took the cue and left the Head of Slytherin to his thoughts.

Harry awoke with a powerful panic pressing against his chest, making it difficult to breathe. He jumped off the couch he'd been sleeping on and tried to piece together his predicament. He remembered talking to Daphne in the Astronomy tower, and then going to find Ron and Hermione. Harry and Daphne were going to take them to the…

"Room of Requirement." Harry said to himself, relaxing a bit. He still felt an oppressing sense of dread, but he knew that he was safe. He began to wonder where his friends had gone to, when his stomach growled. He checked his watch to see how close it was to meal time. It was quite likely that they were eating, as it was dinner time.

Harry decided he would take the Horcrux up to his trunk and then join his friends for some…

"The Horcrux." Harry said, his voice trembling. It was not in his pocket. He patted all his pockets, and the threw the cushions off the couch. The golden locket was missing. Harry now understood why he felt so panicked. He had lost the locket, Voldemort's soul anchor was missing.

"I need the Horcrux." Harry repeated over and over as he got down on his hands and knees to look under the couch and the two chairs. He finally tipped the chairs over in his growing dread. He spun around looking all over the floor for the elusive locket. On his third spin he saw something he was sure hadn't been there a moment before.

A tall marble pillar, crowned with a bust of a ugly looking witch sat in one corner that had been empty just a moment before. The bust had a ratty looking wig, and a dust covered tiara on its head. Harry wondered why the room would suddenly conjure that sort of thing. He had not asked it for an ugly statue, he had asked for help finding the locket.

Shrugging it off and resuming his search, another thought occurred to him.

"What if Daphne took it?" He queried. She had been absolutely adamant about having the locket destroyed. She had said that it felt tainted, foul somehow. He had not understood what she had meant by that. He had been holding onto it for several hours and had not felt anything sinister from it. It had actually felt strangely comfortable with him, like a long lost friend.

Still, he knew he needed to keep it close to him until they could destroy it, for fear it might fall into innocent hands, and Hogwarts could suffer another mess like in his second year. Harry hated the thought of some poor first year becoming possessed by the golden trinket.

Quickly, Harry got to his feet and threw open the door to find his friends. He needed to make sure they were alright and the Locket was safe.

"AAGH!"

Harry ran right into Ron, who with Daphne and Hermione were just returning to check on him.

"Are you alright?" Daphne asked helping Harry to his feet.

"Where is it?" He asked frantically. Daphne actually jumped as he clutched her arms.

"It's safe." She said, hoping to calm him down a bit. "Professor Snape has it."

"Damn it!" Harry said as he side stepped Daphne and began racing towards the dungeons. Daphne, Ron and Hermione quickly followed him.

"Harry, it's safe. Snape's going to get Dumbledore to tell him how to destroy it." Ron shouted.

"Are you sure?" Harry called back. "What if he takes it to Voldemort? You guys don't think! We can't trust him, we can't trust anyone."

Ron and Hermione looked at each other worriedly for a second. Daphne sprinted ahead and got in Harry's path, stopping him in his tracks.

"Harry, Professor Snape is going to destroy it, and we're going to make sure of it." She said firmly. Harry looked frightened for a moment, and then he shook his head, as if clearing his foggy mind.

"Destroy it?" He asked vacantly.

"Yes. We have to destroy it to weaken him, remember?"

Harry sank down onto the floor, looking quite confused. "What's happening to me?" He gazed upon the concerned faces of his friends. They all looked very worried, and Harry was becoming confused.

"I felt like I had to protect it." He admitted.

"But you broke through it's spell." Daphne said gently, touching his cheek, and turning his head so she could look in his eyes. "Are you ok now?"

"I think so. You said Snape was going to talk to Dumbledore about it?" Harry asked, and all three nodded.

"Then, I think we should talk to him, as well. I think we just found another flaw in his great plan."

Ron helped Harry to his feet and the four made their way to the Infirmary, where they asked to speak with the Headmaster. Madam Pomfrey was about to tell them all off when Dumbledore's weak voice called for her to admit them.

Snape was seated next to the Headmaster's bed, and Dumbledore looked very weak, propped up on pillow. His face was drawn and his eyes were rimmed red. The table beside is bed looked like it might crumble under the weight of all the potion vials piled on it. And there was a tray with a bowl of half eaten soup on the floor.

They all felt a wave of sadness at seeing Dumbledore looking so frail and weak. He had fallen a long way from the vibrant jovial man they had all known through their years at Hogwarts.

"Are you alright, sir?" Hermione asked.

"I'm afraid not, Miss Granger. How can I help you all?" The Headmaster asked, changing the subject quickly.

"I think we have another problem." Harry said without preamble. "I think the Horcruxes are going to try and keep me from allowing them to be destroyed."

"And why do you think that?" Dumbledore asked gently.

"I awoke from a nap a little bit ago, and all I could think about was finding it and keeping it safe. Everyone who touches it feels dark magic, but when I hold it, I felt like I was complete somehow." Harry explained.

"When I found him earlier, he had a strange look in his eye. He was reluctant to show it to me, and he was caressing almost lovingly" Daphne added, sounding a little jealous of the locket.

"Damn." Dumbledore said softly.

"I was just getting to that part." Snape said softly.

"Did you experience the same sensation when you had the diary all those years ago?" The old man asked.

"No, but I didn't have it for very long, or so close to me."

"Sir, do you think that You-Know-Who knows that some of them have been destroyed?" Ron asked, but Dumbledore quickly waved it off.

"It is highly unlikely, Mister Weasley. My best guess would be that these fragments of Voldemort's soul can sense the piece within Harry. They may also sense the intentions of others who want to destroy it, and might be trying to possess Harry."

"Might they be trying to reconnect with each other? Repair themselves?" Snape asked.

"I believe that might be a possibility. We are in unrecorded territory here. All I am sure of is that they must all be found and destroyed."

"Which brings us to it then." Snape said. "How do we do it?"

"There are several ways. I myself used the Sword of Godric Gryffindor. Only a true Gryffindor may use it, though. So, Severus, you must use another method. The venom of a Basilisk proved quite up to the task. Perhaps you could convince young Harry to escort you down into the Chamber of Secrets to procure a few of them. Also, Fiendfyre would be quite effective. I also have notes for a potion that would prove very useful. Also, if you were to collect them all, one could simply toss them through the veil. Once hey crossed, they would all be anchored to the realm of the dead."

"The veil." Hermione whispered, remembering the archway they had found in the Department of Mysteries, and the cold feeling of dread she felt in that small arena.

"You're saying we can just hit it with the sword, and that will do it?" Ron asked.

"Yes, Mister Weasley. It was how I destroyed the first one that I discovered. Though I recommend a good stabbing motion rather than merely hitting it."

"Do you have any idea what the rest of them are, or where they might be?" Harry asked.

"Ah, that is still a bit of a mystery." Dumbledore sighed.

"You must have some idea." Hermione pressed.

"I have ideas, yes." Dumbledore nodded weakly. "But I have no way to prove it I am correct."

"Albus, there is no more time for puzzles, or riddles. Tell us what you know." Snape demanded.

Dumbledore closed his eyes and sighed. "You are right."

Over the next hour, the ancient Headmaster explained all he had learned of Voldemort's Horcruxes. The Headmaster divulged every secret and theory he had ever found out in all his long years of research. He told them all that they should review the memories he had collected so they might have a better understanding of Voldemort, and they might gains some insight as to the whereabouts of his soul anchors. In the end, Daphne, Ron and Hermione had all felt sickened by the Headmaster's admissions, while both Harry and Snape looked utterly unmoved by it all. Perhaps it was because they had already heard much of it, or perhaps it was because they no longer could respect the man lying in the bed before them.

"I have a question." Daphne asked when Dumbledore had finished.

"I will do my very best to answer it."

"What do you think of that might help Harry to live through this? Did you even try anything at all?"

Harry wanted to hug Daphne and kiss her until her head spun. She looked so angry at the Headmaster now. He felt pride as both Ron and, to a lesser extent, Hermione both looked on angrily.

"As I had said, this is all unprecedented. My first thought was to try to remove the Horcrux, almost as you would someone who is possessed. An exorcism, for lack of a better term. While Harry was recovering from his encounter with Lord Voldemort after the finals task of the Tri-wizard tournament, I actually attempted it. I had to stop when it was clear that it would not relinquish its hold on Harry without killing him first." Dumbledore coughed for several moments and then settled a bit more into his pillows.

"You actually tried?" Harry asked, looking incredulous.

"I did. I slipped a bit of Draught of Living Death into one of your potions, so you would not awaken while I attempted it. I felt it would be better if you didn't have to endure the pain I was sure would be a part of the attempt. Once it was clear that it was not going to work, I gave you the antidote."

"But Sirius wouldn't have allowed you…" Harry started to say, but Dumbledore cut him off.

"I made arrangements for Sirius to be elsewhere. I was only trying to help you, Harry. At that time, if I had told you what I suspected, I doubt you would have been very rational. It would not have been unexpected, but I felt that it was better to try, and then tell you if I succeeded." Dumbledore tried to smile, but the sadness etched on his face made it look more like a grimace.

"Who do you think you are?" Daphne said coldly. "You're not a god. You can't play with peoples lives like that."

"Would you be judging me so if I had succeeded?" Dumbledore question, and Daphne had to admit her opinion might have been different. She hated that she agreed with the man, but the fact was that had he removed the Horcrux from Harry, they all might feel differently about him.

"I looked for anything that might relieve you of this burden, I even looked for a way to transfer it into myself." Dumbledore sighed. "Alas, I could find no way in which to remove it without killing you in the process.

Everyone's eyes bugged out at this admission. Dumbledore gave a small smile.

"You see? I only wanted to protect you, to spare you from what must be done." Dumbledore said, staring at Harry. "And I have failed. This should never have fallen to you, but through the years, you have proven to me that you can finish what I started. You must find and destroy the remaining Horcruxes, Harry. And then, you must make the ultimate sacrifice."

Harry stood up stiffly, his eyes blurry from his own angry tears. "Is there any possibility that I can defeat him?"

Dumbledore's voice was a hoarse whisper as tears fell from his own blue eyes. "I do not believe so. He is very powerful, and will use anything he can think of to defeat you. He fears you can bring him down, and that makes him even more dangerous."

Dumbledore took a great breath before continuing.

"If, by some miracle, you did manage to defeat him, there would still be part of him within you. Eventually it might become strong enough to overpower you, then, those you cared for would be at even greater risk."

"Have you considered the possibility that if the Dark Lord used the Killing Curse it might only kill the Horcrux within Potter?" Snape spoke up for the first time in over an hour. Every head turned to stare at the Defense teacher.

"I have, but the possibility is far too remote. It is more likely that it would kill both Harry's soul and the Horcrux. It is too small a chance to even hope for." Dumbledore shook his head.

"Alright, that is enough. The Headmaster needs his rest." Madam Pomfrey came around the privacy screen to shoo out Dumbledore's visitors.

As they reached the doors to the Hospital Wing, Snape stopped Harry.

"Potter, a moment." Snape inclined his head. Harry nodded and followed his most hated ally a ways down the hall.

"I cannot begin to imagine how you are feeling, and I will not try lie to you and tell you that we will find a way." Snape began.

"But, you think Dumbledore's right" Harry finished Snape's thought.

Snape felt a great swell of pity for the young man before him, the product of his greatest love and his most hated enemy. A child that could have been his own if he had made different choices.

"I am truly sorry, Potter. I see no other alternative. Dumbledore is dying, and he will be unable to finish this."

Harry nodded. He had suspected the Headmaster had very little time left, especially after the incident in the cave. He stared at his shoes for several long minutes before he looked up at Snape, who looked as if nothing different were happening. Had any students passed by, it would have looked as Snape had just given Harry detention.

"I am going to destroy the Locket tonight. I would like you to be there. You must know what to expect in the future."

Harry nodded and Snape swept off down the hall, leaving Harry to stand alone for several minutes.

"Hey, you ok?" Daphne asked as she took his hand in her own.

Harry said nothing. He didn't dare try and speak. He knew he was just a breath away from breaking down again, and he couldn't do that anymore. His fate was sealed, and there was nothing left but to do as he was supposed to. Harry Potter would find and destroy all the remaining Horcruxes, and then he would sacrifice himself before the Dark Lord, Voldemort, to save the world. He would do it with out complaint, and he would do it without sadness.

Harry looked up to see Daphne's worried brown eyes. She looked so helpless at the moment. Harry saw both Ron and Hermione close by, each wearing their sorrow on their faces. He then thought of Hagrid, his very first wizarding friend. Of Remus, and Luna Lovegood. Neville, Dean and Seamus and all his fellow Gryffindors. Of the Weasley family and so many others who had been good to him and shown him kindness and compassion.

Harry Potter would die to save them all.

"Come on." He said gently, tugging on Daphne's arm. "Let's get something to eat."

Hermione had been deep in thought since she'd returned to Gryffindor tower. A single idea had been cycling through her mind, one that frightened her, and at the same time gave her hope. She had no idea if it could even work, and if it didn't she would lose her best friend forever, and it would be her fault.

Yet, still the idea persisted through the rest of the evening.

Harry and Daphne had left them after they had all gotten food from the kitchens. Harry had talked for a long time with the hyperactive House Elf, Dobby, who insisted on serving them himself.. Daphne had been quite humored by Dobby's constant praises of Harry, that is until Harry told the little elf that he and Daphne were dating.

Dobby then went on to praise how beautiful and kind Daphne must be to have won the heart of such a noble and honorable wizard like Harry. Daphne's cheeks flashed bright red, and she playfully smacked Harry's arm as he laughed at her predicament.

It had been nice. The four of them had enjoyed their meal, and their closeness, but they all had felt this new pressing dread that hung over them like storm clouds. After their l, Daphne and Harry had bid them goodnight, deciding to spend time alone together. Ron had made to protest, but Hermione had held him back. They had then taken a short walk together, neither speaking, but both thinking about all they had learned today.

Hermione decided the she was tired, and Ron had readily agreed to return to their common room, where Hermione gave the redhead a chaste kiss and begged off to bed. There she had sat for the next few hours thinking. Thinking of the idea that had first manifested itself while they had been speaking to Dumbledore hours ago. An idea so simple, and at the same time, very complex.

"Would it work? There's so much I don't understand, and I don't even know who I could ask, except Dumbledore." She thought. Her mind tried to think of someone else who might know more, but she didn't know any Unspeakables.

Images flashed in her head of that great room and it's centerpiece. She saw herself gripping Ron's hand and waiting for the outcome she felt was the only outcome, and time and time again her mind showed her only disaster.

Hermione needed answers. She had to know for sure if her idea could work or not. So she stood up from her bed, and threw on her dressing gown, and prepared herself to do something she had never done on her own. She was going to sneak out to speak with Dumbledore alone.

Hermione had only one question on her mind as she silently descended the staircase, reveling in the silence of the castle at this late hour. It helped her to think, visualize her idea better, to weigh the pros and cons of it all.

She finally came to the infirmary, and silently padded her way to the bed furthest from the door, surrounded by the great privacy screen Madam Pomfrey had erected. She peered around it, and whispered softly.

"Professor?"

"Miss Granger? It is very late." Dumbledore's hoarse voice answered her.

"I know, sir, and I'm sorry, but I had a thought, and I just had to know if it were possible." Hermione said apologetically, coming inside Dumbledore's makeshift room.

"I will do my best to help you, of course." The old man said weakly.

"With the Horcrux inside of him, could Harry survive walking through the Veil?"