Chapter 14: Another meeting of the Order of the Phoenix

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"Are we sure it's okay for Harry to attend?" Molly asked a little worried as she looked at everyone sitting at the long table.

"I think he's shown how strong he is, and also that he can be very cunning," Dumbledore said with a small smile and a twinkle in his eyes.

"I now trust that Harry can take better care of himself."

Harry, who was standing with his arms crossed and his back to the wall, walked over and placed a hand on Molly's shoulder.

"Mrs. Weasley, I appreciate your concern for me, but believe me, you may know more about Voldemort than the headmaster himself."

Molly just sighed before nodding.

"I don't mean to act like your mother, Harry. I'm simply worried that you won't be able to live out your youth. We only have one after all."

Harry genuinely smiled at Molly's words.

 "Okay, I understand your concern. But sadly, I'll never be able to live a youth with Voldemort around."

"And regarding the Dark Lord, I have some news to give, but let's wait for the new member to be introduced," Harry smiled and looked at Fleur, who was sitting next to William Weasley, who arrived in the morning.

"True," Dumbledore nodded. "William invited Miss Delacour because of her close work with the head of Gringotts Great Britain."

Bill nodded at that and said, "My job was to try to have a better relationship with the goblins and try to get their help against Voldemort, but I think with Fleur it might be a little easier."

Arthur and Molly looked at their son with a certain level of skepticism. They could see that their eldest son was interested in the young French girl. And while his reason was good and actually not a bad idea, they understood that there was something else related to the invitation.

 Fleur nodded to everyone.

"I may not be able to do much knowing Brok, but I will help in any way I can."

"That is enough, Miss Delacour," Dumbledore said seriously. "I think everyone here knows how stubborn and cunning goblins can be. Brok could be even more so because of his high position at Gringotts."

Harry smiled unseen. If they knew he was Brok's friend, they would probably freeze in shock. Of course, he wouldn't say anything, neither would Fleur. It was better to keep that a secret, especially when the relationship between the goblin and Harry could improve even more. In Harry's opinion, it was better to wait a little longer, especially since some goblins might agree to help Voldemort.

The word friend could mean something else to goblins. It was better to be cautious with them.

 "Kingsley, Tonks, have you heard anything inside the Ministry?" Dumbledore asked curiously and also a little hopeful that it was so.

"Lucius Malfoy has been seen having a meeting with the Minister. Also...", Kingsley stopped when he wanted to continue, putting on a slightly odd expression.

"Also?", Remus asked curiously.

Tonks was the one to answer, "The Carrow brothers, Avery, Gibbon, Yaxley, Crabbe and Goyle were captured after their houses exploded and dark objects and even some muggles were discovered captured in secret rooms. The Carrow brothers were being prepared for Azkaban in the morning. The rest are awaiting sentencing, but it's almost certain they'll get the same from what was in their homes."

"How?" Dumbledore asked in surprise. He would have known if there were trials for these people, he was the Warlock after all.

"It seems things inside were more serious than what was reported in the papers. Madame Bone didn't wait for a trial and dosed them with veritaserum as soon as they arrived at the DMLE cells," Kingsley said seriously.

"Well done!" Sirius exclaimed, earning nods from several members.

 "Mmm... this could make things easier, or maybe harder if Voldemort decides to act in some way."

"Do you think the Dark Lord will try to rescue them?" Sturgis asked seriously.

"It's hard to see Voldemort saving a person, but he might decide to attack Azkaban. With his great affinity for dark magic, he would have no problem going in and out with all his followers behind him."

"What do you think Harry?"

Everyone turned their heads to look at Harry, who had been listening quietly.

"He will... attack Azkaban, I mean."

"How can you be so sure?" William asked bewildered.

Harry sighed a little before answering.

"They already know about what was on my scar, right?"

"A Horcrux, even though we don't know what that is. You haven't said anything," Hestia said a little unsure.

Harry looked at them all seriously before explaining.

 "Horcrux: a magic that you can create a phylactery with; a container for the soul. To create one you need a certain ritual that involves a spell and a horrible act, in this case murder. When you gather what you need, you split your soul and that part you split, you leave it inside the object you have chosen."

"When my parents were killed, the requirements were ready. But Voldemort had no intention of creating one," Harry closed his eyes at this point and continued, "My mother's love and her subsequent sacrifice saved my life from the killing curse, causing it to rebound and kill Voldemort. When that happened, her soul split again and she rushed to find a container... that was my scar."

The members of the order looked on in horror mixed with sadness upon learning of the horrible magic, but also of what really happened that day.

Harry opened his eyes and they flashed with a peculiar glow.

 "However, Voldemort seems unaware that a Horcrux is a silly magic."

"Silly magic?" Tonks asked, bemused. "I understand that it's a horrible magic, but you practically become immortal."

"But at the cost of becoming less human and unstable, and making it impossible to move on from the limbo between this life and the afterlife."

"A single Horcrux will already make the caster less human and also mentally unstable. Voldemort created seven of them. If his mind tells him that it might be a good idea to attack Azkaban, then he won't think about it too much. At the same time, since his soul is split into so many parts, there isn't much left in his current body."

"If they're all destroyed, then there won't even be a fight against him. His body will collapse on its own."

"I've already destroyed two of them."

Everyone's eyes widened as they heard all the information. They looked at each other and could see the hope in each other's eyes. This battle against the Dark Lord seemed a little easier now.

Dumbledore breathed through his nose, feeling revitalized by hearing this information.

"Wait, two?" Arthur asked confused. "I understand about your scar, you already explained it. But when did you destroy another one?"

"You have Sirius' brother to thank for that."

"What?" Sirius asked confused. Harry simply looked at him before reaching into his pants pocket and pulling out the locket.

 "Before your brother died, he discovered the truth about the Horcruxes. Voldemort had used Kreacher to hide this locket, but Regulus ordered Kreacher to tell him what he did with the Dark Lord. When he went to the hideout, he drank a water that Voldemort had enchanted, but he ended up dying from it."

"In the end, his last order to Kreacher was to destroy the Horcrux, but Kreacher couldn't do it, until he learned what this locket was."

"If it wasn't for Regulus Black, it would have taken a lot more to get this locket out of its hiding place."

Sirius froze in his seat as he stared at the locket. His mind had gone blank upon hearing what Harry said. And without realizing it, tears rolled down his eyes.

Remus tightened his hand on his friend's shoulder, causing Sirius to react and rub his closed eyes with his fingers.

 "Thanks for telling me, Harry."

"You're welcome. It's something you needed to know."

"Harry... can you tell us if you know what the rest of the items are?" Dumbledore asked carefully as he saw the mood was a little sadder.

Harry nodded, "Voldemort's snake is another one. Nagini. There's also Ravenclaw's diadem, Helga Hufflepuff's cup, and the Gaunt family ring. The diary was one too, but I ended up destroying that thing in my second year, I think you know about that."

"And except for Nagini, I only know that the ring is in the cottage that was owned by the Gaunt family. I don't know of any possibility of traps around the location."

"I can get an idea of the Gaunt cottage. There was some trouble with them years ago," Dumbledore said seriously.

"You mean the attack that sent Morfin Gaunt to Azkaban," Kingsley pointed out.

 "An attack that might now actually not be his fault, but the Dark Lord's to hide the Horcrux," McGonagall said, speaking for the first time in the meeting.

"Most likely," Alastor growled as he said that.

"I think we should stop for now. We've received a lot of useful information, plus some of you may want to digest all of this," Dumbledore stood up as he spoke. Everyone nodded in agreement.

Harry looked at Sirius before turning around and walking towards the room that was now his within this house. Sirius had Remus and Tonks for support, of course him too, but Harry still had some things to do, something important.

When he got to his room, he used the cloak of invisibility to turn it into a black hooded cloak. His clothes were already completely black, he had prepared himself beforehand.

"Dobby"

"Everything is ready, Mr. Harry Potter," Dobby appeared and handed him a black mask that would hide his face from the nose down. When Harry put it on, he took a small container with two circles and opened the lids. Carefully, he took out two contact lenses so that his green eyes wouldn't give him away.

"Was it hard for you to get in?"

 "Kreacher is a grumpy house elf, it took Dobby some convincing, but Dobby managed to do it."

"Please thank him for me and keep it a secret as well."

"Dobby already did that, Mr. Harry Potter."

Harry nodded after blinking to get a little used to the contact lenses.

Looking at Dobby, Harry looked towards the bedroom window before taking a deep breath and then disappearing in a snap.

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