Coup de Foudre [Fred Weasley] [6]

⚡️ Chapter 48 ⚡️

Fawkes the phoenix looked around, his bright black eyes gleaming with reflected gold from the sunset beyond the windows. Dumbledore was standing at the window looking out at the grounds, a long, black traveling cloak in his arms. He turned to look at the hasty teenagers, "Well, Vega, Harry, I promised that you two could come with me,"

There was a second or two where Vega did not understand what in the world Dumbledore was talking about, for the conversation with Trelawney had driven all else out of her head as processed that information, "Come... with you... professor?"

"Only if you wish it, of course," Dumbledore said, and it was then Vega remembered why she had been eager to come to Dumbledore's office in the first place.

"You've found one?" Vega asked. "You've found a Horcrux?"

"I believe so," Dumbledore replied. "It is natural to be afraid,"

"I'm not scared!" Harry exclaimed at once. "Which Horcrux is it? Where is it?"

"I am not sure which it is – though I think we can rule out the snake," Dumbledore said. "But I believe it to be hidden in a cave on the coast many miles from here, a cave I have been trying to locate for a very long time: the cave in which Tom Riddle once terrorised two children from his orphanage on their annual trip; you remember?"

"Yes, we remember," Vega replied. "But how is it protected?"

"I do not know; I have suspicions that may be entirely wrong," Dumbledore said and hesitated, "I promised you that you could come with me, and I stand by that promise, but it would be very wrong of me not to warn you that this will be exceedingly dangerous,"

"We're coming," replied Vega and Harry in unison, almost before Dumbledore had finished.

On the other hand, Vega was wondering what would become with what Trelawney had said – Snape had told Voldemort about Harry's parents and him – and in doing so, had caused Harry to grow up without his parents and their love for such a long time.

Dumbledore seemed to have noticed the looks on their faces, for he moved away from the window and looked more closely at the pair of teenagers, a slight crease between his silver eyebrows, "What has happened to you two?"

"Nothing," Harry lied promptly.

"What has upset you?" Dumbledore asked.

"I'm not upset," Harry said and Vega looked toward him in concern.

"Harry," Dumbledore replied, seemingly figuring out that it was actually Harry who was the centre of the situation. "You were never a good Occlumens –"

"Snape!" Harry exclaimed, very loudly, and Fawkes gave a soft squawk behind them. "Snape's what's happened! He told Voldemort about the prophecy, it was him, he listened outside the door, Trelawney told us!"

Dumbledore's expression did not change, but Vega thought his face whitened under the bloody tinge cast by the setting sun. For a long moment, Dumbledore said nothing.

"When did you find out about this?" Dumbledore asked at last.

"Just now!" Harry said, who was refraining from yelling with enormous difficulty. And then, suddenly, he could not stop himself. "AND YOU LET HIM TEACH HERE AND HE TOLD VOLDEMORT TO GO AFTER MY MUM AND DAD!"

Harry turned away, heaving and pacing. Vega continued to stare at Dumbledore, unable to understand why he would employ a man who had caused deaths of Harry's parents, who was responsible for the pain caused to so many people for so long.

It was now that Vega realised that Snape was being even more greedy, to hurt not only Harry further even though he already caused the boy's parents but also Sirius. Snape had already sent the man, in one way or another, to prison yet still continued to torment him, and Neville! Just because Voldemort did not choose him to be the Chosen One?