The Potions Master's Daughter (Book Five)

Chapter 38

Once I was calmed down all over again Neville walked with me back to the Gryffindor common room. Harry, Hermione, Ginny and Ron were sitting on the couch discussing something in hushed tones.

I walked over to them and they kindly ignore the redness that I was sure my eyes held, "Dumbledore finally sent our meeting request. WE are supposed to meet him in ten minutes. I suppose we should leave now," Harry told me holding up a piece of parchment.

"Chocolate Eclairs," I told the gargoyle who moved to allow us passage to the Headmaster's office.

"I apologize for keeping you both waiting," DUmbledore started, "I had some business I had to take care of today. I was most pleased to receive your note Harry adnt to find that you had obtained the memory I needed you to. We must take a look at it at once."

Without saying anything else he poured the contents into his pensieve and we sunk our heads beneath the surface of the liquid. The scene was very much the same. The boys were sitting around eating dinner, and Tom stayed behind with Slughorn.

The time came when Tom asked, "I wanted to ask you question sir, about Horcruxes?"

Instead of freaking out as he had in the altered memory this time Slughorn merely looked at Tom over the top of his glasses and inquired, "This is for a Defense essay or something is it?"

"I came across it researching for my essay yes, and I was confused. I was hoping you could tell me more about what they were and how they work."

"I can't see why it would hurt to give you an overview, thought you'd be pressed to find anything regarding Horcruxes in the library, they are after all very Dark magic. A Horcrux is an object in which someone conceals a part of their soul."

"Yes, that's what the book had said as well. I was just wondering how that worked."

"Well you see, you split your soul and hide in in an object of your choosing. That way if you were to be attacked, that piece of your soul would remain safe and hidden away .However, that sort of existence is not one that anyone would wish for, death would be far preferable."

"How does one split his soul?" questioned young Lord Voldemort.

"Well the soul does not like to exist outside of it's full self so it is very difficult to do so. To do so would require the utmost worst act of evil. Yes, only killing could cause enough damage to one's soul to allow it to be split."

"How can that be done?" Tom's voice was borderline hungry now and i wasn't sure if Slughorn could sense it or not, but he looked uncomfortable regardless.

"There is a spell for it, I do not know anymore. Does it look like I know, do I look like a killer to you Tom?"

Tom quickly realized he had gone too far, "No of course not sir, I didn't mean to offend you. lI was merely curious, seeing as though you seem to know more about nearly all subject than any other teacher at this school."

The little bit of flattery seems to go a long way, as Slughorn's spirits lifted considerably, "Well I'm glad I could help you. I am not offended no."

"Well then, may I ask, would it be possible to split one's soul into several pieces, such as seven?"

"Seven dear Merlin! Isn't the idea of killing once horrendous enough. I suppose if someone was evil enough to kill that many times, in theory they should be able to split their soul that many times as well."

With that we took our leave of Horace Slughorn's memory. Once back in the present day Dumbledore looked quite fearful, and I could see him trying to work through things in his head.