Fate Set Right

Chapter 47

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August 23, 1996

"Should we bring the kids in on this?" Sirius asked as Hermione set the teapot on the table.

"Thank ya, love," Alastor murmured, helping himself first. Kreacher came up with a tray of biscuits, beaming a little at the grin and 'thank you' Hermione gave him.

"No, not when part of what I have to tell you involves one of them. Until we have a plan, I don't want them to know the particulars," Severus said adamantly, shaking his head.

"What could possibly be going on now ?" Minerva asked, exasperation evident as she took the teapot from Alastor.

Hermione made her way around the table to sit between Severus and Remus.

"Always somethin' Dumbledore doesn't tell us," Alastor groused. "Can see how easy he sidesteps questions. Doesn't wanna talk 'bout his hand, I know cursed when I see it."

"Yes, instead he goes on about scouting messages. Getting the word out against You-Know-Who," Minerva grumbled.

"Words won't do anything against him," Sirius scoffed. "He's out, everyone knows, it's common knowledge. You either fear him or are on his side. And if you fear him, you either keep your head down, you leave the country, or you fight against him."

"It's because the man who once toted bloody supremacy now only wants to suppress the Muggles and enslave the Muggle-borns. I can tell you now that the werewolf community is already leaning toward supporting him," Remus said, jabbing at the table. "Albus Dumbledore and Volde—"

"Don't," Severus warned.

"Riddle is the only one who has considered any kind of future plans for the packs."

"But isn't Greyback among his followers?" Sirius asked. "Isn't he the reason for many of you?"

"Yes," Remus said seriously. "But people don't care whether we had a choice in the matter or not. A werewolf can't hold down a job, can't stay in a community. I was one of the few who actually got to go to school."

"So yer sayin' we need ta be offering something to the werewolves?" Alastor asked.

"All I'm saying—thank you, Minerva—all I'm saying is that Albus has us out in the world, risking our necks, asking for others to rise up against a Dark wizard who has returned from the dead. And I don't think we can go around throwing around the word 'Horcrux.'"

"And that brings us back to what I want to discuss," Severus said. "We'll start with the hand."

"Cursed?" Alastor asked.

"Yes." Severus nodded. "One powerful enough that, had he been a weaker wizard, he'd have died the moment he slipped the ring on his finger."

"Bloody idiot!" Alastor barked. "What in bloody blazes made him do something so stupid?"

Severus shook his head. "He wouldn't say. But we know there are Horcruxes, perhaps he touched one."

"My research didn't show that Horcruxes do that," Hermione said. Severus looked at her, perplexed. "I may have asked your mother if I could look in her library."

"You braved that on your own?" he asked, and Hermione couldn't tell if he was more amused or concerned.

"You make your mother sound like a demon."

"Depending on the day."

Hermione shook her head. "I found the book that Leo looked through. It was... unsettling. But from what I understand, a Horcrux can severely influence you. Albus said he was a fool, maybe he was under the influence of one. Ginny had no idea what she was doing, losing hours of her life because of her contact with the diary. And if we consider that Harry may be a living one, look at how reckless he can be, he snaps and loses his temper, though it's less often now that he's learned Occlumency. A Horcrux is a piece of a corrupt soul. Frankly, I think Harry is the least affected because Riddle didn't have much soul left to corrupt.