Infinity (Fred Weasley x reader)

74 - The Fallen Professor

A/N: I know Lupin's wedding is after Dumbledores death but for fic purposes it's before it in this chapter but I'm sure you all won't mind when you see what happens at the wedding. All I'm saying is you've all waited long enough, you're welcome.

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You'd given Harry a lecture about what had happened. Fred told you to go easy on the boy considering he was pretty much the closest you had to a family until you discovered the truth about your real father and you didn't want Harry turning on you either. Draco was going to be fine, he just had to stay in the hospital wing for a few extra days which not only put your mind at ease but Harry's too. With Draco bed bound it meant Harry wouldn't go following him around but that didn't mean Harry was planning to stay out of trouble much to your dismay.  

Harry had told you about what he'd been doing for Dumbledore, he'd been trying to get on the good side of Professor Slughorn to find out what he'd told Tom Riddle many years ago and with luck, Harry had done it. Turns out Slughorn was the one who told Tom Riddle about how to create a Horcrux and that looked as if it was your next mission, to destroy the Horcruxes. If you were all able to complete that then Voldemort would be mortal again which meant Harry could kill him and then the war would be over. If only it was going to be as simple as it sounded. 

Dumbledore called both you and Harry into his office to discuss it. Dumbledore wanted you there because not only did Harry destroy one of the Horcruxes in the Chamber of Secrets but you were also there at the time and helped him with it. After all, if you didn't duel Tom Riddle's sixteen-year-old self and distract him so he couldn't attack Harry after the Basilisk was killed the diary may have never have been destroyed. 

The three of you were watching Slughorns memories of when he told Tom about Horcruxes. It was weird to look at him and realise that was the man who killed Harry's parents especially because of how young he looked, just looking at his younger self you wouldn't expect him to murder anyone. 

"This is beyond anything I imagined." Dumbledore seemed haunted by what he'd seen. "In my life, I have seen things that are unimaginably horrific. I know now ... you will see worse." 

"Do you mean to say he succeeded, sir? In making a Horcrux?" Harry asked as Dumbledore walked back to his desk.

"Oh, he succeeded and not just once. Think, Harry. He's just told us." Dumbledore turned around to face you both.

"Seven." Harry looked at you then back at Dumbledore. "He made seven - the most powerfully magical number ... but ... what are  they exactly?"

"The diary ... Tom Riddles diary." You spoke, looking at Dumbledore for confirmation. "In the Chamber of Secrets, we destroyed it, we destroyed a part of him."

"Indeed Miss Gryffindor, you stand corrected." Dumbledore smiled. "They can be anything. The most commonplace of objects. A ring, for example. Or a book ..." Dumbledore now opened a drawer beside his desk and pulled out a ring and Tom Riddle's diary. "It's a Horcrux, yes. Four years ago, when the two of you saved Ginny Weasley's life in the Chamber of Secrets when you brought me this -" Dumbeldore held up the diary for you and Harry to see. "I knew. This was a different kind of magic. Very dark. Very powerful, but until tonight, I had no idea just how powerful ..."

"And the ring?" Harry asked, pointing to the battered ring beside him. 

"Belonged to Voldemort's mother. It was difficult to find and ... " Dumbledore raised his hand, showing you and Harry how damaged it was. "Even more difficult to destroy."

"But if you could find them all." Harry stepped closer to the destroyed Horcruxes. "If you did destroy each Horcrux ..."

"One destroys Voldemort." Dumbledore simply stated before looking at you. "Professor Gryffindor, there is someone waiting for you in the courtyard, I think you'll find their visit rather touching."