After All This Time - Book 3

Twenty Three

I kept my word and kept my distance from Draco. I met him in the Room of Requirement one last time; he already knew and understood why it had to happen. I never mentioned anything to Harry, Hermione, and Ron, but I could tell they knew. They had been paying me extra attention as of late, the kind of attention you pay a friend who's trying to pretend she is okay even though her boyfriend just broke up with her. I'm sure Hermione had told them she heard me crying late at night, for reasons truly unbeknownst to her. They didn't say anything about it, they just let me carry on in whatever way I needed to.
The days seemed to drag by after my talk with Snape. It was a conflicting feeling how slow they went. On one hand, I was glad the days were dragging on. The slower time passed, the longer it would take to make it to June. On the other hand, that meant my building anxiety had more time to brew inside of me.
Speaking of brewing, there was now a tiny bottle of Felix Felicis tucked away in my bedside table. Snape did keep his word and oversaw me brewing a perfect vial after we returned to Hogwarts. I still wasn't sure what I was going to use it for. I considered everything from giving it to Draco, to saving it for myself for June thirteenth.
The end of January brought another snowstorm, unfortunately locking us within the confines of Hogwarts on weekends that would've otherwise been filled with butter beers next to the fire in Three Broomsticks. Being stuck in the castle further fueled the darkness I felt slowly consuming my body. I was trying my best to put on the outward appearance that I was doing better from my "break up", but I felt as though everyone could tell I was silently spiraling. I'm sure Hermione noticed me lingering in bed a bit longer on the weekends, or the way I would space out at meetings of the Slug Club. Harry caught me one morning, aimlessly pushing my eggs around my plate at breakfast. I smiled at him and nodded when he asked if everything was ok, blaming it on the dreary weather bringing me down. He laughed lightly in response, making a comment about how even after spending his entire life in England, he wasn't even used to the dreariness of winter.
Dumbledore had been radio silent since our dinner together. In fact, his presence had been missing from Hogwarts entirely. I hadn't seen him eat a meal in the great hall once, and Harry was still looking for him like a lost puppy. Any time Dumbledore's name was even mentioned, Harry would suddenly perk up. Initially I was sure it had something to do with the nasty curse on his hand, but after our dinner together I was just as confused as anyone else. Surely he wasn't seeking a cure when he knew his death was imminent anyways...
I felt an elbow nudge me gently, breaking me out of my trance and bringing me back to the potions classroom.
"You're about to boil over" Hermione whispered.
"Shit" I said under my breath, pulling my cauldron from the flame. Thankfully she nudged me just in time, another second and it would've been ruined. I gave it a few moments too cool a bit before returning it to the flame and continuing my stirring.
"You did it again, are you okay Anna?" Hermione whispered.
I nodded. "Being in the same class, it's still a little raw" I said. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Hermione glancing across the room at Draco.
"I've noticed" she said as she turned back to me. "You know, if you need to talk about it I'm here."
I smiled weakly at her. "Thanks. I just didn't want to burden any of you, especially considering how I know you all feel towards him."
Hermione shrugged. "I'll probably never get it, but I know he meant a lot to you. If I can lend an ear, I will."
"Are you two talking about that rotten git" Ron suddenly interjected. "I knew he was a no good-"
"Ron" Hermione snapped. "Not helping."
"Sorry" Ron replied. He half smiled at me and returned to his own cauldron, talking lowly to Harry about how much he hated Draco.
If anything, it was nice to know that he cared. Lavender hadn't completely ruined the man.
In no time at all Slughorn was making his rounds with the cauldrons, stopping to see who would be invited to that week's Slug Club. Naturally, it was always the same people, but on occasion a new face would be added if they brewed a good enough potion that day.
Per usual, I was quickly dismissed along with Harry and Hermione. The stars of Slughorn's show. The three of us waited outside his classroom for Ron, who came about 5 minutes later and immediately began the hike towards DADA without a single word.
~
"Any word from Dumbledore?" Ron whispered to Harry. The four of us made our way into the Great Hall and over to the Gryffindor table for our study period. We found seats near the back of the table, away from prying ears. Unfortunately professors were still roaming the hall, so we still had to whisper in short bursts as they passed.
Harry shook his head in response as he opened his DADA books. "Nothing. But I think I know where he is."
My ears perked up at his response. I was just as curious, and hoping he would say something besides trying to cure his finger.
"And?" I whispered.
"I think he's looking for a horcrux."
"A what" Ron and I whispered in unison.
Harry held up a finger, waiting for professor McGonagall to pass before continuing. Once she was out of earshot he continued. "It's a, uh, piece of Voldemort."
"Sounds lovely" I retorted.
"Not actually a piece of him" Harry explained. "It's like, a piece of his soul. Dumbledore told me about them."
"How many are there?" Hermione asked.
Harry shrugged. "Dumbledore wasn't exactly sure, but I think that's where he's been. He's looking for them."
"So what happens when he does find one?" I asked.
"He destroys it and a piece of Voldemort's soul with it."
I glanced over at Snape who was a table over from us now. I wondered if he knew about the horcruxes too... or if he did, if he could even do anything about them at all.
I flipped open my workbook and listened as the three of them droned on about the horcruxes. Even if Dumbledore did find them, I couldn't imagine that destroying them would be a simple task. I needed to ask Snape without actually asking him.
I quickly finished my DADA work, scribbling one last word on the page before taking my workbook to Snape.
"Be right back" I whispered to the three of them as I got up from the table. I quickly made my way to the front where Snape was standing and thrust my notebook into his outstretched hand. He flipped open the notebook, his eyes scanning down the page of my work before resting at the bottom. His eyes lingered there for a moment before he snapped the book closed and handed it back to me.
"Come see me after study period" he said plainly as another student came up next to me.
I nodded and walked back to join the trio.
"Bloody hell, what's he on today" Ron whispered as I sat down. "You have some of the best marks in the class! I think I might try and escape before he asks for my book."
Hermione glanced up at me briefly before her eyes flashed down at my DADA workbook now lying on the table. "Did he say what was wrong?"
I shook my head. "No idea, but I guess I'll find out in an hour" I replied as I slid it into my bag.
That hour seemed to drag by as I anxiously awaited what Snape was going to say. He must've known something, why else would he react like that.
I hung back when we were finally released, telling the trio I would meet them in the common room later. I waited a ways back from Snape, watching as he finished up with the last few lingering students before turning to me. He said nothing, just motioned me over to him.
"Sorry to put you on the spot like that" I began, quickly cut off by Snape shushing me and motioning for my workbook. I handed it over to him and watched him flip through the pages, quickly scribbling something down before closing it and handing it back to me.
"It seems you grossly misunderstood the last assignment I gave you. I wrote down some readings I want completed by next class."
He said nothing else after that, just walked past me and out of the hall. I peeked into my workbook quickly, opening it just enough to see what was written.
"Secrets of the Darkest Art. Restricted section. Row 4, top shelf. Destroy this page."
I slipped the book into my bag and took off towards the library.
~
Almost two hours later and I was making my way back to the Great Hall for dinner, book bag still in tow. I had gone straight to the library and didn't have time to change so I would be dining in my robes as well. I found my way over to the empty spot next to Harry and took a seat, smiling weakly at the three of them.
"Hey guys, sorry I didn't meet up with you. Snape gave me a little extra reading to do."
"That's rough" Ron said between mouthfuls of food. "I managed to get out before he took a look at my work otherwise I'd be there with you."
"It wasn't all bad though" I started, "I might've found something about what we were discussing earlier."
Harry's head whipped over to me "In the library? Where? How?"
"There's a book in the restricted section" I said lowly. "I came across it while looking for what Snape assigned me. Secrets of the Darkest Art. I think it could be our best bet at finding out what these things are."
"It sounds like it's worth a try" Hermione said.
Ron and Harry both agreed that it was worth a shot to look. We quickly finished our dinners and slipped out to the library, hoping we'd be able to peruse the restricted section by ourselves for a bit.
To our surprise, even Madame Pince was still at dinner when we arrived. Besides a few stray students and a fifth year library aid, the library was mostly deserted. I led the three of them back into the restricted section, making sure no one else was around before pulling the book from the shelf. The three of them huddled around me and I sat down at a nearby table. I opened the book, slowly flipping through the pages to what I had found earlier.
"Let me know if you see anything" I said to them. I had to pretend a little bit that I hadn't already scanned every inch of that book. Thankfully, the small section on horcruxes wasn't too far back and only took a few minutes to find. I slid the book over to Hermione once I landed on it, letting her take in the small paragraph.
"Herpo the Foul?" Ron said, grimacing at that unfortunate name. "Sounds about right for someone that figured out horcruxes."
"He only even made one though" Hermione said, pointing to a line on the page. "Harry, didn't you say that there might be more than one?"
"Well, sort of. Dumbledore thinks there might be more than one."
"How would that even be possible" I said. "Herpo only managed one. How would would he have figured out how to split his soul into two, or maybe even more than that?"
Hermione shook her head. "I don't know, but it seems as though we're not the first to come looking for this."
She slid the book back over towards Harry and I, the book now turned to the front ledger of students who had taken the book from the library. It was quite lengthy, it must've been involved in some DADA curriculum at some point, but my eyes immediately landed on the one name that I was sure Hermione was referencing.
Tom Marvelo Riddle.
"Ah yes Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry. Educating dark lords since 990" Ron said sarcastically.
"Don't tell me this is the book that inspired him" Harry said.
"Seems to be that way" I responded. "I don't think it could get any darker than this."
It was a bit of an uneasy feeling, reading the exact book that may have led Voldemort to where he was now. That being said, it might've also been the best bet at understanding him in any capacity.
Students were slowly starting to file into the library again so we put the book back, vowing to return another day when we could look uninterrupted again. The three of them decided to head back to the common room. I needed to go see Snape about that book and told them I would meet up with them after I dropped off my extra "assignment" from earlier. We bade each other goodbye for now and went our separate ways.
I made my way over to the DADA room, peeking in to make sure Snape wasn't with any other students. Snape must've heard the soft creak of the door because his eyes were already glued to me as I poked my head in.
"Yes?" He said plainly.
"I completed those extra readings you assigned me" I said as I closed the door behind me, looking around to make sure we were actually alone.
"You can speak freely" he said, his eyes darting back down to the stack of papers on his desk. "Anything interesting?"
"That book... it's the blueprint of who he is today. Is it not?"
"It is" Snape replied. "Were you able to read past?"
"A little bit before dinner" I said.
"And the others?"
I shook my head. "Not enough time. They want to go back later."
"I think it'd be wise they go sooner rather than later" he said, finally putting down his quill and looking up at me. "I'll tell Madame Pince that you all have special permissions to read it. Especially you."
"Will it help?"
Snape shrugged. "I can't say for sure. But, sometimes it does help to understand. Why did you ask about horcruxes?"
"Harry mentioned them" I began, "he said Dumbledore was looking for them."
"Seems like Albus is just telling everyone everything these days" he huffed. His tone suddenly changed, sounding more annoyed that Dumbledore was telling these things to Harry. "Anything else he's told him?"
"Not that I know of" I replied. "Is there something he shouldn't be?"
Snape shook his head. "Nothing in particular, but, there are some things that don't necessarily need to be shared."
"That's why you were so weird about our meeting, he has some dirt on you that you don't want me to know" I said, crossing my arms. "Whatcha hidin?" I teased.
"There are things in my past that I am not proud of, and would rather not have discussed with you or Harry" he snipped.
"Sorry" I quickly said, averting my gaze to the floor in front of me. "I didn't mean to pry."
"No no, I'm sorry" he sighed, running his hands down his face. "There's just certain aspects of my past that I'd prefer to keep private to avoid hurting you."
"Sev I'm literally a Death Eater" I softly giggled.
"One that still does not need to know the horrors of my past just yet" he reminded me.
I nodded, admitting defeat for now. I doubted that there was anything in his past that would've scared me off at that point.
"So anyways" I said, trying to cut through the silence that fell over us, "about those horcruxes..."
"I don't know how many there are either" Snape said, his gaze returning to his papers once again. "Albus seems to think there's seven."
"Oddly specific number" I said. "What are they?"
Snape shrugged. "That's the other part he's trying to figure out."
"So you're telling me that any piece of crap lying around could be a horcrux??"
"Not exactly" Snape chuckled. "The Dark Lord is smart enough to hide them. In any case, Harry would be able to detect one if it was near in the same way he can feel when the Dark Lord is."
I furrowed my brow at that statement. Something about it seemed off, but I couldn't figure out why. "How can Harry feel that anyways" I asked.
I could see the blood visibly leave Snape's face, but he continued marking papers as if nothing was wrong. "Unfortunately that is a, oh what's the Muggle word, phenomenon?" He looked up to me for approval.
I nodded.
"Yes, it's a phenomenon I cannot explain" he continued. "Neither can Albus. Anyways, you should be going before curfew."
I could tell Snape was trying to get rid of me for whatever reason so I nodded in agreement and took my leave.
I made my way back to Gryffindor tower, my mind reeling with horcruxes and Harry. Snape had given me unrestricted permission to seek out that book, maybe there was something I had missed that would answer the questions flooding my mind.