Whispers of a Raven by TheBlack'sResurgence

Chapter 31

Little Hangelton was a quaint village, would be charming to most, but not Harry. Beneath the veneer of peaceful living away from urban life, there was something rotten at its very core.

As benevolent and picturesque as it may be, it would never be anything more than the place that Voldemort used Harry's blood to aide his resurrection. It would always be the place that set the tone for the years that followed, the misery, the loss and hopelessness Harry had felt.

He pushed those thoughts aside.

He had not come here to dwell on the darker days of his life but to ensure there were brighter ones ahead. For that, he needed to find the Horcrux that was hidden here.

Despite knowing what it was he was looking, and even knowing where it could be found, her was nervous.

The very ring he sought played no small part in the death of Dumbledore when he had located it, his passing proving to be a slow and painful.

Harry had no intention of falling into the same trap as his former mentor, but he would still need to be cautious.

Would the compulsion charm still affect him if he was aware of it before the matter?

He couldn't be certain, and he would take no risks.

The rotting curse imbued into the ring was deadly. With only the lightest of touches, it could bring about the demise of the victim.

Harry had no intention of dying in such a way.

He had considered bringing the headmaster with him but decided against it. Having the man with him would likely benefit Harry little and would only give him further cause for concern.

Dumbledore had already been ensnared by the allure of the ring once before, and Harry did not need the additional worry that it just might happen again.

No, it was better he dealt with the horcruxes himself. The less people that knew of them, the likelier he would be in succeeding, however, it had been many years since he had been here last. Even then, he had only been to the Riddle Estate and had not seen the village below the manor for himself.

That hadn't come until Dumbledore had shared the memory of Bob Ogden which offer more insight to the layout of the place and where he could find the dilapidated Gaunt shack.

Still, he needn't waste time looking for it, not when his companion could do a much better job than him.

"Olin," he muttered.

The raven took to the sky silently, and in less than a minute, landed on Harry's shoulder.

"Death!" he grumbled.

"Then let's get this over with," Harry declared, heading in the indicated direction.

What remained of the Gaunt legacy had not fared well, the home of the once revered family having fallen into the same disrepair as the reputation of those that had carried the name.

Having been left to the elements, the foliage had grown beyond control and the house, if it could be called such, was seemingly on the verge of collapse. Harry could only guess what kept it standing.