Sophia Holmes and the Search for Horcruxes (Harry Potter Fanfic) *Completed*

Chapter Seven

The next morning we take the locket out into the woods in an attempt to destroy it.

Ron makes it as far as the clearing before slumping against a tree, looking pale. He needs a blood transfusion - he lost so much blood yesterday and he's barely eating enough to replenish it.

Harry sets the locket down on a tree stump before walking backwards a fair distance to give us a shooting range.

Hermione nods at Harry and he raises his wand. "Dissendium!" The locket spins swiftly in place but remains whole.

"Incendio!" Hermione tries and flames enfulf the locket and it's metal flesh turns scarlet, but when the flames die down it is still unmarked.
Flames engulf the locket and its metal flesh turns scarlet, but then the flames die.

They stand aside as I try it the Muggle way and raise my gun and shoot the locket three times, each shot hitting but bouncing straight off. I grit my teeth and stand aside, allowing Harry and Hermione continue.

"Expulso!" Harry shouts and the tree stumo explodes but the locket remains unmarked.

"Confringo!" Hermione shouts and the ground beneath the stump craters, but the locket remains untouched. She gives in and lowers her wand but Harry continues on, wordlessly firing a succession of spells, looking almost possessed. 

I study him carefully as he does and finally he stops, breathing heavily. All goes silent except for the leaves shifting in wind above. Then, slowly, another sound comes clear. I cock my ears and listen carefully. It's like a ticking and it's coming from within the locket.

"It’s angry," Ron states and Hermione shivers at the thought.

Harry steps forward and kneels down, picking the locket up by it's chain. It continues to tick and so he puts it on over his head and stands back up.

"What’re you doing?" I ask, watching him closely. I'm not entirely sure he's in the right frame of mind, especially not to be carrying such a dangerous object. If my interpretation of Lord of the Rings is correct, that's exactly how it's going to mess him up even further.

"We have to keep it safe until we can figure out how to destroy it," Harry justifies.

"I can put it in my bag -" Hermione suggests.

"No," he refuses flatly.

"Seems strange, mate," Ron says, eyeing Harry with what appears to be suspicion. "Dumbledore sends you off to find a load of Horcruxes, but doesn’t bother to tell you how to destroy them. Doesn’t that bother you?"

Harry doesn't answer but studies the locket. Its ticking seems to have slowed but why? Is it the proximity to human touch? Or is it something worse?

Harry stalks off without a word and Hermione and Ron exchange a glance. Ron, at least, is suspicious of Harry. He thinks he's withholding something important and won't tell us what. But isn't that the whole reason I'm here? To work out where the Horcruxes are and work out how to destroy them with very little knowledge on the wizarding world.