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"I still can't believe you asked them to do that, William," Hermione says as she and I sit in the Room of Requirement with Harry. "That has to be really dangerous, especially if what you said about the ring is true."
"It is," I agree.
She frowns. "Well, then, why did you do it?"
I sigh. "Sirius is uniquely suited to grab Hufflepuff's Cup and Slytherin's Locket," I say.
I was hoping that Sirius could do something as Head of the Black family and that Bellatrix was keeping it in her own vault instead of the Lestrange Vault. Sirius said he'd look into it, and I had to accept that.
I didn't want to press further by asking if any of my fanfiction-gleaned knowledge would pan out.
"I'm hoping that with the two of them there to grab the Gaunt family ring, they can stop each other from falling to whatever compulsion is placed on it."
"What about Professor Dumbledore? He might be better suited to getting the ring." If I didn't know what I know, I'd be tempted to agree with her on that.
I shake my head. "I'd be concerned Sirius and Remus might not be able to stop him if he's trapped in the compulsion. Honestly I'd trust Harry to retrieve the ring safely over Dumbledore."
Harry looks at me in surprise.
Hermione sighs. "I still don't understand why you don't bring him in on any of this. Dumbledore, I mean."
I close my eyes. "Do you trust me, Hermione?" I can feel her eyes on me but I refuse to open mine. I remember asking her something very similar shortly after we met, which she didn't answer then.
"Yes," she says quietly after a few moments.
"I've got some rough workings of a plan in my head for defeating Riddle once and for all. It involves both me and Harry, and you if you want in. Now tell me, what happens if Dumbledore finds out?"
"He wouldn't let any of us take part," she answers without hesitation.
I look over at Harry. "Is that okay with you, Harry, knowing what you know about the prophecy?"
"No," he says angrily.
"It's true that he would do everything in his power to keep you safe...including letting a great number of adults die," I say.
"He will never think you're prepared to face him. In fact, it might just be impossible to be prepared for something like that, so in that sense he'd be correct. But we're going to do our damnedest to try to make you prepared."
"I don't want anybody else to die while I hide behind these walls," Harry says firmly. "That bastard has destroyed far too many families as it is."
"Harry..." Hermione says sadly.
"So that's why I don't want to risk it," I say. "The headmaster is too observant; as it is he's probably figured out that we're up to something. If our Horcrux hunt slips out it wouldn't be catastrophic, but..."
Hermione looks at me worriedly. "What are you planning, William?"
"I already told you in general terms: a way to beat Riddle once and for all. There are several pieces I'm missing, and perhaps the most important piece that I hope to find is a way to get this Horcrux safely out of Harry."
"So your miraculous body of foreknowledge doesn't cover that?" she asks half-jokingly.
I'm surprised by the question, and then I start laughing. "Actually I have heard some ideas, but I don't have much hope for them."
Now it's her turn to be surprised. "Really? Well, what are they? I haven't found a single clue in anything this Room has provided."
I try to avoid grinning at her but I don't entirely succeed. "Oh, I don't think you'd appreciate them all too much."
"Come on, William, you know I'd do anything!"
"Anything?" I ask pointedly.
She flinches. "I don't like the way you said that."
"Well it goes like this: creating a Horcrux is pretty much the ultimate expression of hate and selfishness," I say in lecture mode. "Riddle killed somebody in cold blood in order to split his soul and anchor it to this realm. So, logically, destroying such an artifact might require the exact opposite."
The blood drains from Hermione's face.
"What do you mean, William?" Harry asks, noting Hermione's lack of color.
"The ultimate expression of love and selflessness," I say slowly. "A willing joining of souls to eject the forcibly-attached one."
He scratches his head. "So...like a soul-mate or something?"
"There's no such thing as soul-mates," Hermione says with a shaky voice. "The whole idea that there is only one person out of six billion for you is completely ridiculous. That sort of thing only exists in trashy romance novels."
"I've heard it called a Soul Bond, but yes, that about covers it. And I agree, Hermione, that's why I said I don't hold out much hope for that actually working." Okay, some Soul Bond fics aren't all trashy romance, but the point is still valid.
"H-how would it work?" she asks in a small voice. Harry's eyes snap to her.
"Well, I wouldn't say it would work since this is all conjecture...and poor conjecture at that. It might involve giving yourself over to the other person completely: in your heart, in your mind, and your body. Physically speaking, sometimes it's just a kiss, other times..." I leave the rest unsaid.
"It's...it's fine, Hermione," Harry says in a shaky voice. "If neither you nor William think it'll work..."
"I-I just don't know, Harry," Hermione says. "Logically the equal but opposite thing makes sense, but—"
"Well come to think of it, it might not require something out of a trashy romance novel," I say, rubbing my chin.
"After all, giving yourselves over to each other completely doesn't require anything but love in the first place. It doesn't mean your souls are destined for one another or anything ridiculous and irrational like that."
"I believe I've heard of one ritual that simply requires you to continually trace runes of protection and cleansing on his body while you're making love, which makes more sense to me."
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Hey guys if u like the fanfic and want to read ahead by 27+ chapters or just want to support take a visit on my patreon.
(P).(A).(T).(R).(E).(O).(N)
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