Meet VOID

Victoria woke up early the next morning just as the sun was coming up. She got out of bed and stood on the cold, stone, dungeon floor. She raised her long, pale fingers and ran them slowly down her face. She was still weak; last night's pitiful feeding had hardly been enough. Victoria walked over to the dresser and picked out a pair of black robes. She wrinkled her nose. They were old and torn and dirty; not at all fit for the likes of her. She tossed that pair to the ground. She ripped through her closet, tossing ragged robes to the ground as she discarded them all, one by one. Victoria screamed and whipped out her wand. Within seconds, the pitiful robes on the ground were reduced to ashes. She stood there, clad only in a torn nightgown and her hair wild and disheveled.

How long? How long had it been since she had last taken care of herself? What had she been reduced to? Reduced to the lowest animal, unable to care for herself? She put her wand away and kicked the wardrobe in anger. All of that was about to change.

A few hours later Harry, Ron and Hermione made their way to Professor McGonagall's office for another meeting.

"So who do you think it is?" Ron asked for the umpteenth time.

Hermione kicked the nearest statue, and Harry hit his head with his hand.

"RON! FOR THE LAST TIME! WE DON'T KNOW!" Harry and Hermione shouted.

"Ask one little question and everyone starts fussing," Ron muttered sullenly.

They turned a corner, and they were there.

"Finally," Harry sighed as he knocked on the door.

"Come in Mr. Potter, I have someone for you to meet." called McGonagall.

Harry, Ron and Hermione walked through the door and into a nightmare. Sitting there, in a chair in one corner of the room by the extinguished fire was a... well, Harry was almost sure it was a girl. She was pale white and emaciated. Her white hair cascaded past her shoulders to where it almost pooled on the floor. She was wearing second hand school robes, no doubt stolen from the laundry's lost and found (Harry highly doubted that she went to Hogwarts, she looked seventeen, but he thought he'd remember someone like that). The only color came from the vivid red scar that ran down the right side of her face and her other red eye.

Ron paled noticeably and Hermione let out a small squeak. Professor McGonagall rose from her chair and announced the visitor. "Ms. Gelding, this is Mr. Harry Potter, Ms. Hermione Granger and Mr. Ronald Weasley. This is Victoria Gelding, Albus Dumbledore's charge."

Only Hermione kept her wits about her. She strode forward and offered Victoria her hand. "Hi, I'm Hermione!" she chirruped in a false voice and smiled, what she hoped was a friendly smile. Victoria didn't smile back. Instead she rose to her feet and shook Hermione's hand without comment. Now that she was standing, Harry could see that she was a whole head shorter than Hermione.

Taking a deep breath, Harry walked forward. "Harry Potter. Professor McGonagall tells me that we are going to work together?" It was more of a statement than a question. Victoria nodded her head slowly and shook his hand.

"Well, let's get started shall we?" said McGonagall briskly. She motioned to the three chairs in front of her desk and the trio sat down. Victoria came to stand behind McGonagall's shoulder as she handed the three manila folders, Ministry of Magic magical access cards and a tin of Ginger Newts.

"Now, I don't want you opening them now, but the folders contain all the information the order has collected on the next Horcrux."

"And here are three Ministry of Magic access cards. These will give you access to any department in any Ministry of Magic around the world, including the Department of Mysteries and the library." Hermione let out a happy sound.

"Now, Ms. Gelding here is your information officer. Anything that may be too risky for you three goes automatically to her, she is a trained spy unlike you three, and it's her job to get information. If I find out that you have been doing any dangerous snooping in places where you shouldn't be, and you're back in Grimmauld Place before you can say 'Quidditch.' And lastly, here are your supplies." She handed them each a top of the line magically expanding sports bag that could store up to three tons of equipment and still be as light as a feather. "The same rules apply as last time, do not get caught, do not start fights unless you can actually win, and of course, don't do anything stupid. I expect that you memorize your alibis by tomorrow morning. Be here at eight sharp to review your route and meeet up with Victoria. Any questions?"

Hermione raised her hand. Professor McGonagall sounded exasperated. "Ms. Granger, as I have repeatedly told you, it is no longer necessary to raise your hand. Now what is it?"

"Will Victoria be traveling with us?" she asked pointedly.

"Yes. Not only is she a spy, she is also a body guard. Is that all? Very well then. See you all at eight sharp."

The trio rose and walked out the door, closely followed by Victoria.

"Bye! See you tomorrow, Victoria!" called Hermione as they separated in the hall.

"Goodbye. I will see you in the morning," she said.

Harry was startled by her thick, musical voice. It was frail and slightly croaky, like it had rarely been used, but it hinted at something powerful lurking beneath her delicate surface.

Once out of earshot, Hermione whispered, "Poor girl."

"Well, there's obviously something wrong about her, but pitying her? That's a bit low," remarked Ron as they turned a corner.

"Honestly, Ron do you notice anything? She's a vampire."

"Are you sure about this Hermione?" Harry asked. "Professor McGonagall wouldn't just shove us in with an out of control vampire you know."

"Positively, although, I think that there's something else wrong too though."

"Out with it then!" said Ron.

"I'm not sure," Hermione said absentmindedly. "But I bet we could find out in the--"

"Library," Harry and Ron finished for her.

She beamed. "So glad you agree, let's go."

An hour later, the three were still doing research in the library. Or at least, Hermione was. Harry and Ron were poring over the maps and alternatively quizzing Hermione on it.

"So," Harry said as he scanned the folder looking for a new question. "What do you think the next Horcrux will be?"

"I don't know, actually," she answered as she pulled down another book from the Restricted Section.

"C'mon! You've got to have some idea!" Harry exclaimed.

"All I know is that it's near a small farmhouse called 'Wicked End.' It's to the east of a small Wizarding town that in English translates to, Oh my god, I think I've got it!"

"Not quite right," said Harry frowning. "It's Patrick's Dire."

"Not that you prat, I've found Victoria!"

"Wicked! So let us see!" said Ron excitedly as he put his folder away.

Hermione plopped a dusty book titled "Ministry Myths, Facts, and Legends" down on the table. "Look here, it says : In June of 1992, the Department of Mysteries' Experimental Breeding Squad began experimenting with DNA from Dark Creatures. No official report was made, but the project was top secret and highly experimental. Below is a list of rumored "ingredients" to creating this artificial human.

1. Vampire Anatomy

2. Banshee Vocal chords

3. Dementor Essence

4. Werewolf DNA

5. Veela DNA

6. Basilisk Blood and Venom

7. Sphinx Blood

8. Dragon Blood

19. Re'em Blood

10. Boomslang Venom

11. Werewolf Blood

12. Bicorn DNA

13. Jobberknoll DNA

14. Occamy DNA and Blood

15. Acromantula Venom

16. Augurey DNA"

"They honestly expect us to believe that?" asked Ron incredulously.

"Shut up, there's more," said Harry, and Hermione continued reading.

"According to rumor, the Experimental Breeding Squad was actually able to create a hybrid seventeen-year-old girl. However, many are doubtful of its existence. One man, an anonymous ex-member of the Squad, refused to give any information regarding the subject. Saying, 'Really, why can't you people leave me alone? Yes, there may have been some experimenting down in the Department of Mysteries, but I assure you, VOID 6.0 is not even active--now look what you made me say!' Even more rumors suggest that VOID 6.0 was created, and on the night of its execution, it was rescued by a mysterious wizard who not only managed to bypass all the Ministry of Magic security, but a whole team of highly trained hit-wizards. Hopefully, VOID does not exist as it would mean ultimate destruction of the worst kind."

"That's it?" demanded Harry. "Just a little footnote that the most powerful weapon in the world is out there and no one knows where the bloody hell it is?!"

"But we do know where it is. Victoria is VOID. I'm absolutely positive. Look at this list of poisons, what do they have in common: they're all deadly and extremely rare and powerful. Most poisons have the side effects that Victoria would be experiencing. It's highly possible!"

"Hermione, we aren't even sure it exists," argued Ron. "Besides, don't you think that the Ministry would've rounded it up by now?"

"Well, it was stolen by an extremely powerful-- oh my god, what if it was Dumbledore who saved Victoria!?"

"What?! Hermione be reasonable!" Ron shouted.

"It would make perfect sense! According to this book, VOID was stolen in early June! And where was Dumbledore in June? At the Ministry! Oh and where was Dumbledore that was SO important, he was almost too late to save Harry? And she's been Dumbledore's charge for the past 17 years. I'll bet you ten Galleons that Dumbledore was the one who saved Victoria," said Hermione firmly.

"You know, Ron, it doesn't sound so crazy after all, once you think about it," said Harry slowly. "There are some Muggles who have been experimenting with genetics, and they've gotten pretty far in that field. They're almost certain that they can artificially create human life."

"And why not try it in the wizarding world?" argued Hermione. "I bet they were just fooling around, but you know, they could have been secretly preparing for the second war. VOID would be the ultimate fighting machine you know."

"So, okay let's pretend that Victoria was VOID. What do we do? Just go up to her and say, 'Your cover's blown, we know that you're an evil, deadly, powerful fighting hybrid that's on the run from the Ministry, and man-kind is in danger right now and if Voldemort gets his hands on you, everyone would die, so would you please kill yourself?' Even though, according to these potion ingredients, not only is she immortal, she is toxic!" Ron said that all in one breath.

"He's got a point," admitted Harry. "But really, what do we do?"

"Nothing," said Hermione firmly as she snapped the book closed. "Absolutely nothing."