Chapter 7

Disclaimer: All characters and settings of Potterverse are the property of J.K. Rowling and other sundry entities. Only the plot belongs to me. I am making no money. I play in this universe for the sheer joy of it. My only payment is the kind reviews and comments of those who read and enjoy my tale. This story is canon-compliant through HBP. DH has, for the most part, been happily disregarded, especially that sappy epilogue!

Special thanks go to my beta reader, JuJuJenn. She makes sure I stay focused.

Seven

Harry, Ron, Hermione and Snape stood in a circle peering down at Helga Hufflepuff's cup, which rested at the bottom of a battered old cauldron.

They were in the back garden of Grimmauld Place. A cool breeze was blowing through the hedges that surrounded the property.

"Oh, I wish there were another way to do this," Hermione said.

"We have no choice," Harry said. "The only way to get rid of the Horcrux is to destroy the cup. Just like I had to destroy the diary, and Professor Dumbledore had to destroy the ring."

"I know, but that doesn't mean I have to like it."

"It's just an old cup," Ron said.

Snape snorted. "Even the Dark Lord appreciated the significance of the vessels he chose to house his soul-parts."

"I don't get it."

"It's a piece of Hogwarts' history, Ron! Helga Hufflepuff was one of the Founders. The locket belonged to Salazar Slytherin, another one of the Founders. Hogwarts was important to You-Know-Who."

"Indeed," Snape said. "It wouldn't surprise me to learn that other Horcruxes are in items that belonged to Rowena Ravenclaw or Godric Gryffindor."

"Maybe it's time to do some research and see if anything that once belonged to either of them has gone missing," Harry said.

Snape arched an expressive brow. "That's actually an excellent suggestion, Potter."

"Don't look so surprised," Harry muttered, and Snape actually smiled.

A moment later, Harry and Hermione were smiling as well.

Ron just scowled. He was the only one who failed to find any humour in the exchange.

"We should get on with it," Snape said a moment later. "Are you ready, Potter?"

"Yes."

"Weasley? Miss Granger?"

"Ready," they said together.

"I'll cast the containment spell. It will allow your spells to pass through, but will prevent the protective curse surrounding the Horcrux from escaping. You'll need to act quickly. I'm sure the protective curse is very strong. I don't know how long I'll be able to hold the containment spell."

Harry, Ron and Hermione raised their wands and pointed them at the cup.

Snape raised his own wand.

"Impervio externus," Snape said.

A line of shimmering pale-orange light left his wand and stretched over the top of the cauldron like a piece of cellophane wrap.

"Now!" Snape shouted.

"Annihilio!" Harry, Ron and Hermione spoke together. Shafts of brilliant purple light shot from each of their wands. They passed through the protective barrier over the top of the cauldron and met at the very centre of the gold cup.

At first, it seemed that the cup had absorbed the energy of the three spells and remained unaffected. Then the cup began to glow. It seemed to swell and throb from within. They could hear a low-pitched humming which quickly escalated to a high pitched whine.

Suddenly the cup exploded – fragments melted against the sides of the cauldron and flew up against the barrier. The shaft of purple light faded and the connection between the cup and the three wands was broken.

A black cloud rose from the bottom of the cauldron. It pressed against the protective barrier while inhuman screams issued from its smoky depths.

Hermione watched anxiously as the protective barrier pulsed and bulged. It stretched like an over-inflated balloon, and it seemed impossible that it would not burst, releasing the deadly curse upon all of them.

She could see sweat trickling down the side of Snape's face as his brow furrowed in even deeper concentration, and his grip on his wand tightened.

As though sensing that the barrier holding it was weakening, the black cloud seemed to swell and pulse even more. The screams increased in volume and pitch.

"We have to help him," Hermione said. She raised her wand and pointed it at the bulging barrier.

"Impervio externus!" she cried out, and another layer of pale-orange light dropped across the barrier, thickening and reinforcing it.

"Impervio externus," Harry said as he turned his wand against the swollen orange membrane.

The screams from within were muffled as the barrier thickened again.

Ron lifted his wand, but before he could cast the spell, the black cloud within the barrier began to dissipate. It seemed to lighten and melt as the screams faded.

A few moments later, the bulging membrane had shrunk back down, and there were no sounds at all coming from within the cauldron.

"Is it ... dead?" Hermione asked.

"With the barrier in place, there was no place for the Horcrux to go when the cup was destroyed. It simply ceased to exist. And with the Horcrux gone, there was nothing for the curse to protect. I believe it is neutralised, as well," Snape said.

"We will, however, take precautions before we remove the barrier completely.

"Potter, you'll need to lift your spell first," Snape said. "But be prepared to cast it again should that become necessary."

"Yes, sir," Harry replied.

Harry dropped his wand and broke the connection, but he immediately raised it again and aimed it at the barrier.

There was no reaction from within the cauldron.

"Now you, Hermione," Snape said.

Ron's head jerked up when he heard Snape use Hermione's first name. No one else seemed to realise what had happened.

Hermione dropped her wand, but as Harry had done, she immediately raised it again, ready to re-cast the spell if need be.

Again, there was no reaction from within the cauldron.

Snape dropped his wand, breaking the final connection.

The orange barrier disappeared. Harry and Ron immediately pushed forward, but Snape held up a hand to halt them.

"Your impetuosity may kill you yet, Potter, but it won't be on my watch. Stand back."

Harry threw a Snape-worthy glare at the older wizard, but he stepped back. He took Ron's arm and pulled him back as well.

Snape leaned over the cauldron, his nose nearly touching the rim. He pointed his wand into the cauldron's centre.

"Revelato," he said.

Whatever he saw in the cauldron reassured him. He straightened up and lowered his wand.

"Now you may see what you have wrought," he said as he stepped away from the cauldron.

Harry, Hermione and Ron stepped up to the cauldron and leaned in.

Small lumps of melted gold were stuck to the sides and bottom of the cauldron and were covered in what appeared to be a thin layer of black dust.

"Is that the curse?" Ron asked as he reached into the cauldron.

"No!" Hermione and Harry both shouted at once. Hermione grabbed Ron's arm, pulling him away from the cauldron.

"Were you born a fool or do you have to work at it?" Snape hissed.

"You said it was neutralised," Ron said.

Snape just shook his head. He whirled back toward the cauldron, aimed his wand at it, and muttered an incantation.

The cauldron disappeared.

"That doesn't mean it was safe to touch it, Ron," Hermione said. "There might have been some lingering, unpleasant effects in the dust."

"How was I supposed to know that?" he asked in a sulky tone.

"Have you ever actually read any of the books I've assigned you?" Snape asked.

Ron flushed. "Well, yeah, sure I have," he said, but he wouldn't meet Snape's eyes.

Snape curled his lip in disgust.

"You still seem to regard this as some sort of adventure – a lark. This isn't a game; this is war, you stupid fool. You need to know how to defend and protect yourself and those around you. As things stand, you're more of a liability than an asset."

"I can take care of myself," Ron retorted.

"Against well-trained and powerful Death Eaters?" Snape scoffed. "I doubt you'd last two minutes defending yourself, never mind the others.

"I know I wouldn't want to have to depend upon your skills to save my life," he added.

"Not sure I'd want to save it anyway," Ron muttered.

Hermione gasped, and even Harry looked shocked by Ron's remark.

Snape's grip on his wand tightened, but he didn't raise it.

"You are fortunate that my desire to see the Dark Lord fall and my Vow to the Order are more important to me than proving to you just how inadequate your skills really are," he said.

"Anytime," Ron said in a belligerent tone.

"I don't have time to listen to your foolish braggadocio," Snape said.

"You're just afraid I might beat you," Ron said.

"Oh, yes," Snape said derisively, "I'm shaking in my boots."

Ron flushed again.

Snape waved his free hand in a dismissive gesture and then turned away from Ron and addressed Hermione.

"I have an important meeting this afternoon. Go to the lab and take care of the potion we started yesterday. It's rested long enough."

"Yes, sir," Hermione replied.

"Potter, take your friend inside and try to teach him something useful."

Snape stepped back and prepared to Apparate away.

Ron moved as though to follow him, and Harry grabbed his arm.

"Let him go, Ron," Harry said.

"Someday I'm going to give that greasy git exactly what he deserves," Ron said.

"Why don't we concentrate on getting rid of Voldemort first?" Harry said reasonably.

Harry and Hermione began walking toward the back door of Grimmauld Place.

Ron looked over and watched as Snape silently Apparated away.

"Someday," he muttered. Then he turned and followed Harry and Hermione into the house.

Author's note: This story was written in response to the Post DH Challenge on The Petulant Poetess.

I chose prompt #5: Harry touches his scar; it hasn't pained him in 19 years. He

hears hooting, rolls over in bed to see Hedwig sweeping in the open window at Privet Drive, and realizes that his 17th birthday isn't far off. Go for it... a new seventh year for the lot.