94 Diagon Alley

In something else? "

"Because the Horcrux is the opposite of the human soul."

Seeing the puzzled expressions on Harry and Ron's faces, Hermione hurriedly continued: "For example, Ron, I will now pick up a sword and pierce your body, your soul Still fine."

"That's the luck of the misfortune," said Ron.

Harry laughed.

"Indeed! It should be! But what I'm trying to say is that no matter what happens to your body, your soul will continue to live unharmed," said Hermione, "but the Horcrux Quite the contrary. The soul fragments in it survive entirely on its container, on his enchanted carrier, otherwise it wouldn't survive."

"I stabbed the diary and it seemed to die." Harry remembered the ink spurting like blood from the pierced pages, and Voldemort's soul shards disappearing. Call.

"Once the diary is completely destroyed, the soul fragments locked in it can no longer survive. Before you, Ginny tried to get rid of the diary and flush it down the toilet , but apparently it came back intact."

"I don't know how Dumbledore ruined that ring," said Harry. "Why didn't I ask him? I never really..."

His voice dropped. He remembered that there were so many things to ask Dumbledore, that since the Headmaster died, he felt like he had wasted so many opportunities while Dumbledore was alive, not figuring out more... figuring everything out...

"Maybe I have a solution." Hermione rolled her eyes, and she rushed to grab the beaded packet, this time with her entire arm in it, down to her armpit.

"Found... found..." she said through gritted teeth, tugging at something that was apparently buried deep. Slowly, the edge of an ornate frame emerged. Harry hurried over to help her, and she kept her wand pointed at it, ready to cast a spell, as the two dragged an empty portrait out of Hermione's bag.

"What is this?" said Ron.

"Sirius' great-great-grandfather," said Hermione. "He was free to move between the two frames in Grimmauld Place and the Headmaster's office. Remember? Dumbledore left it to Harry. The sword of Gryffindor, his picture is next to the sword box. I was going to get news about the sword from him - it must be of special use."

"Brilliant." Ron gave a thumbs up, "Now we can ask him to ask Dumbledore's portrait and tell us where to find the Horcrux."

"I think there's one more benefit." Harry blinked. "Guess who Voldemort will put in charge of Hogwarts?"

Both Ron and Hermione thought of a candidate who sent chills down their spines.

"Thank goodness," said Ron, "thankfully Cedric pulled us away from Grimmauld Place, otherwise Snape would have captured the three of us alive in no time."

"Snape can send Phineas Nigellus to Grimmauld Place to inquire about the situation." Hermione was also frightened, "Let him inquire now, Phineas Nigellus. Nigellus will only see what's in my handbag."

Hermione decided not to waste any more time, she knelt down in front of the empty canvas, pointed her wand at the center of it, cleared her throat and said, "Er—Phineas? Phineas. Nigellus?"

"Phineas Nigellus?" Hermione added, "Professor Black? Can you talk to us, please?"

"'Please' always helps," said a cold, sarcastic voice, and Phineas Nigelles slipped into the portrait. Hermione immediately called out, "Blind your eyes!"

A black blindfold covered Phineas Nigellus' shrewd black eyes, and he slammed into the frame, screaming in pain.

“What—how dare you—what—?”

"I'm sorry, Professor Black," said Hermione, "but this is a necessary precaution!"

"Remove this mess now! Remove it now, I say! You are destroying a great work of art! Where am I? What's going on?"

"Never mind where we are," said Harry, and Phineas Nigellus froze, no longer pulling on the painted blindfold.

"Could it be the voice of that elusive Potter student?"

"Maybe," said Harry, knowing that this would keep Phineas Nigellus interested, "We have a few questions for Dumbledore, can you help us pass A word?"

"Ha," Phineas Nigellus tilted his head now, trying to see Harry, "Have noble Black be a microphone for a few students? Kindness decides to help you, but I'm afraid I won't be able to."

"Why?" Ron asked.

"Who else is here?" he asked, turning his head. "Your tone annoys me! Silly boy, because Dumbledore's portrait is empty."

"Empty?" The three of them didn't expect this answer, and Ron hurriedly asked, "Where did he go?"

"Who knows," Phineas began to pull on the blindfold again, "maybe on which Chocolate Frog card, you can't keep him in the office all day."

Ron slumped his shoulders in disappointment, "Hey, do you think we should buy a big box of Chocolate Frogs?"

Harry and Hermione ignored him, but if Dumbledore knew what Ron was thinking, he would have given Gryffindor twenty points.

"And what about Gryffindor's sword?" Hermione demanded.

"Where am I?" Phineas Nigellus did not answer, but asked again, "Where did you get me? Why did you take me out of my ancestor's house? move?"

"Professor Black, we really wanted to know, did anyone—well, take that sword out? Maybe it was taken out to wipe—or something?" Hermione asked cautiously .

Phineas Nigellus stopped trying to free his eyes again and laughed.

"Muggle-born," he said, "a goblin's weapon doesn't need to be wiped, simple-minded girl. Goblin silver repels dust and absorbs only what strengthens it."

"Don't call Hermione simple-minded," said Ron.

"I'm tired of rebutting," Phineas Nigellus seemed to lose interest in their conversation without hearing Harry's voice, "maybe I should go back to the headmaster's office went?"

"Professor Black," said Hermione, "excuse me, could you please tell us when the sword was last taken out of the box?"

Phineas snorted impatiently.

"I believe that the last time I saw Gryffindor's sword leave the box, Dumbledore used it to split a ring."

Hermione turned sharply to look at Harry. They didn't dare to say much in front of Phineas Nigellus. Phineas finally found the exit.

"Okay, good night," he said sternly, backing away from the portrait, leaving only a cloudy background.

"Harry!" cried Hermione.

"I know!" Harry exclaimed. Unable to contain himself, he slammed a punch into the air: more than the best he could have hoped for. He strode up and down the room, feeling like he could run a mile without even getting tired. Hermione was stuffing the portrait of Phineas Nigellus back into the beaded pouch, and when she had buckled it, she tossed the pouch aside and looked up at Harry with her shiny face up.

"That sword can destroy a Horcrux! A goblin's blade only absorbs what strengthens it - Harry, that sword is soaked in basilisk venom!"

"Dumbledore didn't give it to me because he still needed it, he wanted to destroy the locket with it - we've got to get the sword."

"Calm down, man." Ron reassured Harry, but he looked just as excited himself. "Calm down. We don't have a single Horcrux right now, and as you say, You-Know-Who is likely to let the Death Eaters control Hogwarts."

"So what?" Harry wanted to get the sword impatiently.

"You said before that the mysterious man doesn't want others to know his secrets." Ron swallowed, hoping that his thoughts were correct. "Then his Horcrux may not be guarded."

"But the Infernal guards." Harry retorted.

"I think Ron is saying that if we want to stay unnoticed by You-Know-Who, it's safer to find a Horcrux first than to go to Hogwarts and steal a sword." Hermione Help explain, "What if he also knows the importance of the sword? He will immediately understand what we are doing, and then it will be over."

Harry calmed down, thinking hard about what his friends had just said.

"You're right, Hogwarts should be the last stop." He carefully recalled the remaining Horcruxes, "When we find the Horcrux, we will go back to school, Destroy as many Horcruxes as possible before he finds it."

"Oh!" Hermione screamed suddenly, pulling a hot gold coin from her jeans pocket.

This gold coin was actually given to them by Cedric two days ago, and they were all too familiar with it because it was a fake D.A. rally Galleon made by Hermione in fifth grade .

"I got them from Chona," Cedric said happily. "She has two in her hand—one of which she wants to come back after Marietta snitched. After all, I can't The Patronus is always sent back, and Weasley's retractable ears have recently been closely monitored by the Ministry. This is the only way to contact you." He explained to the three at the time.

"What's new about Cedric?" Harry was a little nervous and looked at the fake Galleon in Hermione's hand.

Hermione squinted and read the golden number: "He said... he will bring an acquaintance back later.