Harriet Potter

I had only a short sleep before I had to get up for early class, but I was relieved to have Slughorn over.During Charms class I cast the Listening Charm around - Hermione finally stopped objecting to me using the Prince's spell after hearing Dumbledore's assurances - and told Ron exactly what happened and Hermione, both of whom were in awe of the role of Horcruxes and the news that Dumbledore had promised to take me to find the next Horcrux.

"Wow," cried Ron when I finally finished, wand dangling against the ceiling, not realizing what he was doing, "wow, you really want to go with Dumbledore...to destroy... Wow."

"Ron, you're making snow." Hermione grabbed his wrist to keep his wand from pointing at the ceiling, where large flakes of white snow had already begun to fall.

"I wonder where the rest of the horcruxes are," I said, tapping the vinegar bottle in front of me unconsciously. "He made six horcruxes. The diary and rings have been destroyed. Nagini was killed." He's always with him, and the other three could be anywhere—"

"And as long as there's one left, he won't really die," said Hermione, shuddering. "How could anyone murder to keep themselves alive?"

"Obviously You-Know-Who does, that's why he became 'You-Know-Who'," said Ron seriously. "Think about it, what are the best places to hide things?"

"Hogwarts and Gringotts," Hermione replied, "but one more."

"Dumbledore said Voldemort valued commemoration, and he would hide in places of great significance to him." I said, and Ron protested the name.

"Like an orphanage?" Hermione suggested.

"I don't think—"

"Flitwick," Ron warned.The little Charms teacher was swaying towards us, only Hermione had turned vinegar into wine, her flask was full of crimson liquid, and mine and Ron's were still cloudy brown. yellow.

"There, there, boys," Professor Flitwick scolded sharply, "less talk, more work... let me watch you do it..."

Ron and I raised our wands, trying to concentrate, and pointed our wands at the flask.My vinegar turned to ice and Ron's flask blew up.

"Okay...homework..." Professor Flitwick said, crawling out from under the table, picking the glass on the top of the hat, "Practice."

It was a rare free time together after Charms, and we walked back to the common room together.Ron and Hermione whispered to each other all the way while I pondered what the remaining Horcruxes looked like and where they might be, barely noticing the small crowd gathered in the sun-drenched common room.

"Katie! You're back! Are you ready?" cried Hermione.

I was pleasantly surprised to find Katie, who seemed fully recovered, surrounded by friends and rushed to greet her.

"I'm really well!" Katie said cheerfully. "I got out of the hospital on Monday and stayed at home with my parents for two days. I came back this morning. Lini told me about McLaggen and the last game." , Harry..."

"Yeah," I said, "but now that you're back and Ron's all right, we've got a chance to beat Ravenclaw, which means we still have a chance to win the cup."

"I have to hurry up and make up for the missing training!" Katie gave me a quick hug, "And Transfiguration class, I don't think Professor McGonagall won't punish me just because it's my first day back to school Scribe. See you next time in training!"

Dean was the only one who wasn't particularly happy to see Katie back, because it meant he wasn't needed as a Chaser.When I talked to him he reacted calmly to the blow with a shrug and grunt, but I could still feel him and Seamus muttering disapprovingly behind my back as I walked away.

The next two weeks saw the best Quidditch practice I've had as captain.The crew, rejoicing at getting rid of McLaggen and finally getting Katie back, flew exceptionally well.The day after Katie came back I was not surprised to learn that Ginny and Dean had broken up, after a long time of stumbling.Ginny didn't seem to be sad about breaking up with Dean at all. On the contrary, she became the soul of the team.She made everyone laugh by imitating Ron jumping nervously up and down in front of the goal when he saw the Quaffle coming, and me yelling at McLaggen before I was knocked out.

Outside of class, whether it was in the auditorium, hallway, common room, or even in the bathroom, there were always players around me discussing tactics.As well as training increased to four times a week, Ron and I would often spend the evening discussing a detail while Hermione scrambled to finish our homework before class.

No one was special in this regard, and the school's interest in the Gryffindor-Ravenclaw game was extremely high, because this game would determine the still-elusive Champions Cup.If Gryffindor leads Ravenclaw by 200 points (which is very difficult, but I've never seen his team fly as well as it does now), we can win the cup; Second behind Ravenclaw; a hundred points behind, third behind Hufflepuff; more than a hundred points behind, fourth.That way, I thought horribly, no one will ever let me forget that I led Gryffindor to its first bottom-ranked finish in [-] years.

The prelude to this pivotal game is still the same: students from the two colleges intimidate the opposing team in the hallway; chants against individual players are rehearsed loudly as they walk by; Rush into the bathroom to vomit.Both Hermione and I packed our schoolbags and pockets with snacks because Ron threw up uncommonly.

Throughout the week, Snape treated me more sullenly than usual, and I guessed he was trying to piss me off as an excuse for my Saturday morning detention.So I also gave up my plan to ask for a leave of absence from the Occlumency class the night before the game. Since this is related to the victory of Gryffindor, Snape will definitely not grant a leave of absence. There is no need to humiliate yourself.For this reason, Hermione prepared the vitality tonic potion a week in advance, so that I can play at my best the next day.

On Friday night Ron insisted that I bring the gold coin I used to contact the DA last year, and made me promise to use it to contact Snape and Hermione as soon as I thought something was wrong, and they would come down to rescue me immediately.I agreed with irony and put the gold coins in my pocket.The hallway was still silent, and even though I knew it was Malfoy who was staring at me earlier, and there was no way he would be doing it again, it still made me uneasy to walk here.I quickened my pace and came to the office door, confirmed that there was no unusual noise inside, and knocked on the door.

"Come in," said Snape's voice.

He was already sitting at his desk, looking at me across the top of it, darker than usual.In the past, he would give instructions at just the right time to show that my every move after entering the office was under his control, but today he stood still, like a black sculpture, until I sat down by myself opposite him. .This instead made me hesitate a bit when I met his eyes, realizing that Snape was really capable of not revealing anything when he deliberately concealed it, making all attempts at communication and interrogation feel like trying to get a response from a blank wall.

"gentlemen……"

Sirius opened his eyes wide and staggered back, with the gently fluttering curtain behind him.I took a breath and focused on the image.I resisted subconsciously. During this period of time, the training content was mainly to hide and blur specific information, but before the invasion, Snape didn't give me any information. I don't know what I should hide. Anyway, there are things in my brain Almost nothing he hasn't seen.I don't know if I should reverse hack like I usually do, even if he doesn't have so many secrets in his head that I shouldn't know, I don't enjoy being in his head.In a moment of hesitation, I felt Snape's thoughts withdraw as quickly as they had come.

"Fight back, Potter," said Snape, in a tone so sharp it could almost scrape the surrounding walls, "I thought after so many times you'd at least learn to—"

"You didn't tell me what to look for, sir," I said.

"Is that what you expect from your enemies?" Snape said sharply.

"No, sir." I gritted my teeth, I couldn't believe that it only took him two words to make the hatred start burning in my blood again.

What happened next, if I had to describe it, was like Snape and I had a mental fight, and in that savage, fist-pounding way.Without purpose, without strategy, we crush each other's weakest points, projecting anger and hatred, all in order to cause maximum damage.Similar taunts from different memories sounded intertwined, the scene of young Snape avoiding his father's pursuit mixed with the background sound of little Harriet crying, the badge of "Potter Stinks" flashed from all directions, and Snape was hung upside down Shame under the tree.At first there was a corner of my mind that was astonished and bewildered, but it was quickly overwhelmed by the tide of violence, I no longer cared why, I've wanted to do this for a long time, I was so desperate to hurt someone up.

In the end, Snape and I were sweating, panting with our arms propped on our desks, still staring into each other's eyes.He unleashes another attack, and I'm back behind the armor of the Room of Requirement, blurred, exhausted, overwhelmed by the desire to survive.Of course he'd like the dark thoughts in my despair, and prove him right about me, even if he's the one with the Dark Mark on his left arm.I gave up my defenses and thrust all my thoughts into his head. I don't know what to look for, but emotion can guide me, and I will know when I find it.This is what he taught me.The scene briefly flashed before my eyes, Snape drew a complex magic circle on his arm with blood... Snape fell and twitched in front of Voldemort... Snape was arguing with Dumbledore angrily...?

I slowed down in bewilderment, and the next memory seemed to be from later in the day, when Dumbledore's voice suddenly reminded me that I had gone too far.

"If at some point Voldemort no longer sends the serpent to carry out his orders, but keeps it around and protects it with magic, then I think I can tell Harriet."

I was stunned for a moment, and quickly backed away from the scene, but it was like a panicked person stuck in a swamp, and struggling would only lead to deeper and deeper sinking.

"Tell her what?"

Dumbledore took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

"Tell her that on the night Voldemort tried to kill her, when Lily put her life between them, the Killing Curse rebounded on Voldemort, and a fragment of Voldemort's soul was blown away, attached to the collapsed house The only living soul in the world. A part of Voldemort lives in Harriet, which gives Harriet the ability to talk to snakes and connect to Voldemort's mind. This has always puzzled her. As long as that The soul fragments that were not discovered by Voldemort are still attached to Harriet, and under the protection of Harriet, Voldemort cannot die."

I seemed to be watching Dumbledore and Snape from the end of a long tunnel, so far away that their voices echoed strangely in my ears.

"Then the girl...the girl must die?" Snape asked calmly.

"And it has to be done by Voldemort himself, Severus. That's very important."