A/N: Ok, here is the first of two fics I started right after reading HBP. At first, I despaired of ever being able to write canon fic again, but then I realized just what kind of yummy goodness I could get from it, so now the HBP-compliant plot bunnies are breeding happily. Besides, I like being one of the first to get to a plotline and this way I can be – at least, one of the first five with all the busy writers out there!
Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from Harry Potter. The whole Potterverse belongs to the genius of J.K. Rowling, who is a goddess amongst writers. I seek to make no profit from this venture and I promise to return everything back the way I found it.
This story is canon compliant with Book Six. This is your last chance to run away from the spoilers!
Animula Privo
Story by Jessica Arbuckle (Jessi, Princess of Impatience)
July 18 - undetermined, 2005
Chapter One, The Letter
Hermione stood in the former quarters of Severus Snape, where none had set foot before this, except her. No one could get past the wards he had erected, except her, which she thought was odd, but she assumed he had made the wards personal and had just never considered including her.
What she knew she needed lay in these rooms somewhere and she had no qualms about using it. While he might be a traitor in the eyes of all that knew him, she was not sure how she felt. No matter how she felt, she needed the information and she would have used the Malfoy family if she had to. She shivered at the thought; glad she only needed an empty room and not the slimy likes of Lucius Malfoy or his supposedly reformed ferret son.
She moved to the desk, her gaze caught by an oddly glowing bit of parchment. As she picked it up, the soft orange glow turned blue and the seal cracked. Her curiosity piqued, she opened it and began to read the contents.
Severus,
Each time I leave this castle, I know it may be the last time I shall see these walls. If you have found this, it means that I am now dead, either by your hand or through my own actions.
If it was by your hand, do not blame yourself. I am old and already weakened by my trials this year to stop Tom Riddle and I would rather know that my life saved both yours and Draco Malfoy's instead of perishing in the pursuit of the way to stop Tom once and for all. You will find out shortly what that pursuit involved.
If it was by my own actions, you will still be released from the vow, but you still must protect Draco. He can be saved, whether you believe it or not, but he will be in danger. Put him in hiding with his mother, his love for her will be the catalyst to save him.
Above all, make sure Harry Potter stays alive to defeat Tom. I know not how it will end, but I do know it will be by his hand that Tom Riddle will die, as he can die if you follow my instructions. It could be that the power of more than one boy may be needed after all of this, but I trust you will be able to help him once you show him the truth.
Should the person reading this note not be Severus, I can assume that my death was indeed at the hands of Severus Snape and he is not able to return to the castle. In that case, it is the only other person besides myself that may enter his quarters.
Hermione Granger, I hope you do not grieve too strongly for me, although with your kind heart, I am sure you do. You must set this aside, as you have an awesome task ahead of you. It is you who will know the truth and you must bring that truth to others. I believe you are equal to the task and I can only hope you find this soon in order to fix any damage that might have been done.
Severus Snape did not kill me out of any allegiance to Voldemort, he did it on my orders, either to save Draco Malfoy, who can still be redeemed, or to end my suffering from whatever ailed me by wards set to protect the items which I sought.
I trust that you, Hermione, will know what exactly Harry and I had been up to, but if this is Severus, you will not, so let me explain.
In short, Tom Riddle is only immortal as Voldemort due to objects known as Horcruxes. They are containers to a person's soul. Before this, it was unheard of that an individual would place a part of his or her soul in these containers and continue on with their lives, but Tom has. He had created five of them at his downfall and aspired to have six, thereby creating a seven-part soul - his soul being the last piece.
One was the ring I destroyed and you, Severus, helped me with the task of saving my own hand from that venture. Another was the diary, which Harry destroyed in his second year. On this night, I will seek out a third, a task from which I obviously never. It was a locket, Salazar Slytherin's locket.
Three Horcrux remain, (or four, if by some chance the locket was not found where we thought it would be), one of which we know and two we can only guess. The cup of Helga Hufflepuff I am sure is a Horcrux, as well as something of Ravenclaw's or something of Gryffindor's. For the last, Tom was one Horcrux short when he killed Harry, so he would have made sure to create it when he again had the power to do so and I believe it is the snake, Nagini. However, I have begun to suspect for quite some time, although I wish it were not true, that Tom may have inadvertently turned Harry into a Horcrux. I cannot confirm nor deny this and I cannot say if Tom knows what he has done. I am sure he does not or he would have taken certain actions in that regard. I leave this to you to determine if I am correct and discover a way to release the soul of Tom in Harry.
To aid your quest and to help restore faith in Severus, I have hidden and disguised my Pensive in my office so only you, Severus, you, Hermione, or Harry Potter may find and use it. In it is contained all memories I showed to Harry and all important memories of encounters between Severus and myself. They should prove to show that Severus is indeed a spy for the light and only did what I asked of him. Also use this letter, which is bewitched parchment on which only I may write, in order to support your case. The task will not be easy, but I know eventually all will know and accept the truth.
If this is Hermione, I know you are wondering why you would be the only other person to see this. Ask Severus and tell him I order him to tell you so. Well, perhaps you should not say that, he is probably quite fed up with my orders. I know I would be. But make him tell you, however you can.
If this is Severus, tell her. Life is far too short, even for witches and wizards.
Remember, love is a force of which Tom Riddle will never understand. Let all you meet, including yourselves, know this. If you remember nothing else I ever say, remember this.
And my dears, do not grieve, for I wish your feelings for me to not include your grief and pain. Remember the good and even the bad, for they will serve you well in the battles to come.
With loving regards to Severus, Hermione or the both of you,
Albus Dumbledore
P.S. In the event Severus Snape is dead, effectively releasing the wards to his chambers, and the person holding this letter is not Hermione, I do not know who you will be or what shape you will be in because, Merlin help us all, as he was truly our last chance. If your heart holds the will of the Light and not the Dark, you will be able to read this. Do what you will with the information, if it is of any help to you, seek out Harry Potter to use the Pensieve, and I sincerely hope you succeed. Never lose sight of the fact that love conquers all, even a wizard as powerful as Tom Marvollo Riddle, known to you as Lord Voldemort.
Hermione dropped the letter on the desk in shock. All along, she should have listened to her gut feeling! They had wasted months that could have been spent knowing the truth and using it to their advantage.
Pushing her regret aside, she paused for a moment to marvel at the fact she was part of the wards on this room, not a forgotten element. And most of all, Albus Dumbledore had known it. But why would she, of all people, be allowed to be here? This definitely deserved to be analyzed, but first, she had a task.
She would definitely seek out the Pensieve and see all it contained. She would not even have to take it with her or bring anyone to it, because at least she had done something in these last months that would finally prove useful. She would track Harry down and pound the truth into him, if necessary, and then she would find Severus Snape and apologize for not listening to her instincts and trusting him.
But first, she would find the answer to one Horcrux problem, the biggest one of all.
a/n: Please R/R, I would just adore it!