Dumbledore's mind invaded the infant soul.
He found nothing.
The tiny head was completely empty—or rather, this infant-like soul had no consciousness at all.
All that existed was a flash of green light and an echoing, agonized scream.
The sa scene played on repeat.
There was nothing else.
Dumbledore withdrew his wand and gave a gentle flick of Flitwick's.
Harry's opened face folded back, twisting like a Rubik's cube until it returned to normal.
The last trace of magic dissipated.
Snape shoved Dumbledore aside, pulling out several vials of potion and forcing them into Harry's hands. "Drink these. Quickly."
Harry downed them one after another.
The last one tasted bitter—like boiled bitter lon. He let out a small burp. "What were those?"
"Potions to stabilize your soul," Snape said, waving his wand. The empty bottles vanished instantly—there was no need to worry about the cost of glass vials when you were a Potions Master.
"Albus used Dark Magic on you."
"Relax, I was very gentle," Dumbledore said, returning Flitwick's wand. "I made sure not to damage your soul. And with Severus here, you were never in any danger."
Harry nodded and reached up to touch his face. He had the strange sensation that his nose, mouth, and eyes were barely hanging on. His gaze flickered toward the wand in Dumbledore's hand.
Dumbledore shifted uncomfortably and hid it behind his back.
"What did you find?" Harry asked cautiously, still holding onto his jaw as if it might fall off.
"Your mouth isn't going to fall off, Potter," Snape snapped, turning his head away in disgust. "Stop doing such repulsive things."
Dumbledore sighed, summoning a chair and sitting down. His voice was heavy. "It's bad."
"Voldemort's Horcrux is too deeply connected to you. I thought it was symbiotic, but it's actually parasitic. It has rooted itself inside your soul."
"But the good news is that it still exists as a separate entity—it remains an independent soul fragnt."
Harry nodded. "So theoretically, you could just cast Avada Kedavra on it, and that would get rid of it, right? You just wouldn't be able to preserve it or examine its mories—"
"I've already seen its mories," Dumbledore interrupted.
Harry's face remained unreadable.
Dumbledore continued, "As Voldemort's final Horcrux, it contains nothing—only the night of the attack. Just a trace of the Killing Curse. Either the one Voldemort cast, or the one that was reflected back at him by Lily's protection magic."
"Nothing else?" Harry blinked.
Horcruxes weren't supposed to be empty.
Both the diary and the Resurrection Stone had displayed fully ford personalities.
"It's easy to explain," Dumbledore said, withdrawing a jar of Cockroach Clusters from his robes. "The Horcrux in your scar was an accident. Voldemort never intended to create an extra fragnt inside you."
"He didn't have ti to properly separate a stable piece of his soul. He didn't even realize he'd left one behind."
"That," Dumbledore added, "is the only good news."
"It's so weak that while it gave you so of Voldemort's abilities, it never gained control over you."
For the first ti, Dumbledore looked genuinely relieved. Even Snape's expression flickered with the ghost of relief.
Because they had never considered the possibility that a fragnt of Voldemort's soul was inside Harry.
If that fragnt had developed any awareness—even a sliver of independent thought—what would have happened to Harry then?
Would Harry Potter even still be alive?
It was their negligence.
And all they could do now was say, thank rlin it didn't turn out that way.
"So the other five Horcruxes—what they are, and where they are—we still have no answers?" Harry summarized grimly.
Dumbledore nodded. "None."
Harry sighed and repeated his earlier thought. "You said it's a separate entity. So if you just cast Avada Kedavra on it—problem solved, right?"
Snape couldn't stay seated anymore. "Potter, you're in fifth year—stop being so naive!"
"Enough of this troll-brained nonsense!"
He would have kept yelling, but Dumbledore cleared his throat loudly and cut in.
"I'm afraid it's not that simple," Dumbledore said, shaking his head. "A soul is too fragile. The Killing Curse is too powerful—even the residual energy from casting it would cause irreversible damage to your soul."
"Only soone who cannot harm you could safely cast Avada Kedavra on the Horcrux."
Harry's expression darkened. "You an Tom Riddle."
Dumbledore nodded.
"Let guess—you've co up with another brilliant plan," Harry said sarcastically, clapping his hands. "You want to resurrect Voldemort just long enough to let him cast Avada Kedavra at —hoping that my mother's protection still works, so his curse will rebound and kill the Horcrux."
"I'd even have to lean in to make sure he accurately hits my forehead, right? So the curse lands exactly where his own soul fragnt is."
"Because of my mother's magic, it wouldn't kill —but the curse would work on his Horcrux."
Harry spread his hands. "Boom. Tom Riddle kills Tom Riddle."
Dumbledore nodded. "Why not?"
"You're the smartest man alive, Professor," Harry said coldly.
Snape stood imdiately, pulling out his wand and pointing it at Dumbledore. "Don't move, Albus—I'm going to examine your brain, just like you did to Potter. Let's see what the hell is inside your skull."
"I'll bet you one hundred Galleons that even Fudge wouldn't co up with sothing this ridiculous," Flitwick muttered.
Sprout looked genuinely worried. "Albus, are you—are you tired? Maybe you need so rest?"
"It's the safest thod," Dumbledore insisted, still calm.
"And how is resurrecting Voldemort 'safe'?" Harry shot back.
Snape growled, "You'd rather send Potter to face the Killing Curse? Albus, why don't you go instead?"
"If my death could ensure Voldemort's, I would go gladly," Dumbledore said softly. His voice was firm.
McGonagall shook her head. "Albus, maybe your logic is right, but I hope—I want—Harry to be safer. And right now, the wizarding world can't afford another resurrection of the Dark Lord."
Dumbledore seed ready to argue again.
But Harry spoke first.
"If I have to bring Voldemort back just to destroy the Horcrux in my scar—then honestly, it's not worth it."
"And sure, Voldemort might cast the Killing Curse at . But what if he doesn't? What if he actually uses his brain and kills so other way? A Transfiguration spell? So other dark magic? Or just tells a Death Eater to stab through the heart?"
"I'm not gambling on sothing that uncertain."
Dumbledore fell silent.
Harry continued, "Horcruxes can revive their owner—but only if they have the awareness to do so, right?"
Dumbledore nodded. "That's correct."
"Then let's just kill the other Horcruxes first and leave this one inside ."
"It has no awareness. It'll stay inside forever. When I've lived long enough—maybe a few hundred years—Hermione can just cast Avada Kedavra and be done with it."
Snape scoffed. "Potters aren't known for longevity."
"Maybe not," Harry admitted, "but there'll always be a Potter."
Dumbledore waved a hand. "Harry, Severus—don't worry. If you reject this plan, we will find another way."
"Harry is correct—Horcruxes are difficult to revive. They require an enormous amount of life force..."
He trailed off suddenly, locking eyes with Harry.
"Pets?" They spoke at the sa ti.
The other Heads of House reacted a beat later.
Dumbledore's brow furrowed. "Perhaps... there is another Horcrux hidden within Hogwarts. And perhaps there is still a Death Eater inside the castle—one who is planning Voldemort's resurrection. In order to avoid suspicion, they may be targeting pets first."
"With Voldemort's knowledge of magic, he could create a hidden space within Hogwarts," he added.
He turned to Snape.
The younger man shook his head. "No one has contacted ."
"Then it seems they don't trust you."
"It may not even be a Death Eater," Dumbledore murmured. "Just a theory for now."
"Either way," Harry said, "it looks like we'll have to start exploring Hogwarts again."
Dumbledore smiled. "Ah, a return to our student days—seeking out secrets hidden in the castle."
"I am a student." Harry reminded him.
"The Marauder's Map is extrely detailed," Dumbledore continued. "Every secret passage and hidden room I know of is marked. Harry—"
"I'll check with Gryffindor," Harry nodded, implying that even he wasn't certain if the map had any blind spots.
Dumbledore lifted the jar of Cockroach Clusters. "Professors, we must take this more seriously. There may be a Horcrux hidden within Hogwarts—one waiting for revival."
Harry suddenly reached for his wand and flicked it toward the window.
"Accio cockroach!"
With a sharp whoosh, a few dark, scuttling shapes zood inside. They tumbled through the air, landed in the jar, and rged seamlessly with the candies inside.
A mont of silence.
The jar clicked shut.
The faint sound of crunching filled the office.
Dumbledore froze, staring at the container in his hand.
Slowly, he swallowed.
Then, with a sharp gesture, he vanished the jar entirely. "Harry, that was disgusting."
"Oh? You do understand what that ans?" Snape said dryly.
Harry kept a straight face. "Just a friendly reminder, Professor. What if there were already real cockroaches in that jar?"
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Powerstones?
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