FicWad

As I’ve said before:

I am restricted by birth and education to English or rather what small portion of it I try to convey my ideas in. I can not write idiomatic French, Italian, German, or any other language so I will not create the problem of you trying to decipher just what I meant to say in a different language using only translation programs. Just assume that you are reading English translations of whatever language is being spoken. As always the main characters belong to JKR, thanks to her for letting us play with them by the way. I am not making money off this but I am keeping my mind active and it beats playing cards during lunch at work.

Thanks to Google Earth and various other web sites for allowing me to view the area’s described.

I do enjoy reviews and use them for ideas and corrections more than you might believe. To those reviewers who are pointing out problems caused by my lack of a Beta reader all I can say is thanks. You are improving not only the following chapters but any future story as well.

Having said all that here is part 6



Remus was looking at the locket in his hands. His spell knowledge wasn’t extensive enough to enable him to be certain this was the locket Voldemort had made into a horcrux. All he could be sure of was it might be but he just had a feeling this was what he’d been hunting. It had been in headquarters until Mundungus had taken it to pawn. Luckily he’d found the thief before he was able to exchange it for galleons. Now it looked like it would be the only one he’d have a chance to find. Life just wasn’t fair, He’d found a woman he wanted to know better but with everything that had happened in the last few weeks it was not possible for him to let her know of his interest. Particularly when she was charged with enforcing the new laws being enacted. Thinking back he could remember how it began just a few short weeks ago.

Minister Scrimgeour’s assassination caused the Wizengamot to declared these extra ordinary times. This allowed them to pass “A Law for Removing the Distress of the People and the Wizarding Government” ceding to the Minister of Magic the power to make laws, control the budget and approve treaties with foreign magical governments all without any additional input or approval. Concentrating that much power in one person was dangerous enough but then they made a far worse decision when they appointed Lucius Malfoy to the Minister of Magic by passing the election process completely. A humble Lucius Malfoy pledged, “The government will make use of these powers only insofar as they are essential for carrying out vitally necessary measures...The number of cases in which an internal necessity exists for having recourse to such a law is in itself a limited one," he then began using the act to declare a state of emergency due to the threat of Voldemort and his death eaters. He then used the state of emergency decree as a pretext to throw out legitimate office holders and replace them with his death eater compatriots. Effectively passing control of the British wizarding government to the very people he was professing to save the country from.

With the Magical Government of Great Britain firmly in the death eaters hands a host of new laws appeared in the following week. Muggle born students were suspended from Hogwarts. Those that complained had their home addresses meticulously recorded to “protect them from attack”. Temporary Headmistress McGonagall had destroyed all of Hogwarts records of muggle born and half blood students when Lucius took the reins at the ministry. Something Severus Snape, appointed Headmaster a week later by the Minister of Magic after he’d dissolved the Hogwarts board of governors, found caused him much distress when they was unable to provide the names and addresses of the non-pure blooded students to Lord Voldemort. Attempts to use the addressing quill to recover those names proved unsuccessful due to new enchantments placed on it by staff still loyal to Dumbledore’s ideals.

Remus had been told all of this when Filius Flitwick, now former professor of Charms at Hogwarts, stopped by for a brief chat to bring him up to speed in the hopes that he could pass the information on before Flitwick “disappeared” in to Gringotts relying on his grandfather’s relatives to insure his safety.

Looking around at shell of his home he nodded to himself, it was time to disappear into the muggle world once again. Perhaps he’d stop by Bill Weasley in France and let him know what was really going on before he disappeared, possibly for good this time.





Once they’d stopped moving thorough time Hermione wasted no time in activating the Portkey Fleur had given them when they’d left on their honeymoon. After a quick displacement Harry and Hermione found themselves looking at a magnificent chateau. Their arrival had attracted notice as several individuals who were obviously guards from the way they quickly surrounded them while trying to discretely hide their wands from this muggle looking couple. The main door opened and Fleur Delacour gracefully descended the front steps. “This couple are my guests I will take it from here. Thank you for your prompt response to the alarm.” She said to the group surrounding Harry and Hermione.

“Come inside, everyone is waiting to meet you.” Fleur said motioning for them to leave the Triumph right were it was.

Once they were inside with the doors shut Bill entered followed by a tall blond who bore a resemblance to Fleur. “Harry you remember Gabrielle,” Bill said motioning to the blond with him.

“Gabrielle?” Harry asked looking at the girl his shock obvious.

“Yes,” The teen replied executing a slight curtsey.

Harry took in the teenager in front of him his mind quickly thinking, ‘If this girl had been eight during the tri-wizard tournament that would make her ten now. Then again there is no way she’s ten.’

The same calculation popped in to Hermione’s head but it was her that said, “Gabrielle it is nice to see you again. If I remember right you start Beauxbatons next year.”

“Actually Gabrielle was a second year at Beauxbatons during the tournament. Madame Maxime said what she did at that time to protect her from being picked on by students from the other schools. Gabrielle like all true Veela looked like a little girl until she went through puberty. Luckily that did not occur until we were back in France.” Fleur said drawing a blush from Gabrielle.

“So you are actually fifteen?”

“Soon to be sixteen actually,” Gabrielle replied. “I have a birthday that just missed the July 15th cutoff for Beauxbatons.

Further discussion was cutoff when Fleur said, “You’ve met them now Gabrielle,” with a look that promised she had more to say if needed.

“Fleur is right my summer internship is calling. You both have a good time.” Gabrielle said leaving.

After she’d left Bill said with a smile. “Glad you both could stop in to see us before you went home. That little trip was obviously good for you both,”

“Yes, we ended up spending our final week in the Koversada resort area. The goblins arranged a hotel room in Vrsar for us,” Hermione said watching Fleur’s eyebrows rise. She obviously knew of the place.

“Oh what’s there to do there?” Bill asked wanting to hear tales of their travels.

Fleur instead interjected, “I will tell you what that area is famous for later,”

Everyone moved into a comfortable sitting room at Fleur’s direction as she said, “Mama and Papa are in Paris today so let us get the unpleasantness out of the way first then you can relax and enjoy our hospitality for a day or two before you continue your journey.

“First things first,” Bill said rising and casting a number of privacy charms on the room. Hermione watched noticing he used all the ones she would have suggested including the one developed by his brothers to defeat their extendable ears. “Now it’s time to talk about Horcruxes,” He said when finished.

“Would it be easier to share your memories?” Hermione asked.

“Yes but… I forgot. I’ll go get my pensive. I take it you two can handle the rest?” Bill said standing.

“Should we do one for Fleur?” Harry asked.

“Yes, but I will provide the blank strand and we will copy mine last,” Fleur announced.

Hermione conjured three vials and passed them around. Once they had the initial strands in them he gathered Hermione’s and reached for Fleur’s.

“No, this will not need obviation,” Fleur said a slight smile on her face.

‘Oh you naughty girl,’ Hermione thought knowing what she had in mind. Harry just raised his eyebrow slightly before casting a obviation on the two in his hand.

When Bill returned they went through the procedure three times making copies for everyone. As requested Fleur was last and when Bill returned his original memory strand to his mind it was obvious from the expression on his face it had picked up a few things from Fleur’s memory strand.

“Wait a minute this doesn’t match what Dumbledore told me,” Harry said moments later.

“Like that’s surprising,” Hermione muttered a bit louder than intended while matching the knowledge she’d acquired from Harry and her own research about Horcruxes against Bill’s knowledge. Once she’d found the major discrepancies she asked, “Bill how good is your information?”

Fleur’s bristling at that question was obvious but Bill touched her arm saying, “They don’t know love.” Turning to Harry and Hermione he added, “You know I am a curse breaker for Gringotts. The reason I work in Egypt is that is where the majority of Horcruxes are found. I am the author of Gringotts’ curse breakers guide on Horcruxes and their acknowledge expert on them.”

“You told Dumbles the truth didn’t you,” Harry asked knowing the answer.

Bill nodded and shrugged his shoulders.

“Alright let me get all this out in the open and make sure we all agree on it,” Harry said watching a pen and paper suddenly appear in Hermione’s hands.

“One, There is no way to predict or control how a soul is split when making a horcrux so it is assumed to split in half.

Two, the maximum a soul can be split is seven times, historical records have documented this.

Three, when a body containing a soul fragment is killed that soul fragment either migrates quickly or dies.

Four, some knowledge is lost to the horcrux fragment every time one is made.

Have I missed any important points?”

Bill shook his head then said, “Let’s review, your death was going to create the sixth horcrux.”

“I thought it was… Oh the seventh part of the soul was him.”

“Right, I don’t believe he succeeded as he died right off and it takes an additional spell to move the split soul to the horcrux otherwise everyone who committed murder would be making a horcrux. So the horcrux in you that came out as the black mist was number six, and there was no seventh.”

“What about the ring and the diary?” Hermione asked.

“I believe the diary was number one and the ring was possible two as his father was killed during his sixth or seventh year and according to Dumbledore stole the ring at that time.”

“Why not the ring first?” Harry asked.

“In case anything went wrong. I believe he’d rather lose the diary than the family ring.” Bill replied.

“Makes sense.” Hermione added.

“Run down the Horcruxes for me please,” Fleur asked.

Harry looked towards Bill who nodded causing Harry to say, “Right, Horcrux one was Tom’s diary.”

“That was with half his soul?” Hermione questioned drawing a nod of agreement from Bill.

“Two, was the gold Slytherin ring.”

“Now three, four, and five in no particular order should be; Slytherin’s locket, Hufflepuff’s cup, and something from Ravenclaw. According to Dumbledore he stole the cup and locket at about the same time from Hepzibah Smith. The Sixth should have been something from Gryffindor and ended up being me.” Harry replied his gallows humor on full display.

“The good news is one, two, and six are gone. The seventh part of his soul would have remained in him but that was incorporated into the sixth which ended up in Harry.”

“Couldn’t Wormtail have created the Gryffindor horcrux?”

Drawing on Bill’s memories Harry replied, “No it needs to be the person whose soul is split.”

“So we have three to find?” Hermione asked.

“No we have to find two. One of the three was used to resurrect Voldemort in Albania. I believe Dumbledore’s theories are pure fancy, If it was true then no Horcrux could be destroyed as the other horcruxes would be anchoring the soul in that one just like it would in a body. If you can destroy a horcrux something Harry has proven can be done. Then they don’t anchor as such they provide alternate souls for that person to continue living.

It’s more than likely Bertha Jorkins was tricked in to either drinking out of Hufflepuff’s gold cup or one of the other Horcruxes were used. If I was forced to guess I would bet she was a Hufflepuff and found the cup or rather was allowed to find the cup and couldn’t resist having a drink from it. When Voldemort was brought back to life in a female body he became upset, stole her knowledge and found Quirrell. Not wanting to take over Quirrell’s weak body he chose to stay in the wraith form you saw in the forbidden forest.”

“Why did he not become a ghost if he was afraid to die?”

“Ghosts have full souls but haven’t moved on. Once you start down the Horcrux path you can’t become a ghost. In fact you can only live as a wraith for short periods unless you take certain steps,” Bill said.

“Like drinking unicorn blood.”

“Drinking fresh unicorn blood is actually one of the best ways for a wraith to exist out side of a body for an extended period of time,” Bill agreed.

“This is easier than I thought it would be. We only need to find two Horcruxes,” Harry said.

“Actually I hope that’s the truth.” Bill replied.

“Let me guess, since a horcrux created has half of the soul at the time of creation it is possible for a resurrected horcrux to create more Horcruxes,” Hermione stated dreading she was right.

Bill nodded saying, “that’s the problem in a nutshell. The good news is I believe the actual first and second Horcruxes were destroyed so if this Voldemort is from the third Horcrux he could only make four more. If we are lucky and this embodiment of Voldemort is from a later one even better.”

“Wouldn’t he have waited for a while and wanted to show off the family ring for a few years?” Hermione asked knowing that a vain man would most likely do exactly that.

“I doubt it for several reasons, one it would draw too much attention to him before he wanted it and two if he was actively pursuing immortality in his sixth year he would have definitely made more that just the diary,” Bill said.

“Is there any way to tell with certainty which order they were made in?”

Bill shook his head, “Not that I am aware of. The time line we just created is our best hope.”

“Well that’s it isn’t it.” Harry said as everyone relaxed. Fleur moving into Bill’s arms as Hermione moved into Harry’s both couples in their own world thinking through everything they’d just discussed.

An hour later Bill removed the charms and Fleur lead the way out of the sitting room saying, “I’m not sure what you want to do for the rest of the day. I promised Hermione a shopping trip in muggle and magical Paris. We could do that now. You guys could accompany us or meet for dinner. Or we could do all that tomorrow and everyone could rest today. It all depends on what you two want to do Bill and I are free for the next few days.”

“I want to go shopping, this morning has been depressing enough. Harry what do you think?” Hermione asked glancing at her husband of a month.

Bill spoke before Harry had a chance. “Sounds good Harry and I will do some wizarding things this afternoon just let us know where and when to meet up.”

“What don’t you want to go with us?” Fleur asked a hurt expression on her face while Hermione adopted a similar expression.

“Don’t fall for it Harry. We wizards need to stand strong. I gave in once and it as horrible. Fleur modeled endless outfits all the while asking me the same question for each one, “Do you like this?” Merlin I’m male put something on that shows me some skin and I’m happy.”

Harry thought for a moment trying to find an answer that would work but it was quickly obvious this conversation didn’t need his input at all.

“You brute, you are marrying me because of my looks!” Fleur huffed loudly.

Bill actually smiled at her remark, this was one of Fleur’s favorite ways to tease him, “Your looks are one reason. I wouldn’t have proposed if you looked like Harry,” He countered.

“Seven years at Beauxbatons, top of my class every year, one of only three living tri-wizard champions and all he notices is I’m a well built broad,” Fleur continued her rant.

Bill knew there were several ways to deal with this but being a Weasley he said, “Well you are well built,” waggling his eyebrows causing Fleur to laugh until she could barely stand.

“You…” Fleur replied when she finally caught her breath.

“Me,” Bill replied taking her in his arms and kissing her.

Hermione let it go on for a few moments then cleared her throat saying, “I believe we were going shopping?”

Fleur nodded her agreement as her blush slowly faded.

“Where should we meet you?” Bill asked.

They are in Paris for today… We will be spending our time on Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré. Let’s meet up at le Meurice it’s a nice little place with good food around eight. I’ll make the reservations. Don’t forget to wear a jacket.” Fleur stated. Turning she led Hermione to a near by fireplace and throwing in a pinch of Floo powder called out “Channel,” Hermione following quickly behind her.

Bill and Harry stood looking at the fireplace for a few moments before Bill asked, “Worried?”

“Nah, she can handle herself. Besides between Fleur and her I’d be hard pressed to win a duel.”

Bill nodded in agreement he’d seen Fleur in full Veela fight mode only once when he’d stumbled on her training. That had been scary. This summer Gabrielle was off undergoing the same training now that he’d stopped to think about it.

“So. What are we doing today?” Harry asked interrupting Bill’s mussing.

“Do you still have a good suit?”

“Some where in my luggage.”

“Get it out and let the house elves clean and press it.” Bill suggested

“Don’t tell me.”

“Yes my intended is out to insure you have at least one good French meal. I’ve eaten there once and believe me the meal will be nothing like you would get at the Burrow.” Bill replied before dragging Harry of for an afternoon of additional curse-breaker training.



In Paris Hermione glanced at Fleur as they emerged on to on Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré asking, “So what are we shopping for?”

“It will have to be prêt-à-porter as we don’t have time for all the fittings that go with haute couture. The good news in we’ve got Lavin at # 22, Hermes at # 24, Guy Laroche at # 28, Jean-Paul Gaultier at # 30, Yves Saint-Laurent at # 38, Dior at # 46, and Versace at # 62. Between them we should be able to find you a few things to wear and Versace does have a witches section.” Seeing a dubious look on Hermione’s face Fleur added, “Don’t worry we will have fun today.”

A little after eight that evening Hermione followed Fleur in to the Hotel Meurice. “I believe there is a table for Weasley?” Fleur said approaching the matri-de.

“Yes right this way.” He replied leading them to a table by the windows over looking the Tuileries Garden.

Hermione followed her eyes scanning the diners automatically looking for anything out of place when her eyes caught Harry rising out of a chair at her approach. His long back hair was tied back with a dark green leather tie that matched his dark green suit both almost black in this light. “Hermione it is not proper to drool in public,” Fleur whispered as they approached their table.

The same remark could have been made to Harry. He was stunned as Hermione approached wearing a black dress that exposed one shoulder completely showing off her fantastic tan as his eyes descended he became quite aware it fit every curve of her body perfectly and ended high enough on her thigh to highlight her fantastic legs. A quick glance further down had him wondering just how those heels were held onto her feet with such thin straps. “Uh Harry?” Hermione asked not having seen him this stunned since she’d dropped her cover up on the beach at the Koversada resort.

Harry made several inarticulate sounds before Bill spoke up saying, “I think he’s trying to say you look very beautiful Hermione.”

Finally Harry’s mind caught up with his tongue, “Yes my love you look very beautiful. I must look like a street bum beside you.”

“No Harry you look quite handsome.” Hermione countered.

“Actually both our men look quite handsome,” Fleur added smiling at Bill.

“Agreed,” Hermione said smiling at the engaged couple.

The young boy who was put in his room under the stairs whenever any entertaining was being done came to the fore when Harry picked up a menu. Realization struck him that he was sitting in one of the finest restaurants not only in Paris but in the world.

Hermione quickly picked up on his panic and sought to calm him. Using an ability they’d just uncovered she focused her mind towards him. ‘Harry relax and follow my lead. You’ll find out this isn’t that difficult.’

Harry heard her voice in his mind and smiled. Trust her to know exactly what his problem was and know just how to deal with it. ‘Thanks love,’ he thought back to her before placing his order. When the appetizers arrived he looked at the plate before him. "violon” zucchini marbled with medjool dates, looked far better than it sounded to him and following Hermione’s lead he dove in. Bill had turned the wine selection over to the Sommelier telling him not to exceed the cost of the meal itself. A trick Harry filed away for use later in life. As a result everyone’s wine was different reflecting the best complement to their chosen meal. His main course was roasted Free Range Chicken while Hermione and Fleur both had Fillet of Seabass steamed in a Leaf of Cherry Tree. Bill had something called Poached Fillet of Turbot. Conversation was minimal during the meal as everyone was too engrossed in their own meals to spare much attention for any discussion. That began during dessert some what surprisingly everyone had the Sliced Poached Pears in Strawberry syrup. Talk turned quickly to what came next. Fleur quickly convinced Hermione that clubbing was the order of the night and Harry thanked Merlin and anyone else he could that he’d spent at least a small part of their honeymoon on the dance floor in several of the small clubs in Rabac, otherwise he would have been lost on the dance floors of Paris.



Two couples stumbled down stairs about ten minutes apart the next afternoon. They’d danced until morning summoning the taxi version of the French night bus to get the four of them back to the Delacour mansion in one piece. “Coffee?” Harry asked as he looked around the table.

“Not tea?” Fleur asked a hint of a smile on her lips.

“Tea is for civilized breakfasts. After last night what I need to get going is anything but civilized,” Harry countered.

“We did nothing illegal,” Fleur protested.

Harry glared at her for a moment before conceding the point, “No it was not illegal but I am in no shape to face Hermione’s parents today.”

“Don’t worry I’ve already figured it out. We will travel to Calais this afternoon and spend our final night on the continent at Calais before boarding the Chunnel train with Sirius’ bike for the trip to England. A leisurely ride through the British country side and we are home.” Hermione said obviously slightly more chipper than Harry was.



“Fleur!” a voice called out from the fireplace.

“Yes father,” Fleur replied recognizing her father’s voice.

“Mr. Lupin is here looking for Bill. I was going to send him through but thought it might be best to insure you are ready to receive visitors considering the time you four stumbled in this morning.”

“Father you know an evening of dinner and dance ends late. And yes you may send Remus through we are all presentable.

Harry smiled as his father’s friend and his favorite professor came through the floo network.

Remus’s eyes sought out the veela first his mind fixed on talking with Bill knowing he would either be beside her or she would know where he was. “Fleur,” he said with a nod noticing Bill right beside her at a small table with two others. “Bill, I need to talk with you in private.” He announced in a hushed voice not recognizing the other occupants of the room.

“Don’t worry Remus everyone here is trust worthy.” Bill countered.

Remus finally took note of the rooms other occupants. “Harry? Hermione? What the devil are you two doing here? Hermione your mother never even hinted you’d gone off with Harry. I’ve been phoning her on and off for several weeks now.” Remus sputtered out before taking note of the broad smiles on both their faces and something snapped inside him. “You… You ran away from all your responsibilities to spend a summer playing slap and tickle with this… this tart while You-know-who took over England. How could you do that to us Harry? We needed you. Minerva and I tried to do your job in your absence. Of course not having your years of training with Dumbledore we only found one of those thrice cursed items. Now I am hunted like an animal in my own country thanks to Malfoy and his law allowing sport hunting of unconfined Werewolves. At Minerva’s suggestion I was bringing this to Bill for him to deal with before heading to someplace safe.” Remus ranted tossing Slytherin’s locket on the table between them.

The other four in the room looked at each other in shock. Hermione couldn’t believe Remus was going off on her and Harry then she felt Harry’s anger through their bond. She didn’t have a chance to say anything before Harry lost control and began speaking his anger obvious to anyone within hearing range, “Remus you…” Harry started before he bit back the words he was going to use instead saying, “Until I was given the means to leave by my deceased Godfather I was stuck at my relative’s for the summer. I couldn’t have done anything to stop Voldemort or Malfoy. Blame the bleating sheep that gave Malfoy the power in the first place for your predicament. As for all the training I received from Dumbledore…. That’s a big joke on me if you all think that. You gave me more during my third year! That man taught me nothing that would help me defeat Draco Malfoy let alone Voldemort. And don’t you dare attack our summer vacation, let’s just say it’s given me a very strong reason to defeat Voldemort plus knowledge I would have never had otherwise. Remus for Merlin’s sake man quit shivering when I say Voldemort your embarrassing yourself! How can you defeat someone when you’re so scared of him you can’t use his name. Hermione you were right. Wizards are so long lived they fear death above all else. Remus there are worse things than death, Just look at Neville’s parents. Fleur, Bill I’m going back to the room and leave you and the scared wolf to discuss whatever you need to.”

Hermione watched Harry leave before turning to Remus, “You were right behind Sirius in his heart Remus. One of a very few people he trusted implicitly. That’s gone now and you’re going to have to work hard to be anything other than Mr. Lupin to him.” Hermione said rising from her seat.

Remus still feeling the bitterness replied, “And how would you know that Miss can’t keep her knees together?”

Hermione looked at her former professor an angry retort forming in her mind then she shook her head glanced at Fleur then nodded towards Remus, implying you deal with him, leaving the room without speaking.

“Remus.” Bill said addressing the man sternly.

“What… the little punk ran away again like he always does, and his tart followed probably heading off some where for some more slap and tickle.” Remus said.

“Sorry Fleur.” Bill said walking over and picking up Remus like a rag doll carrying him through a door Fleur opened with a wave once she saw Bill start to move.

Once out on the grounds Bill tossed Remus ten feet before the older werewolf got to his feet and charged Bill. Used to having his werewolf-enhanced strength be the deciding factor in any fight Remus was surprised at Bill’s ability to toss him around like a rag doll. After several minutes of working out his frustrations with the older man Bill twisted Remus’s arm behind Remus’s back grabbing a hand full of Remus’s hair with his other one before asking, “Are you ready to sit down and listen or do I need to start breaking a few things?”

Remus started to growl but feeling his hand Bill held behind Remus’s back start up towards his head Remus finally nodded collapsing when Bill released him. “Damn you’re strong.”

“Yes, I got the muscle without the transformation. Other than this ugly mug and being banned from England it worked out well.”

Just then Fleur walked up asking, “Have you gotten him ready to listen?”

“I think so.” Bill said looking at Remus who nodded in reply.

Bill watched as Fleur obviously composed herself before looking at Remus asking, “Did you intend to totally ruin your relationship with Harry?”

“Ah, no.” Remus replied having gotten past his anger during the fight with Bill.

“Regardless you did it quite well. I do not believe he would trust you if you told him the sun was coming up tomorrow now.”

“Oh crap. I’ll talk to him and patch things up. Things have gone from bad to terrible in England and I just took it out on him. Harry will understand me.” Remus replied.

“That may be but I believe you need to make amends to Hermione first. Unless my Veela senses were wrong Harry was standing just outside the door and heard everything that was said between you and his wife.”

Remus looked up sharply from where he was stretching out his sore muscles. “Wife?” he asked a nervous tone in his voice.

“Hermione is his wife. Bill and I had the great honor of being their witnesses.” Fleur replied her firm posture indicating just how great an honor she thought that was.

Remus hung his head for several long moments before he asked, “I’ve really destroyed that relationship haven’t I?”

“I would say you are off any list of friends they might have including the holiday greeting card list.” Bill said his tone and timber indicating he still was ready to go a few more rounds with Remus.

“Right, Nothing to do now but my job. Fleur if you could call your father and ask him to stop by then do your best to get Harry and Hermione down I’d like to tell everyone about what has happened in England. I’ll warn you it isn’t good.”



It was lunch before everyone could gather. Harry and Hermione taking the seats furthest from Remus with Mr. Delacour and Bill between the Potters and their former Professor. A sad look crossed Remus face at that sight but he steeled himself and described the events leading up to his leaving England.

At the end everyone turned to look at Harry who said, “If Mr. Lupin is correct, the bad news is Voldemort is in charge of magical England. The good news is for later.”

“Harry my future father-in-law knows about the horcruxes. In fact he was my sounding board about Voldemort using them,” Bill said quietly.

Harry smiled slightly adding, “Then with the item Mr. Lupin’s brought us there is possible only one more to find.”

“What, Dumbledore said there were 6 in total there should be three left to be found.” Remus said quickly.

“Dumbledore’s information was faulty,” Hermione said firmly. She had no intention of putting up with any grandstanding by Remus.

Remus didn’t take the challenge to his great hero well, “Who says so?” He snarled.

“Gringotts’ authority on horcruxes that’s who,” Hermione replied glaring at Remus.

“And who is this authority?” Remus sneered back at Hermione

Bill knew it was time to get in between these two. “That would be me,” he said looking at Remus.

“But Dumbledore…”

“Harry told me what he said and I’m telling you Dumbledore got his information from me and put his own twist on it. He is wrong. Why do you think Gringotts has me specializing in Egyptian curse breaking? That’s were most of the horcruxes are. That is why Gringotts worked so hard to get me out of England and free to continue working for them. I’m the best there is and I say there is only one more horcrux left.” Bill explained without appearing to boast a part of him wanting to take Remus back outside and thrash him for questioning his competence.