CHRYSALIS - FRED WEASLEY

CHAPTER 25

 Lillie is one of the few people who have seen whatever a soul consists of. The common trait that ties each soul together, no matter their differences, is the sense of completeness that holds it together. It binds the person to reality; no matter the crimes committed, the evils done, the wholeness remains. Lillie can't even imagine what a soul so maimed would look like, what horrors would be left on the corporeal body. It made her nauseous just to consider what such a division would do to a person. Would they even be truly human anymore?

"How–how would you even..." she asks.

"It is a process too brutal to describe. I do not wish to subject you to such knowledge. It does, however, involve taking the life of another. As long as these pieces remain, even if the physical body is killed, the Dark Lord can be reborn," he answers.

"So, how can we kill him? If he's in so many pieces, and we don't know where the pieces are, how could we even..." she trails off.

"I've been thinking about the coming months for a very long time. As long as Harry has been alive. This will play out in a specific order, in a way that will ensure Voldemort's death. I've concluded that Harry must find the Horcruxes and kill Voldemort himself, with minimal assistance."

"Then, why are you telling–"

"There's more," he interrupts. "I assume you are familiar with the story of the Deathly Hallows."

"Yes," she nods, frowning, "Whoever possesses all three becomes the master of Death."

"The story is true. Harry already possesses one, the Cloak of Invisibility. He will have the Resurrection Stone... soon. And, if all goes to plan, he will have the Elder Wand," he says.

"Why would Harry..." she trails off, "Why would Harry need to be the master of Death?"

"Because he is the last Horcrux."

A chill runs through her body, a sweat breaks over her brow. Her hands shake as she brings them to her mouth. "There's... there's a piece of Voldemort inside of him? How could that have happened? How do you know?"

"Voldemort doesn't know that the night he murdered James and Lily Potter, and attempted to murder Harry, he inadvertedly put a part of himself into Harry. I've suspected it for a long time. Harry's ability to speak Parseltongue, his relationship to Voldemort's wand, the strange kinship to him he's expressed in the past. I only knew for sure last night, when he touched the Horcrux."

"Why are you telling me this?" she whispers.

"It is imperative that Harry properly owns all three Deathly Hallows before Volemort...before Voldemort kills him. It is the only way he will survive. I need you to ensure that before he confronts Voldemort, every other Horcrux is destroyed and every Deathly Hallow belongs to him, and him alone. Can you promise this?"

"Why? Why me? Why can't you help him, why are you acting as though..." she pauses, realization creeping through her. Her voice lowers to a whisper, "As though you won't be here?"

Dumbledore pushes the loose sleeve of his silver robes above his elbow, and Lily gasps. His entire arm is black as night, shriveled to bone and gnarled with treeish knots.

"I'm dying, Lillienne. When this progresses to my heart, or my brain, or some other vital organ, I will die."

"When?" she asks quietly, tears pooling in her eyes.

"A matter of months."

She closes her eyes and lets the tears drip down her face, falling into her folded hands. Her lower lip quivers as she attempts to restrain herself. Sadness pools in her, threatening to spill over as her tears have done. She wants to be strong, show Dumbledore that he can trust her to keep herself in check and complete the task he has given her.