It's not easy to explain, but . . .

Chapter 50

"Do you think he will move his plans forward, sir?" Ron asked.  "We're ready, but could use a bit more time to make sure it's all in place."

"Indeed, Ron . . . Filius and I have yet to start on our spell work . . . I should think, though, that he'd stop and reconsider;  attacking later rather than sooner, recruiting more followers, making sure he has as big an army as possible for when he attacks the school."

"Oh, dear," Katie whispered.

Not realizing what he was doing, Severus swung his forearm sideways and reached his long fingers out to cover her hand, squeezing it reassuringly.  She looked down at his hand and then at him and smiled, which caught his eye.  Severus looked over to see her put her other hand on top of his.  Bringing his eyes up to meet hers, he blushed a bit, but nodded and then turned his attention back to Albus.

X X X

Voldemort 'Apparated' to the ruins of the Gaunt homestead, located down the road from the Riddle House and the cemetery where his rebirthing took place.  He looked with disgust at the vine covered, weed chocked remnants of the hovel where his mother had lived.  Swinging his wand back and forth, he cleared a path to what was left of the entrance; the door long gone and the framework cracked and leaning precariously. 

He entered the two room, roofless structure and looked around at the rubble and overgrowth that had filled the interior.  Heading to the only part of the room which seemed to have withstood the ravages of encroaching nature, he stopped in front of the huge hearth.  Reaching into the back of the fireplace, he pulled on a particular stone, which resisted and then, with a harsh scraping noise, came out of the wall, revealing a dark, hollow space.  Inserting his long, white skeletal hand, he felt around and came up with  . . . nothing.  His eyes blazing, he withdrew his hand, and stalked out of the tumbledown building.  Turning, he raised his wand and with one swoop, demolished the remains in a crash of stone, wood and dust.  Then he 'Apparated' away, heading south.

X X X

"Now, Ron," Harry said, as he opened his eyes, rubbing his scar and frowning.

Ron lifted the Sword of Gryffindor and brought it down to slice the Gaunt Ring, effectively separating the bottom part of the band from the clips that held the Resurrection Stone.  As the obsidian, flat sided stone tumbled out of the setting, another shrieking cloud of roiling black smoke rose and dissipated.

X X X

Voldemort gasped, swooping into a downward spiral, nearly losing his concentration but quickly recovered and continued flying toward the coast.  He now knew what those strange feelings must mean . . . another of his Horcruxes had been destroyed.  He thoughts were a mixture of fear mingling with anger . . . How had they discovered his secret?  Did they know about all of the hidden pieces of himself?  Surely not the locket; it was the most well hidden and certainly the best guarded. ' I will soon see, ' he thought, as he streaked toward the seaside cave.

X X X

The surface of the lake started to bubble and foam as the boat surfaced in front of Voldemort.  He stepped into the tiny craft and it began its journey to the island located in the distance.  There was no evidence of recent activity anywhere around the entrance or immediately inside the cave; it looked as if no one had been here since he had placed the Locket in the basin and covered it with the poison potion.

 As the boat bumped gently against the edge of the island, Voldemort stepped out and worked his way up to the pillar at the center.  He looked down and was relieved to see the pendant resting on the bottom of the bowl shaped depression.  He stood there, swirling his wand, reversing the spell he had placed on the liquid contents all those years ago.  As the poison vanished, he reached down and picked up the necklace, lifting it up to admire . . .  but then he frowned, realizing something was wrong . . . he felt no connection to the object in his hand.  With trembling fingers he opened the Locket to find a small square of folded parchment.