Ron was in the sitting room trying to get the radio to tune in to Potterwatch. "Albus," he said, tapping on the radio with his wand. "Dumbledore," he said, trying a different rhythm. "Moody!" Tap tap tap. "Sirius." Tappity tap tap.
He wasn't getting very far.
Sev, who was spending a rare evening at Spinner's End was on the sofa before the fire. He had dusted off the book of baby names that he'd bought Remus for Christmas. He was going through it methodically, quill and parchment in hand. Amanda, beside him, looked on with interest. Crookshanks, who had taken a liking to her, purred in her lap.
"Augustus," Sev said thoughtfully, chewing on his quill. "Antonius."
"Those are both a bit stuffy, don't you think?" said Remus from where he sat in the rose colored armchair by the fire, his feet up.
"Probably," said Sev. "I don't know. Antonius Breckenridge was a great potion maker of the seventeenth century."
"Was he now?" said Remus, smiling at him.
"He laid the groundwork for the polyjuice potion. Also Felix Felicis."
"Mmm," said Remus. "Maybe. Keep looking."
"Barilius?" said Sev, flipping forward "Balthazar? Bergood?"
"That means Good Bear," said Remus.
"Bergood Odenton was a great potion maker of the fourteenth century," said Sev.
"Oh dear," said Remus.
"Try going back to front," suggested Harry from the corner table where he was playing exploding snap with Ginny, while Gavin looked on.
Sev flipped to the back of the book. "Zodion?" he said, somewhat hopelessly. "Zepharia? Zane?"
"If his name starts with zed he'll always be called last for everything," said Hermione from the study where she was curled, surrounded by stacks of books and notes.
"Same problem with a name that starts with A," said Ron wisely. "No one likes to be called first all the time."
"Oakley," said Amanda.
"Oakley?" said Sev, flipping back to the middle. "That's not in the book."
"It's a cool name, though," said Ginny, approvingly.
"Oakley," said Sev thoughtfully, writing it down. He liked the way it looked on the page. It wasn't a traditional wizarding name. On the other hand, being called Severus hadn't really done much for him. "Oakley," he said tasting it. "We'll see," he said.
Over in the corner, Ron let a frustrated sigh. "Remus Lupin!" he shouted at the radio, followed by a complicated series of taps. "Severus Snape!" Nothing.
"Try the Prewetts," suggested Remus.
"The Prewetts?
"Gideon and Fabian, They were heroes of the first war. We all looked up to them like mad when we were in school."
Severus snorted. "Some of us did."
"Gideon Prewett!" shouted Ron, tapping furiously. "Fabian Prewett."
Nothing.
"Try Regulus," suggested Sev.
"Regulus?" asked Ron.
"Regulus Black," said Remus. "Sirius' brother. He sacrificed his life resisting the Dark Lord."
"That's right," said Ron. "He did."
"I know," said Sev, with a shudder, and a dark look crossed his face. "I was there."
"Regulus Black," said Ron. He tapped the radio once, and it crackled to life. "Welcome to Potterwatch," came the voice of Fred Weasley over the radio.
Sev waved his wand , and a piece of paper floated across the room to Remus, who caught it in his hand. On the paper, in Sev's old fashioned copperplate, was written Oakley Snape Lupin with a question mark.
********
The next day Harry, Ron and Hermione left for a temple Kessem Shalom in high spirits, shopping list in hand. They were wearing glamours that made them look like typical Londoners, shiny shoes, dark coats. The boys wore skinny ties. Hermione, her hair charmed black and sleek, wore plum colored lipstick. They were going to pick up ingredients for a steak and kidney pie on their way home.
No one noticed the large grey rat that peered at them as they came through the wards, laughing and joking, and apparated away.
********
At Temple Kessem Shalom, Rabbi Eleazer, his crow seated on his shoulder, ushered them into the main sanctuary. He had drawn a large six pointed star on the floor, in the empty space in front of the Bima. Harry was surprised. They usually spent his lessons sequestered in the rabbi's cluttered office, learning Hebrew, studying spells from mouldering yellow scrolls, practicing mindfulness. Today something different was afoot.
The rabbi made Harry sit on the floor in the middle of the star he had drawn. Ron and Hermione slipped into one of the red velvet benches. The sanctuary was dark and echoey. The shadows in the corners seemed to whisper. Above the Bima, the eternal light flickered and waved.
"Today," announced Rabbi Eleazer, "we will try the finding spell."
"Oh," said Harry. It all made sense now. He had been practicing this spell for weeks, and he was anxious to try it.
"You, in the center, complete the circuit," said the rabbi, pointing at Harry. "Do you have the locket? The one that was destroyed?" Harry nodded and swallowed hard. He reached into the moleskin pouch, the one that Hagrid had given him, that was always around his neck. He pulled out the broken horcrux and handed it to the rabbi.
The old man placed it carefully on one corner of the six sided star. He reached inside his own robes and produced a large silver ring.
"This symbolizes the ring - the one that was destroyed by Albus Dumbledore."
He went over to the shelf, picked out a small leather bound book, and set it on another point of the star. "This is for the diary - the one that was destroyed by the basilisk's fang."
He waved his wand and a small light weight object came fluttering out of his study. The rabbi caught it in his hand. It was a snakeskin, dry and crinkly. He laid it carefully on the point of the star opposite the broken locket.
"For the snake," he said. "The Dark Lord's companion. The one that is yet to be destroyed."
He snapped his fingers and two blank pieces of parchment appeared in his hand. He set them on the two remaining points of the star.
"Seven horcruxes," the rabbi said. "Five are known, including yourself. Two are unknown, but you need to know. You have a pressing need."
"I do," said Harry hoarsely.
"We will recite the shehekianu, Harry," said the rabbi, looking at him. "Do you remember it?"
"Yes," whispered Harry.
"What is its relevance?"
"It's the prayer for any special occasion. To thank god for bringing us to this moment."
"That is correct. Say it with me now."
Harry and the rabbi chanted the ancient prayer together. "Baruch atah adonai." The eerie haunting melody filled the room, all the way to the high rafters of the ceiling far above them. The crow on the rabbi's shoulder, stared at Harry steadily with it's beady eye. "Eloheinu melech ha'olam, shchechainu, vekiamanu, vhigianu, laz man hazeh." When they were done, the room tingled with magic.
"The finding spell, Harry," Reb Eleazer breathed. "Say it."
Harry stood, in the center of the six pointed star. It was a long spell, and complicated. It had to be chanted just right, with the proper inflection or it wouldn't work. It had to be chanted with the proper focus and clarity of mind. Harry had been practicing it for weeks. He took a deep cleansing breath. He cleared his mind, as best he could. That was the hardest part. He started chanting. The eternal flame above the Bima flickered, then darkened, though it did not go out. The shadows in the room deepened. Hermione took in a sharp little breath, and grabbed Ron's hand beside her.
Harry swayed and chanted for what felt like a long time, the ancient trope filling the echoey space. His voice was husky, not really musical, but he hit the right notes. His face was white, his eyes closed in concentration. His scar stood out in his pale forehead.
When the spell was complete the room was silent. The flame above the Bima shone suddenly bright, much brighter than it had been before. The room was filled with a yellow, glowing light, making it appear much warmer and less shabby than it ever had.
The rabbi waved his hand and summoned a quill from the air. He handed it to Harry.
"Don't speak," he said. "Draw what you see."
Harry went over to the blank sheet of parchment that had been set in a corner of the hexagram, and drew for a few moments, then went to the other blank parchment, set on the opposite point, and drew some more. The scratching of the quill on the parchment sounded unnaturally loud in the quiet room.
"Accio Gafen!" the old man cried, when Harry had finished drawing, and the tray with the wine came sailing over. Reb Eleazer poured some into a large wooden cup. "Baruch atah adonai eloheinu melech ha'olam borei pri hagafen," he chanted. His voice filled the room, quavery, yet somehow powerful. "The wine seals the spell," he said. "Drink now." He took a small sip and then gave the cup to Harry, who drank deeply. When he had done the color had returned to his face. He shook himself and grinned at Ron and Hermione, who were sitting hand in hand on the red velvet cushion of the pew, staring at him with concern.
Harry wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and breathed out. "I'm fine," he said.
"What did you see?" Hermione asked in a small voice.
Harry went over and picked up the two pieces of parchment from the points of the star and handed them to Ron and Hermione.
On one was a crudely drawn cup, on the other was something that looked like a crown.
"Helga Hufflepuff's cup," breathed Hermione. "Just as we thought."
"What's this other thing?" asked Ron curiously, squinting at Harry's drawing, turning it this way and that. "You need to work on your art, mate. This here's like reading tea leaves."
"It's a crown," said Hermione. "A tiara."
"Probably Ravenclaw's," said Harry. "Every picture of her I've ever seen, she's wearing a crown like that. And it fits the pattern."
"Did you see where they are?" asked Hermione breathlessly.
"Yeah, I did," said Harry. "The cup is at Gringotts bank. The crown - well, it's at Hogwarts."
The three of them looked at each other. When the rabbi spoke it startled them, they had almost forgotten he was there. "You have done well Harry," he said. "You have mastered the finding spell." The rabbi went and took the drawings from Harry. He touched them with his wand and they burst into flame. They watched as the parchment burned to ashes, in his hand. The smoke drifted towards the ceiling. The crow, which had been sitting on Reb Eleazar's shoulder the whole time, gave a loud caw and followed the smoke up to the high ceiling. Harry, who had never looked up at the ceiling of the sanctuary before, saw that it was a painted blue sky, with clouds.
"You remember the joining spell?" said the rabbi to Harry, his voice hoarse.
"I do," said Harry. Rabbi Eleazer looked back at him, out of his ancient face. He looked tired suddenly, and very frail.
"When the time comes, when the other horcruxes are destroyed, you will use it to finish the Dark Lord."
"Yes," Harry whispered.
"Remember what I have taught you," the rabbi said. "Recite the spell with clarity of mind and strength of spirit. May God's blessing be upon you."
And without another word he walked slowly into his office and shut the door.
Harry looked after him for a long moment. Then he bent and picked up the broken locket from where it sat on the point of the star, and put it back in the moleskin pouch.