Harry got a familiar uncomfortable feeling at being stared at, but this time was less bothered by it because he too was intrigued by the person in front of him.
They shook hands as they look at each other with curiosity as the others entered the small room. Renato looked to Aravatu, worry in his eyes. Aravatu nodded, informing his brother that all the students were trust worthy.
“I’ve heard much about you, from Aravatu. It’s because of you I’m not dead.”
“I don’t follow…” Harry said with furrowed eyebrows.
“When I took the Horcrux I planned on destroying it, then killing myself, because in my mind I felt it better to be killed by myself than by Tom. Well, then you defeated him and I didn’t have to kill myself.”
“I didn’t really ‘defeat’ him.”
“When you were an infant he attack you didn’t he?” Renato asked.
“Well, yes.”
“And he performed ‘Avada Kedavra’ against you, didn’t he?”
“Well… yes.”
“And you survived, didn’t you?”
“Well… yes, but - “
“So you defeated him then.”
“Not really.”
“Just let it go Harry.” Alexia said exasperated.
“So you destroyed the horcrux?” Harry asked, moving on.
“Yes, I did… took quite a toll on me.” Renato replied as he lifted his left sleeve, revealing a blackened chard shoulder.
The girls gasped slightly.
“You think that’s bad?” He added as he lifted his shirt exposing a charred chest.
Harry had a flashback to Professor Dumbledore.
“So you had to wear the locket?” Harry asked, remembering the Gaunt’s ring.
“Yes…” Renato replied as he lowered his shirt.
“How does it work?” Hermione asked.
“You are?” Renato asked politely.
“Hermione, Hermione Granger.” She replied, slightly embarrassed that she asked a question before introducing herself.
“Well Hermione Granger, it certainly isn’t easy, though I’m sure you all assume that. You have to fight the power inside the horcrux to destroy it.” Renato tried his best to summarize.
“Fight it? How do you fight power in an inanimate object?” Alexia wondered out loud.
“Alexia Mallev, Ron Weasley, and Draco Malfoy.” Aravatu said, point to each student, knowing Renato would insist on knowing the names of the people he divulged his life secrets to.
“Malfoy ey?” Renato said, his eyes resting on Draco curiously. “Yes I see the resemblance, you know Lucius, do you not?”
“He’s my father.”
Renato looked to Aravatu angrily.
“Or he was.” Draco continued.
“Excuse me?” Renato inquired.
“He’s dead, to me at least. He’s in Azkaban.”
“Finally got caught good ole Lucius…”
“Can we not dwell on my family?”
Renato looked a Draco, slightly taken aback. “You most certainly are his son.”
Draco looked away crossly; he didn’t want to be compared to his crappy excuse for a father.
Aravatu placed his hand on Draco’s shoulder.
“My brother here was always jealous of Tom’s friends, Lucius being one of them.” He almost chuckled, a side none of the students had seen from their serious teacher.
“Shut up Vatu.” Renato spat, not wanting the students to be interested in his past.
“Why’s that?” Ron asked Aravatu to Renato’s distain.
“Why don’t you tell them big brother.” Aravatu suggested smiling at his brother.
Renato sighed loudly. “If I must…”
Aravatu smirked happily.
“As I’m sure Aravatu informed you he and Tom used to be friends. Well… I am Tom’s age and Vatu here is three years younger than me. I was sorted into Slytherin where I quickly figured out Tom was the one to team up with. However, he declined my offer to be one of his followers every time I tried.” Renato began, sounding bitter that his brother led him to tell the story and ashamed of his own child foolishness.
“Well, I was quite jealous of my little brother here and as time went on I decided if Tom didn’t want me on his side I would make him regret it. Seeing as Aravatu knew him so well I picked up on some information and learned of his interest in horcruxes. After much research and eavesdropping I had all the information I needed and retrieved the horcrux and destroyed it.”
The students looked only slightly interested by the end of the story, and seemed to enjoy hearing about Renato’s jealousy towards his brother more.
“Yes, yes, I was jealous of my baby brother and of all the people Tom chose as followers, including Lucius, can we drop this now?” Renato said annoyed.
The students snickered at the brothers before turning serious once more.
“Alright, so back to the horcrux, how do you fight it?” Harry asked, his attitude much more lighthearted than before, which surprised even himself.
“It’s a mental battle mainly, although it takes its tolls physically, more than just the scar I mean. I’m not explaining it very well am I?”
“I sort of get it…” Harry said slightly disappointed, he hoped someone who actually destroyed a horcrux would be more helpful that this.
“Well.. it doesn’t matter much does it?” Renato asked.
“He doesn’t know…” Hermione said, looking to Harry.
“Know what?” Renato looked from Hermione to Harry.
“Tom has more horcruxes…” Harry replied.
“How many more?”
“Well… there is a total of six, at least that’s Dumbl – my prediction.” Harry said, not wanting to think about Dumbledore.
“Merlin…” Renato breathed.
“They aren’t all at large though, some have already been destroyed. Three of them, including the locket.” Harry replied, trying more to comfort himself than Renato.
“What are the others?”
“Well there was a diary, a ring, and the locket for sure. Those are the one’s that are already destroyed. The others unfortunately are guesswork… Hufflepuff’s goblet is nearly a definite, then possibly something of Gryffindor’s and something of Ravenclaw’s, though I’m not sure what…” Harry left out Alexia’s assumption that he was a horcrux, he tried his best not to think of that as much as possible.
“Why six?” Renato wondered aloud, not thinking the boy would know.
“So he’d have seven parts.” Alexia spoke this time.
“He thought for sure seven parts of his soul preserved would be better than just two, so he made six horcruxes… at least he made six knowingly.” She began to bring up her assumption, wondering if Renato would know whether there was a way to destroy the part of Voldemort’s soul without destroying Harry.
Harry shot a look at Alexia, upset that she was bringing it up.
“What do you mean?” Hermione asked, sensing the tension between the two.
“Nothing.” Harry said firmly.
“Well…” Alexia began, defying Harry. “I believe that Voldemort made one horcrux unknowingly…”
“What was it?” Ron spoke this time.
Alexia took a deep breath and closed her eyes tightly in preparation. “Harry.” She said simply and quickly, hoping it would make it easier.
It didn’t.
“What?!” That can’t be, can it?” Hermione asked in a worried rush.
“Well Dumbledore said it was possible to make a living thing a horcrux when he suggested Nagini to be one.” Alexia said receiving questioning looks from everyone except Harry, who already knew her theory.
“How do you know that?” Draco asked, seeing that the others were speculating the same thing.
"You all forget that quickly?" She said, looking at the others incredulously. The look of realization dawned on them and Alexia returned to her explaination.
“I just think when the Avada Kedevra curse backfired it transferred some of Voldemort’s powers into Harry. After all Dumbledore pretty much said it did, I just think he didn’t make the connection then.” She continued to attempt a defense for herself.
“Mr. Baudelaire…” Hermione began softly. “What happens to horcruxes after the soul is extracted and destroyed?”
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