Headmaster's Office, Hogwarts
"How could you have been so stupid?!" Augustus snarled, pacing in front of Dumbledore's desk. From time to time he would glance at Albus' hand, and his rant would start up again.
"Why would you not simply take me with you? Had I been there, I would have confined it to one finger! Had I been there, I would have prevented you from putting the cursed thing on in the first place! Why must you be so idiotic?!"
"I take it," Albus said, speaking in a calm and measured tone, as if his hand wasn't rotting away, "you have not looked too closely at the stone set into the ring?"
Augustus stopped his pacing as if he'd been punched. With slow movements, he turned his head and focused on the ring.
He sat down heavily, his face paling.
"By the gods" he whispered. "After all these decades"
Albus just smiled bitterly.
Augustus shook his head and focused on Dumbledore once more.
"Shall I call you Cadmus? After all, your desire to speak to the dead has dug you an earlier grave as well"
"Aug-"
"Shut up, Albus. Shut up. You have slightly less than two years before the curse reaches your heart. I doubt anyone other than myself could have even given you such a long time, after touching the thing. How could you have been so-so-Gryffindorish?"
"It was my House"
"And you are the one who goes on about how your precious Hogwarts' House placement is inherently meaningless! Why did you not take me with?"
Albus sighed, looking down.
"You still don't trust me. Not entirely"
"Do you blame me?"
Augustus opened his mouth, but Albus didn't pause.
"It doesn't matter. Within two years, you will be free of your Vow. Free to do as you wish"
The portly man stood up in such a rush his chair flew out behind him.
He slammed his fists on the desk, and leaned forward, eyes burning.
"Do you truly believe" he hissed, "that your Vow is capable of binding me? Me, Albus? I, who know the inner workings of Soul and Blood Magic? I could break it in instants if I desired. I am doing this because I want to!"
"I'm sorry" Albus whispered, "and as always, I see too late. But can you honestly say you blame me? Gellert, can you truly say you do not understand my position?"
Augustus sat back down, breathing heavily. "You are going to die, Albus. The only way to prevent it would be to perform the Transference Ritual, and I know you would never do such a thing"
"Of course not"
"So, you have less than two years. I cannot be more precise. The curse will spread eventually. I cannot stop that. It all depends on how fast it spreads once it gets beyond the hand"
"Make a guess"
Augustus sighed deeply. "It will take at least a year and a half for it to get past the defenses I have put in place. Once it does. I'll estimate, two to four months"
"I shall choose my own death. And it will be one that gives our side the largest benefit it can"
"How so?"
"Severus, while accepted back into the ranks of the Death Eaters, has been faced with great mistrust. His killing me would remove that doubt. His abilities as a spy would be greater than ever"
"And who would he be reporting to? With you dead, who would lead the charge against the upstart?"
"I thought it obvious," Albus said, gazing over his spectacles. "You would"
The silence that met this statement grew oppressive, broken only by the whirring noise of one of Albus' devices.
"And would you have me reveal my true identity to them?" Augustus finally said, not removing his eyes from Albus' own.
"To some, perhaps. I will leave them orders, to trust you"
"And you think they will obey? Trust Gellert Grindelwald, the man with more blood on his hands than Voldemort?"
"Maybe not. But they already trust Augustus Shriner. And more importantly, they trust me"
"Albus," Augustus said slowly. "You will not have this done without telling me. I will want to be prepared"
"Why, what do you think I am?"
"A manipulative bastard"
"Indeed. I will tell you. First, however. Let me speak to Severus"
"Yes. I'm sure he will be thrilled with your plan"
Albus sighed.
"And you will take me with when next you decide to capture a Horcrux"
"That may very well be for the best. Tell me. What is the outcome of your examinations? What is with Harry?"
For a moment, Augustus looked like a deer caught in the headlights. He froze, not moving a muscle. Then he sagged, dropping back into his chair.
"Augustus. What-"
"He's a Horcrux, Albus. A living, breathing Horcrux. As long as he lives, Voldemort will as well"
Albus closed his eyes very slowly, and let out a deep breath.
"Perhaps you should have your Death Eater kill him as well. Two for the price of one"
His eyes shot open. "Is that truly our only option?"
Augustus shrugged. "Unless Voldemort decides to experience remorse, then yes. It is"
"Then we leave him for last. Perhaps another option will present itself. Or perhaps-if it can be maneuvered, if there is no other way, then we shall have Voldemort do it himself"
"You should still be wary of the boy" Augustus warned. "Who knows what effect it has had on his mind, hosting a part of that creature's soul?"
"Who indeed?" Albus said thoughtfully, steepling his fingers. "Who indeed?"
The Dark Lord's Manor
Lord Voldemort waited for Lucius to arrive, thinking deeply all the while.
' If Dumbledore knows of my Horcruxes, then that will surely be what he will be teaching Harry about. If so, then I must tell Harry. I must do it before Dumbledore can. If I phrase it correctly, this will ensure his loyalties will forever be bound to me'
Lucius entered, bowing deeply.
"My lord-"
"Lucius. Find me Horace Slughorn. Bring him to me alive"
If the command was at all surprising to Lucius, he didn't show it.
"Of course, my lord"
"Now, Lucius. Leave"
Lucius backed out of the room.
' I need to remove suspicion from Harry. And I need a chance to use this' his fingers ran their way along the strange mirror in his hands. With all it's odd curves and the strange sheen on the glass.
' Maybe. Yes. Severus can get him out of the castle. And it will be a fine opportunity to tell him the truth'
A thought occurred to him.
' Why have I not checked on my Horcruxes? I meant to do so years ago. The Diadem and the Cup doubtless are safe, but the Ring? The Locket? Why have I allowed myself to be so caught up in the war?'
Lord Voldemort rose.
Gaunt Shack, Little Hangleton
It was apparent the very second he reached the shack.
The wards were down. All of them. The muggle repelling charm was gone.
And there was an open hole in the ground, right in the middle of the shack.
He stopped suddenly, his every movement ceasing. His widened eyes not moving from the place where one of his dearest possessions had been stolen from him.
"No" he muttered, "no"
His rage filled him, threatening to explode outwards. He shrieked a harsh, wordless sound that echoed around the village.
"DUMBLEDORE!" He screamed.
He heard footsteps approaching.
He spun around at once, raising his wand.
The muggle stopped, raising its hands. "Are you ok? Heard the shouting, we did, and-"
He shrieked again, slashing his wand in the muggles direction.
It rose into the air, veins becoming more prominent.
"DUMBLEDORE! I WILL SEE YOU DEAD!"
The muggles veins were turning black now. But even the pleasure of this curse couldn't assuage his rage.
"Da! What're you doing to him? Da!"
The child ran towards him, trying to get him to stop hurting its father.
He twisted his wand, and the father's veins burst out of its body, snaking their way onto the muddy ground.
He turned his wand into the horrified child. Slashed it. Slashed again, and again, and again.
When he apparated away, no-one could have identified what was left as having once been human.
Seaside Cave
He flew over the lake, gliding over his small legion of guardians.
He landed on the small island in the center and approached the pedestal.
Everything seemed to be in order. Still, the potion would refill itself once emptied. He needed to make sure.
"Elf" he called, tightly controlled fury making his voice crack like a whip.
By the time the echoes had died down, his elf had appeared, wringing its hands and staring at the ground.
"Imperio"
' I have no interest in its mewling pleas'
He conjured a glass and ordered the elf to drink the potion.
It did so in silence, quickly finishing the potion.
' Much better than the cries Regulus' elf gave'
And he stopped in his tracks.
That was not his locket. That was not the Mark of Slytherin upon it.
He would never admit to anyone that his fingers trembled as they reached toward the locket.
He ignored the elf that was now rolling around on the ground, scratching at its throat.
He flicked the locket open, and read the note within.
"REGULUS!"
His screams shook the cavern.
Unknown location
He looked at the Mark on his arm and grimaced. This was a particularly dangerous time to be wearing one of these.
' I need to speak to Moody again. He won't be happy that I don't have information, but fuck it. I'm doing this at my pace'
He was slowly gaining acceptance among the Death Eaters. They weren't so open with their compatriots. At least, not with the ones they hadn't known their entire lives.
But he had proven himself at his initiation, and he was slowly, ever so slowly, gaining their approval.
Another few weeks and they'd be talking to him like an old friend.
He dared not press them. Dared not give any indication that he was anything other than a Death Eater, happy to be serving his master.
' At least I'll be able to tell Moody they really are after him. We'll need to make plans, for if he gets taken out'
On that thought, he poured himself a tequila, finally finishing his bottle.
He ran his fingers over the snake on his arm, lost in thought.
And he planned.