February came, and with it the point Victor had been waiting for.
Gringotts.
The Hufflepuff Cup was still inside Bellatrix Lestrange's vault, and Victor had no intention of leaving it there. The problem was getting to it.
Breaking into Gringotts wasn't something he could treat like sneaking into a Hogwarts classroom.
The goblins took vault security extremely seriously, and Bellatrix's vault would be among the most heavily protected in the entire bank. Even if he got inside the bank unnoticed, reaching the Lestrange vault was another problem entirely.
He needed help.
One Hogsmeade weekend, Victor, Hermione, and Harry sat together in a corner of the Three Broomsticks, keeping their voices low.
Harry took a drink and looked between them. "So we're actually thinking about breaking into Gringotts?"
"Yes."
Hermione lowered her voice. "You realise we're talking about the safest bank in Britain."
"I know."
"And Bellatrix Lestrange's vault."
"I know that too." She frowned, clearly still trying to work out why he wanted into that particular vault. "Why? What's inside that you want to sneak into Gringotts and steal?"
Victor looked at both of them before answering. "What I'm about to tell you doesn't leave this table. You don't tell Ron, Ginny, or anyone else. The fewer people who know, the safer it is." He kept his voice low.
"Do you know how Voldemort came back after being hit by the Killing Curse?"
Hermione and Harry both looked at him. Victor had been hit by the same curse and survived, but whatever happened to him was clearly different.
"Ignore my situation," Victor said. "That was something else entirely. Voldemort survived because of something he did long before his return. He created Horcruxes."
Hermione's face changed. "Horcruxes?"
"A Horcrux is a dark magical object that contains a fragment of the creator's soul."
"A part of his soul?"
"Yes. When someone creates one, part of their soul separates from their body and hides inside the object. As long as that fragment survives, killing the body doesn't necessarily mean the person is gone."
Harry stared at him. "So that's why Voldemort survived?"
"Exactly."
Hermione looked disturbed. "How many did he make?"
"Several." Victor paused. "The object we're looking for in Gringotts is one of them."
Harry's eyes widened. "The thing in Bellatrix's vault?"
"The Hufflepuff Cup."
"And you want to break into Gringotts to destroy it?"
"Yes."
Harry leaned back, absorbing that. "So if we destroy it..."
"Then that fragment of Voldemort's soul is gone," Victor said. "He becomes a little less difficult to kill."
Hermione glanced toward the crowded pub, suddenly aware of how dangerous this conversation was. "And nobody else knows?"
"Not about this. That's why I told you both here. If Voldemort finds out we're hunting his Horcruxes, he'll do everything he can to protect them."
Harry nodded slowly. "Then we need to get inside that vault."
Victor picked up his glass.
"But how are we going to get to Diagon Alley?" Hermione asked. "All the Floo fireplaces in Hogwarts are blocked because of Umbridge."
"Except one."
"Which one?"
"The one in Umbridge's office. We'll sneak in this evening, use her fireplace, and go straight to Diagon Alley. Harry, don't forget your Invisibility Cloak."
"I'll have it."
Hermione still looked concerned. "And what about Umbridge? What happens if we get caught?"
"I'll take care of her. Dealing with Umbridge is easy."
She nudged him with her elbow. "You're one of the main reasons she's already angry with everyone."
Victor gave her an unimpressed look. "What did you expect? She's hated by practically the entire school. Nobody feels sorry for her." He looked between them. "Do either of you feel sorry for her?"
Harry thought about it. Hermione did too, though her expression suggested she already knew the answer.
Neither said anything.
"Exactly," Victor said.
***
That evening, Hermione, Harry, and Victor waited until the corridors were mostly empty before making their way to Umbridge's office. Harry kept the Invisibility Cloak folded over his arm rather than using it — no point looking like three students sneaking around when they could just walk through the castle at a quiet hour.
They reached the office without running into anyone. Victor unlocked the door and the three slipped inside.
Hermione looked at the empty desk. "Where is she?"
"Getting treated by Madam Pomfrey," Victor said.
Harry looked at him. "What did you do?"
He glanced toward the tea tray beside the desk. "Emerald Potion in her coffee."
"You drugged her?"
"She's not seriously hurt. Madam Pomfrey's looking after her, and she'll recover."
Hermione sighed but let it go. "How long do we have?"
"Enough."
Victor walked over to inspect the fireplace. "Umbridge had the Floo network restricted throughout Hogwarts, but she kept her own connected for communicating with the Ministry."
Harry unfolded the cloak. "Then we'd better make use of it."
Hermione checked the corridor through the door, then closed it again. "Ready?"
Victor nodded and took a handful of Floo powder from the container beside the fireplace. He stepped in. Green flames rose around.
He threw the powder into the fire.
"Diagon Alley!"
*****
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