Harry Potter: Love's Second Chance

"I recognize that sir," Harry said finally. "It...it was at Sirius' house. When we were cleaning it this past summer we found it, but I thought it got thrown out."

"Fortunately it seems it was retrieved by Kreacher," Dumbledore explained. "This is the locket of Salazar Slytherin himself. Kreacher told a very interesting tale about. It seems Voldemort had hidden it away but Sirius' bother Regulus retrieved it and in doing so perished."

"Do you...you think it's a Horcrux?"

"Most likely," Dumbledore responded. "Most likely indeed. From what Kreacher said, Riddle went to most extraordinary lengths to hide it away in a cave. But as you found out this past summer, it's not easily opened. I have yet to find a way myself, but I think it might be possible for you Harry."

"What do you mean? I couldn't open it last summer," Harry didn't want to jump too quickly to the right answer and raise suspicion.

"But now you know who the locket belonged too," Dumbledore explained. "What does that tell you?"

"Slytherin's locket?" Harry asked. "Parselmouth?"

"Excellent," Dumbledore said as again his eyes beamed as he thought he'd led Harry to the answer. "Yes I believe you are the only person outside of Tom Riddle who can open this locket," He once again rose to his feet and walked over to the wall where the Sword of Gryffindor hung. "I think we must first prepare ourselves," Dumbledore explained. "A Horcrux's container must be destroyed beyond the ability of magic to repair it."

"The sword can do that?" Hermione asked wanting to see if her guess had been correct a little over a year in the future about the Basilisk venom.

"Originally the sword could not, but I think it will now," Dumbledore answered. "You see Goblin made weapons will absorb or take in anything that will make it stronger. This sword came in contact with just such a thing; something that is known to destroy horcruxes for it did just that three years ago."

Harry played along as he said. "But I destroyed the other one with a Basilisk fang."

"The fang itself wasn't what did it Harry," Dumbledore continued in his grandfatherly voice. "It was the venom in that fang. The sword itself absorbed some of that venom when you killed the Basilisk. Now it also should be able to destroy a Horcrux."

"You know, it would have been nice to have mentioned that to me sometime in the future," Harry said to Hermione. "What if we had gotten that sword per his will and one of us had accidentally cut ourselves with it. We would've been dead without Fawkes there. I know you thought of it but what if you hadn't?" He nodded to the Headmaster who had moved back and stood by his seat.

"Now from what you experienced last time, I would like to avoid any unnecessary risks. Once you open it, I want you and Hermione to move away quickly," Dumbledore instructed as he pulled out his wand and laid it on the desk within easy reach. "I do not believe this one will be as strong as the diary but no reason to take chances."

Harry was glad he wouldn't be around the locket. He was concerned about what it might say about him or Hermione. It might say something about them being from the future or other secrets they now had locked away. He took a deep breath and looked at Dumbledore. "I'm ready sir," He could see the Headmaster's grip tighten on the sword hilt before he nodded. Harry looked down at the locket and focused on the snake on the front of it. "§Open§" He hissed. When he saw the locket start to open he moved quickly away from it and to Hermione's side. They both pulled out their wands and waited to see what would happen.

The halves of the locket split and Harry knew that eyes were looking up from the locket. Eyes that looked like Tom Riddle's from many years previous. For a split second he expected to see the images of him and Hermione materialize from it as it did on a cold night next to a pond, but though it was the same voice, different words came.

"Your heart is open to me Albus Dumbledore."

Dumbledore stared at the locket inquisitively, but raised the sword ready to destroy the Horcrux. He hesitated when an image of a young girl arose from golden locket.

Harry gasped as he saw what had materialized. He recognized the young girl from a portrait that hung on the wall of the Hogs Head Inn. Harry realized he should have known what would happen. He knew he should have guessed the locket would attack with Arianna Dumbledore, the Headmaster's true weakness.

"Professor, destroy it...destroy the locket sir!" Harry exclaimed.

"You would kill me again?" The Riddle-Arianna asked as she looked up at her brother. "Aberforth was right; you were responsible for my death."

Harry could see wetness appear in Dumbledore's eyes and knew the struggle he was facing.

"You who could not be bothered by a sister while you dreamed..."

"PROFESSOR!" Harry yelled. He could see the sword was close to the locket but Dumbledore's eyes were fixed on his sister's image. The Headmaster was frozen as he stared at the locket. Harry crossed the room in three strides and grabbed the exposed part of the hilt. He shoved forward on it and the sword pierced through the locket just as Riddle-Arianna was saying "Love of Gellert.." A scream echoed in the office as the Horcrux died.

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