Forward Progress - Part 7

"The Chosen One," Ginny whispered, a distinct catch in her voice. "It's true then?"

Harry nodded and watched as her lower lip trembled slightly. His gut twisting, he waited while she steeled her resolve. "Are you okay?

Ginny gave him a watery smile. "Shouldn't I be asking that of you?"

He took her hand in his and rubbed it reassuringly. "I've had awhile to take it all in. Believe me, I didn't handle it well at all when I first heard."

"I'm scared for you, but I know you can do this. You're a powerful wizard, Harry. You can beat him, and you will survive," Ginny said solemnly.

Harry swallowed painfully. This is it. "That's what we need to talk about. I wasn't alone in Godric's Hollow yesterday. Someone followed me."

Ron's head whipped up, and Hermione gasped, "Who?"

"Wormtail," Harry replied grimly, the name leaving a sour taste in his mouth.

"Wormtail? What did the little rat want?" Ron snarled. "I'm surprised you let him live."

"Ron," Hermione hissed reproachfully.

Harry ignored her. "He's jealous of Snape. He thinks Snape has stolen his thunder or something. He wanted me to eliminate Snape for him."

"You've got to be kidding me!" Ron said, his eyes nearly popping out of their sockets.

"I'm dead serious," Harry said, barely moving. His jaw was beginning to ache from clenching it so hard. "He said he knows a lot more about what's going on in Voldemort's inner circle than even Voldemort is aware."

"I find that hard to believe," Hermione said, frowning. "Doesn't Voldemort use Legilimency on his Death Eaters?"

"Yeah, but no one ever considers Scabbers to be a real threat, do they?" Ron asked.

Harry took a deep breath. "He knows about the Horcruxes," he said quietly.

"Bloody hell," Ron swore.

"What?" Hermione shrieked simultaneously. "Did he say that? Did he actually say Horcrux?"

Ginny crossed her arms across her chest and pursed her lips. "The circle of people who know this secret is getting bigger and bigger. Perhaps that will be what leads to his downfall."

Harry's hands began to shake, and he clenched them to hide it from the others. "He…he told me about the Seventh Horcrux. The one he doesn't think I'll be able to destroy."

"The Seventh Horcrux. Well, that's him, isn't it?" Ron asked, perplexed.

"Technically, the bit that's still in him is the last that has to be destroyed, but it's the bit that all the others were created from, so it's actually the first. The seventh is the last one he created," Harry replied, his voice sounding strained even to his own ears.

"So, that's Nagini, right?" Hermione asked, studying him carefully.

"No," Harry said, his throat dry. "Dumbledore was wrong….or merely misleading. Nagini was never a Horcrux. All his Horcruxes were created before he lost his powers."

"How is that possible though?" Hermione demanded. "I thought you said he was planning on making the Seventh Horcrux with your murder."

"He was," Harry said, nodding stoically.

"Well then how…Oh!" Hermione exclaimed, clamping a hand over her mouth.

"What?" Ron asked, lost.

"Oh no, Harry. This can't be true," Hermione cried, tears springing to eyes.

"What are you on about?" Ron demanded, frustrated.

"How did this happen? He must be mistaken. He's just trying to scare you," Hermione said shrilly, clutching Harry's arm and growing more hysterical by the minute.

Ginny put her arm around Hermione's shoulder and said fearfully, "I think you'd better explain, Harry."

And so he did.