Chapter 24:

When the girls left Harry took out his wand and placed another privacy ward around the two, "Sorry about that, I know your family is very light, and I could not risk the information getting out, not even to Hannah and Susan.

I need a favor, Darrel, I heard Quirrel talking to himself the night before I left, and he mentioned something that has disturbed me. I would've brought it to the Headmaster or even my parents, but I'm afraid it's something really dark, and they won't tell me. I have a really bad feeling it's important though, and that it somehow affects me. Can I trust you to be discreet and help me dig around to what is going on?"

Darrel sat back into his chair and ran a hand through his hair, "Alright Harry. I'll help you. The Abbot family has always been well-rehearsed in magic, maybe I can find something in the library here or the restricted section back at Hogwarts."

Harry grinned, "I have a way we can go check the restricted section undetected if you promise not to go all prefect on me?"

Glaring Darrel sighed, "Okay Potter, I'll give you my word on it. Now tell me what we're looking for."

"A Horcrux. Whatever it is I think it's in pieces, because Quirrel said he was going to create the final one. Whatever it is, I don't think it bodes well for the rest of us." Harry explained.

Darrel seemed to look intently for an answer in his brain, but couldn't come up with anything, "That sounds like dark magic alright. Have you thought about asking your godfather? He is a Black after all, and if anyone is just straight-up knowledgeable about the dark arts it would probably be him. Or maybe even Snape. Didn't you say he helps you out from time to time?"

"Snape is still a Death Eater, and he took a lot of oaths while under the Dark Lords' allegiance. I can't risk triggering that or setting something off. Or worse him go back to the headmaster telling him that I am delving into the Dark Arts. If I say something to Sirius I risk it getting back to my dad, who as a Potter would disown me for looking into dark stuff. It's not that I don't think they don't know what they are, more of a matter of will they tell me. I understand I am eleven years old, but in a few years war is going to break out, and we don't have time to decide if I am old enough to hear certain information anymore."

Darrel sighed, "I agree with you, and I will help you. We just have to be prepared for the worst of whatever we find."

Harry nodded in agreement, "Thanks Darrel, and Merry Christmas mate, I need to be getting back, but I wanted to talk to you before the New Year to give you some time to sleep on it, or dig around your family library."

Darrel nodded and clasped the boy's hand, and gave him a standard fist bump. Harry found the girls and wished them a merry Christmas, while they all followed him out to the floo network where he would be sent home. The adult Abbots were sending Harry off when he remembered he still had the host gift in his pocket, "I almost forgot... A gift from House Potter."

Harry handed the package to Lord Abbot as he stepped into the fireplace. He knew the man was in quite the shock but knew it would be better to hear about it from the girls than to see it personally.

He spoke clearly as he dropped the floo powder into the fireplace and whisked himself back into Potter Manor.

Christmas Eve dinner was a light occasion. Sirius was in with his Wife Emmeline Black, and his new daughter Aurora Black. No middle name, but she sounded like a Pureblood Princess so that satisfied what was left of Sirius' family.

Remus was sitting next to Tonks who was developing a crush on the werewolf so Harry's mum had told his dad. And Andromeda of course was in town with her husband Ted, while they socialized mostly with Lily, as they lived a pretty magic-free way of life. This only left Harry, Rosalie, and Jack to be sitting at the far end of the table.

James Potter looked a little beaten these past few days. Work was swamping him, and he also recognized that it was this time all those years ago that they had lost Grandpa Charlus and Grandma Dorea.

It was always hard on the oldest Potter this time of year, he had grown up with it all, money, power, looks, family, and suddenly one day he lost the most important one of those things and was lost. Lily often told her children that was when she had fallen in love with their father. It was right after his parents died that he became a changed man.

Decided that he was going to take school seriously, and go into the auror department. He suddenly had a huge responsibility on his shoulders to avenge his family, run the Potter family, and continue the Potter family.

Lily Potter would be the first to tell you that she didn't really want kids so young, but it was a necessity when she married James out of Hogwarts that they continue the Potter line. She loved her husband and was willing to stick by him through it all.

When the prophecy came around, it was time for the family to stand together. If anyone asked Harry he would say they did so admirably.

Harry always wondered if his dad would be okay, but as he watched his mum take his dad's hand discreetly, and he watched the man smile he knew he would be. The sad thing was no one else noticed it.

James was looking a little down, but suddenly a simple hand from his wife and the man were smiling again. Harry was sure that his dad's best friends that were more like brothers may have noticed it at one point, but Harry wondered if it was a level of maturity that he was able to realize it too.

The dinner passed, as did most of Christmas day. Snape came over as the sun set, which allowed James to tell the first joke of the day about vampires coming out for food. Harry would have sworn someone spiked his drink later, but he could've sworn he saw the man crack a smile. When Severus gave his gift to James Harry was shocked to see it was actually larger than the gift he gave his mother.

Of course once Lily opened her gift it was clear which one was probably more expensive as it was an expensive potions kit that his mum had been wanting to try out, but as the two had always shared that passion together, Harry figured it was a great gift by her reaction.

James Potter however was stunned when he opened the box to find a chess board to see a one-of-a-kind transfigured chess board with Death Eaters on one side, and Aurors on the other. The kings were Dumbledore and the Dark Lord which was creepy as hell, and Harry thought Severus may have messed up, but when James and Sirius erupted into laughter, Harry knew that Severus Snape had done alright.

Snape however took him aside later in the night and drew his wand on him at lightning-fast speed casting a medium-level legillimency attack. This was no probe like last time, this was an assault. After however only a couple of seconds Harry managed to throw him and gasp for breath, "That was cold Professor. I was not ready for that."

This caused the man to take a sinister grin, "That is why I did it, Mr. Potter. I had to be sure your shields had indeed rebuilt themselves, and I must say they have done so possibly beyond their levels before. As I am sure you could tell I did not throw my whole power behind the spell, as that would have defeated the purpose, but I do believe that the shields are fully operational."

Harry took a sigh of relief, "Thank you, Professor."

As Harry was about to walk back into the kitchen to join the other a rough hand landed on his shoulder, "Not so fast Mr. Potter. I actually have a gift for you with me tonight."

Harry reached into his back pocket with a small smile on his face, "I actually do as well Professor. As much as you have helped me these past two years I wanted to thank you for what you've done."

Harry enlarged the book in front of him, "It's a book over forgotten wards, potions, and poisons. I pulled it out of the Potter library. I figured you would have better use of it, as no one has probably opened it in three hundred years."

Snape's eyes widened, "That is very generous of you Potter. Then- the gesture is appreciated. Now my gift has a tendency to be...volatile, so I ask that you take great care when using it."

Severus handed him a book carefully, "The headmaster and your father would kill me if they discovered I gave this to you. But I have seen your resolve, I have seen your skill. The item before you will heat up when dark magic is being used. I invented it myself. Some would say however that it is a magnet for dark magic, and that it could lead you to learn how to master something along those lines, and as it is a gift, I would say use it in whatever way benefits you the most...Good evening, and Happy Christmas Potter."

Harry took the ball that was handed to him carefully. It was at this moment he believed that Professor Snape was truly looking out for him, and not just because the Headmaster commanded him to. It was this line of thought that made him speak a single word that he would one day regret, "Horcrux."

Snape stopped on a dime, spinning around on his heel, "What did you say?"

Harry looked around nervously and motioned for the man to follow him away from the kitchen. When they made it towards the living room he noticed it was empty and put up a privacy ward that he had become so adept at using, "You're not the only one keeping things from the headmaster. I have feared that if I took this to anyone you would either obliviate me or not tell me the truth. A war is coming, and I am not only expected to fight it but I am expected to win it. I can't have information this vital being kept from me. Or I could be totally blowing this out of proportion because I don't really know what it is, sir. A Horcrux that is."

Snape's eyes widened, "Where did you hear of such foul magic?"

Harry bit his lip as the Professor's voice rose, "From Quirrel right after I left your office that night before break. He was talking to himself, but I have the feeling he wanted me to overhear him. I could be wrong, but I could sense a dark presence. Whatever he was talking to wasn't communicating with words I could hear."

"What exactly did he say?"

"That the boy was becoming too powerful, and that he would need the stone to complete the final Horcrux."

Snape fell back into the chair behind him with a pained look on his face, "Magick Moste Evile. That is the only answer I can give you. To say anything else would likely kill me. For once I will say that your discretion to tell people this is truly wise. You must keep that word and its meaning under wraps. Your shields must be at full power at all times. You cannot allow the headmaster or anyone else to know that you will find out what those vile things are. Obliviation may be the least of your concerns."

Harry nodded in understanding, but also a little fear. He was right then. The magic that he had heard Quirrel talking about was of the darkest sorts, and even though Snape hadn't told him what they were, he had given him the key to finding out, "Potter. I don't believe any eleven-year-old in this world should know what one of those is. However, I believe you are correct, and for all the right reasons. It is because of that that I have given you a source, never, bring this up again."

Harry nodded quickly, "Yes Professor."

With that, Harry brought down the ward and the two scurried back into the kitchen, with minds on anything, but Christmas.