"Professor Lupin is hiding something. Maybe several something's."

Ginny's whispers were quiet enough that only those who were close by could hear her. The attack on the portrait had led to a great big slumber party in the great hall. Those who knew why didn't view this in quite the same way as those who were brought here and not told. Hermione and Ron were close enough to Harry and Ginny to hear Ginny's whispers, but no one else was. The married couple was glad that the snakes told them that they could keep up appearances and sleep somewhat separately as to not arouse suspicions. They weren't quite as happy when the snakes mentioned how Slytherin of them that was.

Harry just looked at her curiously. Hermione smirked. It was Ron who broke the silence that fell after that statement, making sure Percy was nowhere near by.

"But he seems to be the best teacher we've had so far! What would he have to hide?"

Both Ginny and Hermione opened their mouths to say something when they heard footsteps. All of them quickly pretended to be asleep when voices drifted towards them. The conversation they overheard was quite baffling, if not a trifle disconcerting. At least it didn't keep them awake that much longer. Harry had a Quidditch match coming up, and he knew he would need all the sleep he can get.

He had at last found it. The hidden chambers were real, the monster was real. All the years of following leads had finally proven fruitful. Even researching in the restricted section had proven fruitful. He knew what he had to do. His diary he had so painstakingly put together would be the first. Only Dumbledore suspected, him but he couldn't do much about that. He just needed to be careful. He didn't tarry long in the chambers; he couldn't. People would notice, and that could ruin everything.

"Come," he hissed. The basilisk (such a magnificent creature!) followed. The bathroom the entrance was hidden at did not use to be such. Modern convenience that, even if it was not all that modern. The magic world was still somewhat archaic, after all. But what need of modern conveniences when you had magic at your disposal, anyway? It only made his way to greatness that much easier.

A girl was crying in the stall. No one was supposed to be here! The bathroom was empty earlier! Too late now, might as well take advantage. That was, after all, the creed of Slytherin house, was it not? And it would allow him to take care of multiple problems at once! The big, dumb oaf would be perfect to blame as well. No one would miss the girl either. This would be his first big step to greatness.

He even had a new name he gave to his minions. Voldemort had such a nice ring to it.

Harry woke with a start. It had happened again. His eyes searched for another, even as he took in the others surrounding his bed, worried. There were his two closest friends, Hermione and Ron, both clearly shaken. The twins, Fred and George, grim faced nearby. The chaser trio of Alicia Spinnet, Katie Bell, and Angelina Johnson from the Gryffindor team, Lee Jordan hovering in the background… Somehow, he was back in the hospital after another Quidditch game. The sight was becoming rather familiar in a morbid way. Finally, he spotted the chocolate eyes he was looking for and confirming what he saw in her eyes. They would be talking about that later, he knew. But first…

"Did we win?"

Ginny's face cracked a brief smile. Harry was the only one to notice.

"Impossible! You should not be sharing any dreams, especially not ones that don't belong to either of you! Only soul magic could have affected the ritual that married the two of you! But what could have interfered? Surely not the possession!"

Harry and Ginny were once more back in their shared room, first looking at each other, then their familiar snakes. It was getting easier to tell what the other was thinking, being as enmeshed into each other's lives as they were. The snakes' assurances were anything but. They both grimaced.

"Er… what do you mean by soul magic?" Harry tentatively asked.

The snakes cringed. It looked they would have to talk to their charges about their woeful lack of knowledge in magic.

"Soul magic affects the soul. The most notable and often used in the wars before the founding of the school was the killing curse, Avada Kedavra. This curse would forcibly severe the connection between body and soul, effectively killing the person. Most magic that involves changing the self like an Animagus or dealing with things such as love are considered soul magics. This is because the soul is considered the core of a person, who they effectively ARE. You can disguise yourself with Polyjuice, but that doesn't change who you are.

"However, there are different levels of soul magic. An Animagus, something you can no longer become, really brings out the animal associated with their soul and anyone that has a special connection with them. The Patronus is giving the soul and its connection form, something Dementors cannot tolerate. But these things along with the killing curse do not unduly change who you are, while the reverse is true.

"Very rarely is there soul magic that changes who you are. A soul bond is one such thing and something Salazar took great pains to not do to you. This is because it effectively makes two people one. Their soul becomes so intertwined that you would not be able to tell the difference between the two. They share experiences and memories and are extremely powerful. The reason this fell out of favor is due to the myriad of downsides. For instance, when one is killed, so is the other. Another reason is that doing so to incompatible souls can severely damage them, if not outright kill them. Too many have tried to soul bond with one that is not compatible with them. And since there hasn't been any way to tell if one is or not, this bond fell into disfavor long before the founder's time.

"Sadly, that is one of the few soul magic of that type that is not considered dark or vile. Others usually damage the soul in some way, if not outright mutilating it. One of the most horrible to do so is a Horcrux, something not even Salazar himself would care for. Fortunately, the means to make one has been lost. Only the darkest of wizards would even attempt to make one, if they ever found the means to do so. These are the only form of magics that could have possibly changed and caused Salazar's ritual to not work as intended.

"Now… do you understand why this dreaming of others is of import? You should only be sharing memories because we copied them from you. You should have the only thing that normally a soul bond would provide, without being tethered to each other… By which we mean that your magical core being shared, not your souls. Thus you are more powerful now then you were before. What other soul magic could possibly be involved?"

Harry and Ginny gaped at the snakes. Then Ginny's face morphed into one of horror as she turned to Harry.

"Harry… Voldemort is considered one of the darkest of wizards… Do you think it's possible he made a Horcrux?"

"Er… I guess that would depend on what it does. Would it make him no longer completely human so he wouldn't die when the killing curse rebounded on him?"

Ginny and Harry both jumped when they heard the strangest sound coming from their familiars. The snakes looked like they had swallowed their own tongues. Ginny narrowed her eyes before asking something that made Harry's blood run cold.

"Tell me everything you know about Horcruxes."

Harry and Ginny stared at the snakes when they had finished. Slowly, as if moving faster would knock out everything the snakes said, they turned towards each other. Recognition flared and horror struck them as they realized how very familiar it all sounded.

"T-that was a H-Horcrux! Harry!"

"I know, Ginny. I – should we tell Dumbledore?" Harry wrapped his arms around his wife, holding her close as she huddled against him. Her cheeks remained dry even as her eyes watered. At least now he understood how Tom Riddle – Voldemort – survived.

"N-no. B-because what if… what if he made more?"

Harry's mouth worked up and down in horror, his voice robbed of speech. And he knew there must be, for how else would his so-called marriage be witnessed by Voldemort?

"W-what if t-th-there is a-anoth-ther o-one d-down t-t-there?"

"What? No! What-"

Both Ginny and Harry ignored the snakes as they continued on, the horrifying realization making his insides shrivel.

"We'll have to go look. Later." Harry didn't know if he was trying to comfort Ginny or himself. Ginny could only nod.

If only they could see him now. Famous for a murder he didn't commit, who had everything he ever wanted and threw it all away for a madman (just not in the way people thought). Still, he was a Marauder; he would survive on what he could. He even befriended a cat! A cat! Him! Friends! If that didn't tell people how low he fell to survive and get his revenge, he didn't know what would.

Of course, that had nothing on what the cat had been able to convey to him about his godson. At least it was to a redhead… James would've been insufferable otherwise. Admittedly, from what he could tell, James would be insufferable anyway. Harry certainly found his redhead and got together with her far quicker than Prongs did!

Still… it was nearing Christmas time… and he still had to get Harry's gift! And perhaps one for his young bride… after all, no one knew that he knew! Even if he had to be told by a cat. Though that would explain the scent he caught off the girl while watching the game earlier.

Well, at least he knew what to get Harry, if not his wife. Well, his wife would just have to accept that she got the same thing as Harry; hopefully she'll appreciate the thought behind the gesture. Now if he could just convince the cat to help him, everything would be set.

Christmas had come and went, and Demelza couldn't have been happier. She had gotten what she wanted for the holidays, and her friend Vicky had just brought in the latest edition of Witch Weekly. They were poring over one of the articles ("10 ways to make the most of your glamours") when she noticed that the Harry Potter and his friends were arguing… in public! She nudged her friend, and when she looked up, Demelza gestured to the center of the common room, just as the voices became distinct.

"-all, I had to Harry!" This came from the bushy-haired know-it-all, Grainer, or something like that.

"Ooooh, think there's trouble in paradise?" her friend whispered.

"Shh! I wanna listen! Everyone else is!" Demelza could see that the entire common room was slowly becoming interested in the fight in the middle of the common room as Harry seemed to be arguing with both of his friends, instead of normally looking to be the peacemaker between the all too common fights between Red and Grainer.

"But what about MY broom? You didn't have to take that too!" Demelza gave a start as she realized that there was a FOURTH person in that argument. It was made worse when she recognized that the other girl was supposed to be her roommate, Red's sister – Virginia, she thought.

"Say, isn't that Ginny?" Demelza barely acknowledged Vicky's question as shock had settled in. Apparently, no one really noticed her either as it seemed the entire common room went dead silent at her voice. Not that those who were in the center of the unfolding drama paid any attention.

Just then Romilda came down from their dorm, glancing at the escalating argument that was unfolding.

"What's going on now? Are Ron and Hermione fighting again?"

"-Don't even fly! Of course –"

"Surprisingly, no. It's Harry against Hermione and Ron!" Demelza excitedly gushed. "I dunno why though…"

"What? But-" What Romilda was about to say was lost as they saw Ron howling with what looked to be bats flapping about his face. It wasn't long before he disappeared back up into the boys' dorm.

Everyone looked astonished at what happened. And then as one, they turned towards the caster, the red-headed witch that was standing next to Harry Potter (as he, too, was staring at the girl). A sandy haired boy muttered something about not messing with that witch; Demelza spotted Colin nearby, snapping a photo. The quiet lasted only a moment as Harry carefully put his hand on Ginny's shoulder, something that would have normally gone unnoticed, if not for what happened next.

"Ginny! You know why both of yours had to be taken… You have to listen to reason, Ginny! Harry…"

"Why both? What are they talking about?" an unfamiliar voice murmured, too quiet for the people near Harry to hear, but close enough for Demelza. She turned towards the voice and took note of the pudgy, dark haired boy. "Will we finally get to know why Harry isn't in our dorm anymore?"

Demelza's eyes widen as she took that in. Harry wasn't in his dorm room? Vicky voiced the other thought in her mind before it fully formed.

"Ginny isn't either… Do you think that they are sharing a room?"

The boy turned towards the girls his mouth forming an 'O' of surprise. His dark eyes widened before narrowing and glancing between them and the quartet. Apparently the one called Ron was recovering from whatever spell the redheaded witch cast on him as Herminy or something was now quietly talking to the other two, inaudible to her ears. And then all eyes tracked to the brother, who apparently missed the message that things shouldn't be shouted out for the rest of the common room to hear.

"Just because you're now-" the tall, lanky boy was bellowing at the couple, even as the other girl spun around and more redheaded boys sat up and took notice, all shouting the same thing.

"RON! NO!"

"-married!" The boy finally noticed the crowd and realized just what he had done exactly, judging by his paling face, Demelza realized excitedly. He had just let loose such juicy information and on the Boy-Who-Lived, too! The flurry of activity that converged on him to stop what he was saying became barely worth a foot note – for it was already too late.

Salazar had it at last, and barely in time too. A way to cheat death. It would require a bonded couple and the hallows, but he had a way! Now, he just needed a method to get the right connections going… something to make sure that everything went according to plan… to nudge things in the proper order.

He glanced at where he placed his snake hatchery, seeing his two of his prized pets mating. The smile he acquired threatened to cover half his face.

A/N: Sorry for this being so late. Beta was busy, and I've forgotten that I had it done back around christmas time. Sorry. But here ya go!