InsaneJournal

SUMMER 1979: For over a year, Severus Snape has acted as Voldemort's spy among the ranks of the Order of the Phoenix. The other Death Eaters are completely unaware that he is a member of their organization; he deals exclusively with Voldemort himself in order to maintain total secrecy. No one, not even Dumbledore, suspects his involvement with the Death Eaters. His mastery of Occlumency makes him the perfect mole.

But Regulus Black's loyalty has been compromised. His feelings of horror and shame for the things he has seen and done on the Dark Lord's orders have convinced him he is fighting on the wrong side of this war. He alone of all the Death Eaters has pieced together the hints Voldemort has arrogantly let fall. He alone realizes the truth — that Voldemort has created a Horcrux — and is determined to use this knowledge to make a difference in the fight for justice. Regulus steals away to Hogwarts under cover of night and confesses all that he knows to Dumbledore.

Dumbledore has long been making quiet inquiries into Tom Riddle's past in the hope of unraveling just such a secret, but this is the first time he has discovered the exact location of a Horcrux. He directs the Order of the Phoenix to go after it, but before they can make their move, they find themselves battling for their lives with the Death Eaters; Snape lost no time in relaying Regulus's actions to his master. In the ensuing chaos, Regulus is killed — but worse, Dumbledore and Voldemort kill each other, leaving their followers disorganized and leaderless. Snape manages to keep his cover with the Order, but is forced to reveal his position to his fellow Death Eaters so that he may continue working with them. And as the Order of the Phoenix tries to regroup, one more unexpected twist occurs: Horace Slughorn, currently a professor at Hogwarts, comes forward to relate his conversation with the young Tom Riddle.

Both sides are now aware that there are six Horcruxes. Only the location of the first is known; the rest could be anywhere in the world. It is now of vital importance to both sides to locate the Horcruxes before their enemies get there first, and in the Death Eaters' case there is a second objective: to return Voldemort to a corporeal form. Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody assumes leadership of the Order, and Minerva McGonagall becomes Headmistress of Hogwarts. Slughorn, fearing reprisal from the Death Eaters, goes into hiding but offers to correspond by owl with the members of the Order to aid them in their search.

The hunt now begins, and all the cunning in the world may not be enough...