Death Eaters and Diadems
‘It is a good thought,’ Dumbledore was saying, ‘They’re funny old things though, ghosts, you might have a job getting a sensible answer out of them.’
‘We know that,’ Remus replied, ‘But it's certainly worth asking.’
‘Indeed,’ Dumbledore nodded, ‘I imagine you'll start with the Grey Lady?’
‘That's the plan.’
‘She’s usually in Ravenclaw tower. If you'll wait until tomorrow morning then most of the students will be in lessons, I can arrange for someone to escort you as you search for her.’
‘Absolutely.’
‘And your visit to Mr Crouch’s house? Your letter said you had important information?’
‘We found Peter,’ Sirius said, bluntly.
Dumbledore stilled, teacup half way to his mouth.
‘Where?’
‘At Crouch’s -’
‘We didn't see him,’ Remus added, quickly, ‘Sirius could - Padfoot could pick up his scent. He was inside the house.’
‘You're sure?’ Dumbledore's piercing blue eyes were on Sirius.
Sirius nodded. ‘I’m sure.’
‘Hiding out, perhaps?’
‘Perhaps,’ Remus said slowly, catching the look Sirius was shooting him, ‘But could it really be a coincidence? Barty disappears and a fugitive Death Eater is found at his residence -’ he paused and glanced at Sirius again, ‘We all know Crouch hates Death Eaters but it's not as if he's never been associated with them before -’
Dumbledore placed his tea cup delicately on its saucer and surveyed them for just a moment before standing up abruptly, pushing his chair out behind him.
‘If you’ll follow me -’ he said, and swept from the room.
They glanced at each other and hurried after him. Dumbledore was already at the bottom of his spiral staircase when they reached the doorway, and they had to jog to catch up. He strode briskly along one corridor and then another, heading down a flight of stairs -
‘We’re going to the kitchens,’ Sirius whispered, behind his hand, as if they were school boys again, being led to detention, ‘What’s in there?’
‘Crouch’s elf!’ Remus hissed back, something suddenly clicking in his brain, ‘Harry told us - remember? Just the other day -’
Dumbledore had reached the painting of the fruit bowl several steps ahead of them, and the doorway was open when they reached it. They followed him through and were met with an old and familiar sight: four huge tables stretched before them, lined up in front of an enormous fireplace. Mounds of brass pots and pans lined the walls, and hundreds of house elves were moving amongst them, going about their evening activities. They stopped as Dumbledore entered, turning their attention to him as he paused in the centre of the room, and looked across it, eyes searching.
‘Ah, Winky,’ he said, moving forward again.
An elf came into view as they crossed the room, set apart from her colleagues by her outfit: a matching skirt and hat that stood out against the uniform tea towels. A free elf. She was sitting on a stool by the hearth, her huge brown eyes cast down at her feet, even as the Headmaster approached. Dumbledore settled himself on the flagstones beside her, motioning for Sirius and Remus to do the same.
‘Good evening, Winky,’ he said softly, ignoring the stares of the other elves. She shifted on her stool, glancing up only briefly before shrinking away from them.
‘Would Sir like a cup of tea?’ An elderly elf with crinkled, kind eyes approached them, ‘Or anything to eat? If I remember correctly -’ he added, eyes sliding to Sirius, ‘- Sir used to like a cream cake at this time in the evening -’
‘Impressive memory -’ Sirius started to say before he was interrupted.
‘Thank you for your kind offer,’ Dumbledore replied, looking sternly at Sirius, ‘But not today, we won't trouble you for long.’
The house elf nodded and backed away across the kitchen.
‘Winky,’ Dumbledore began again, looking intently at her, ‘We need to ask you some questions about Mr Crouch.’
Winky looked up, eyes widening briefly, and then narrowing again as she took them all in. She said nothing.
‘I don't want to alarm you, but we are quite concerned about him,’ Dumbledore continued, ‘He has not been going to work and I have been unable to contact him about his position within the school at the Triwizard Tournament. I wanted to know if you could offer any insight. Has Mr Crouch had any periods of illness before?’
Remus was a little thrown by the question. Crouch was famously steadfast and hardy. He doubted he had missed a day of work in his life. He glanced at Dumbledore who remained unreadable, eyes concentrated on the elf, and then back at Winky who despite Dumbledore's introductory statement was looking quite alarmed.
‘He most certainly has not! She squeaked, her eyes filling with tears, ‘Mr Crouch is a hardworking and diligent man! My poor master. What is he doing without me? He has fallen ill without me there to take care of him! He is needing me! He is needing my help!’
Dumbledore nodded serenely throughout her outburst, watching impassive, as she rocked on her chair, waiting for a pause -
‘Can you think of any reason, other than a lack of help that could have caused him to fall ill?’
Winky froze, her great green eyes flicking from Dumbledore to Remus and Sirius either side of him.
‘Winky cannot’ she shook her head firmly, ‘Winky does not know anything. Winky is not telling her master’s business to - to -’ she hiccuped violently and the tears began to form again.
‘It is very important,’ Dumbledore said calmly, ‘That you tell me the truth now Winky. We are concerned for Mr Crouch’s welfare. These two gentlemen went to the house to try to check on him and were unable to get a response. If you help us, you may be able to help him.’
Winky blinked at them, and shook her head firmly again. ‘Winky is a good elf, and loyal to her masters. Winky does as her masters ask her, always -’
‘Winky, Mr Crouch is no longer your master,’ Dumbledore said gently, ‘You can speak freely. You are not betraying any trust or contract-’
‘No, no, no!’ Winky squeaked, slamming her small hands down on her knees, ‘Winky is not- Winky will not!’
‘Ok! Ok,’ Dumbledore said, palms up, nodding curtly, ‘Thank you for your time. Please do come and see me if you decide you would like to discuss this further.’
He rose, his height now quite arresting against the crowd of house elves behind him, and strode from the kitchens, Remus and Sirius following behind him again.
‘She was lying,’ Sirius said, breathlessly as they caught up with Dumbledore at the gargoyle that hid his spiral staircase, ‘She did know something.’
‘That much is clear,’ Dumbledore inclined his head, ‘Unfortunately it is a difficult thing to break the bond between a house elf and her master, especially if the elf doesn't want it to be broken.’
‘Her ‘masters’,’ Remus said, as they climbed the stairs, ‘More than once she said ‘masters’. Plural. Did you catch that?’
‘I did,’ Dumbledore replied, a look of quiet intrigue on his face, ‘But Barty Crouch has lived alone for many years, since his wife died and his son -’
‘Went to Azkaban,’ Sirius finished the sentence for him. ‘I was there when they brought him in, saw him dragged right past my cell, I could hear him crying out for his mother until -’ he stopped as they re-entered Dumbledore's office. Remus could see his face clearly now, out of the dark of the stairwell, the way his eyes seemed to cloud when he talked about that place, the line that appeared between his brows.
‘He was always a nasty piece of work,’ Remus added, ‘Remember that time we found him up by the library -’
‘He died,’ Sirius said, bluntly, ‘Only about a year after they brought him in. I remember Crouch and his wife coming in for a final visit. They didn’t come back for him afterwards, though - I watched the Dementors bury him on the island. I saw them through the bars on my window -’ he tailed off, staring across at Dumbledore who had taken a seat at his desk and poured himself a fresh cup of tea, stirring it thoughtfully for a moment before meeting Sirius’ eye.
‘What?’ Remus said, feeling acutely aware that he was missing whatever message was passing between them.
‘You saw the Dementors bury the body of Barty Crouch Jr?’ Dumbledore asked.
Sirius hesitated, ‘I saw them carry a body from his cell,’ he said slowly, ‘And then I saw them place a body in a grave, and cover it with earth.’
‘What are we saying here?’ Remus asked, trying to control the wobble in his voice, ‘Are we suggesting Winky was referring to Barty Jr as being at the house? That he didn’t die in Azkaban?’
‘I don’t think we can say anything for sure at this point,’ Dumbledore said, tone strangely final, ‘Except that there is certainly more to Barty Crouch Snr’s disappearance than we have been led to believe. I really do think it is best that we concentrate our efforts in finding these Horcruxes. Take the sword with you now in case I can’t meet you first thing, but do see me before you go, whatever the outcome. Until then, I suggest you try to get some rest.’
*
‘That was unbelievable,’ James was saying, as he shoved his Quidditch uniform back into his locker and hauled his broomstick over his shoulder, ‘I’ve never seen a more un-sportsman-like team -’
‘They’re filthy cheaters, that’s what they are,’ Sirius replied as they left the changing room, striding ahead with James as Remus hurried to keep up, ‘I can’t believe Avery got away with that, he’s a pathetic excuse for a -’
‘Someone feeling a little bit bitter?’ a snide voice called as they rounded the corridor.
‘Shut it Crouch,’ James said, waving a hand dismissively in the direction of Barty, who was leaning against the bannister at the bottom of the staircase, his friend Evan stretched out across the bottom step, ‘Move, Rosier.’
‘So rude!’ Barty said, with a look of mock surprise on his face, ‘Honestly Potter I would have thought your mother raised you better than that!’
‘Look, Crouch, I’m really not in the mood for whatever little game you want to play, so if you and your -’ he shot Evan a look of disgust ‘- minion could run along, we'd be very grateful.’
‘Minion?’ Evan said, standing up on the step, towering over James as he did, ‘Did you hear that Barty? Dear me, these boys are not very nice at all!’
James rolled his eyes and made to push past Evan. He took a step and Evan shoved him hard, sending him flying backwards, back onto the stone floor below.
‘Oi!’ Sirius said, stepping forwards and shoving Evan heavily back onto his bottom.
Barty pulled his fist back, aiming squarely for the side of Sirius’ head -
‘Petrificus Totalus!’ Remus said, wand out in a flash. Barty only had time to raise his eyebrows before he froze, wobbling on the spot a moment and toppling sideways caught at an angle by the bannister.
Evan looked across at him, face full of fury, he reached for his wand -
‘Stupefy!’ James sent a jet of red light across the room and he crumpled to the floor, ‘Come on, we’d better get out of here before -’
They ran, feet slapping on the stone stairs as they climbed them, not stopping until they reached the Fat Lady. Sirius collapsed against the wall, breathing heavily but grinning widely.
‘That was amazing. The look on Crouch’s face! Fastest body-bind in history! You're a legend, Moony!’
‘He was going to hit you,’ Remus said, face hot, maybe from the running, maybe from the thrill of Sirius' approval.
‘But you saved me,’ Sirius said, smiling at him.
*
‘Ok, yes please if you can,’ Sirius was saying into the mirror as they made their way up the road from Hogsmeade, ‘Just meet us by the gates and then we’ll walk you back up the drive. Ok, see you in a minute. Yep. Bye!’
They had stayed the night in The Hog’s Head, and were heading back to Hogwarts to borrow the map and commence their ghost hunt. The second task was in just a few days and Harry felt he was unlikely to get any better at swimming between now and then.
‘I had a dream,’ Remus said, suddenly remembering, ‘It was third or fourth year, that time Crouch tried to punch you and I hit him with a body bind.’
‘Yeah I remember that,’ Sirius said, ‘I was so impressed. You were so quick.’
‘I felt bad about it,’ Remus admitted, ‘That I’d cursed him and just run off,’ he paused, ‘And for how pleased I was that you'd liked it.
‘He was a right prick though,’ Sirius replied, ‘As bad as we were, a body bind for a couple of hours definitely wasn't more than he deserved.’
‘I suppose… do you think Dumbledore thinks he's still alive?’
‘Don’t know,’ Sirius said, ‘I was thinking about it all night. I just can't remember. It was definitely him on the way in - he saw me - “Sirius!” He said, “I always thought we should've been friends!” - and then he laughed. It was only a day or so before he started to scream. But after that - I don't know. He went quiet and I - I spent a lot of time as Padfoot, you know, the Dementors couldn't see me, it was easier, and then -’ Sirius paused and Remus could see the effort it was taking to remember, ‘I do remember his parents. I saw Crouch, slinking past in his suit, his wife beside him - she didn't look well. I wanted him to see me. See me there and remember his son was in the same place that he'd sent the traitor and murderer, Sirius Black -’
Remus stopped for a moment, horrified by Sirius' words, but Sirius kept walking, so he shook himself and hurried to catch up.
‘But after that - I don't know. I saw them carry something out, I saw them bury something, but I don't remember seeing his face.’
Remus didn't know what to say. He reached a hand out, but Sirius' pulled his own away.
‘I just wish I could remember,’ he said, shoving his fists deep into his coat pockets, ‘I’m so glad I can't remember most of it, but it's so many years to just - lose.’
His tone was so matter of fact, it made Remus shiver. He knew exactly what Sirius meant, to an extent, but he had been out here, free, not living well, but living. He reached his hand out again, this time pulling Sirius into him, forcing him to stop.
‘I’m sorry,’ he whispered, clutching him tight against his chest.
Sirius said nothing for a long moment. Remus could feel him trembling.
‘Let’s go find Harry.’
Harry was standing just beyond the winged boars with Ron, rolling a rock under his foot. He waved when he saw them approaching and hugged Sirius hard when they passed through the gates.
‘You alright?’ Sirius asked, holding Harry in front of him and examining him with concern.
‘Yeah,’ Harry said, unconvincingly, ‘Fine. I’ve got the map.’
He handed it to Remus and turned to walk up the drive beside Sirius.
‘He’s nervous about the task,’ Ron said, dropping back to where Remus had stopped to fold the map into his pocket. ‘He can do the spell and everything, we’ve been practising like mad, it just doesn’t seem to be helping with the nerves.’
Remus sighed, this bloody tournament, he thought. ‘Thanks, Ron. We’ll talk to him. How are you doing?’
Harry and Ron left them in the entrance hall, hurrying off to their first lesson. They stood in silence for a few minutes, Remus gazing up at the huge hourglasses that counted the house points.
‘Remus!’
He turned to find Professor Flitwick making his way towards them down the marble staircase. He reached the bottom, and shook both their hands vigorously.
‘So nice to see you again!’ he said, ‘And to see you Sirius, it has been too long!’ he smiled warmly. ‘Albus asked me to meet you here and escort you to Ravenclaw Tower, he said you have some business there. I am to take you up and then leave you alone apparently!’ he chuckled slightly nervously, eyeing the sword tucked into Sirius’ belt. ‘Come on then, it is a bit of a climb.’
Filius chattered to them as they ascended the endless spiral staircase. At the top they were met by an enormous bronze eagle mounted on a handsome blue door. Filius knocked once and the eagle spoke:
‘I have cities, but no houses. I have mountains, but no trees. I have water, but no fish. What am I?’
‘Any guesses?’ Filius asked with a wink, and without hesitating continued, ‘It’s a map!’
‘Of course it is,’ Remus said, glancing at Sirius who was looking at his feet, trying not to smile, ‘Thank you Filius.’
‘Right! I’ll leave you to it. I think Albus would like to see you once you have finished, if you don’t mind. Good luck!’ he smiled and turned back down the stairs.
They stepped through the door and found themselves in a huge blue and bronze room, filled with light from the domed ceiling. The carpet was dark blue and covered with astronomically accurate constellations. Books lined the walls between the large windows that looked out across the grounds with views of the lake and forest and in the centre of the far wall a huge marble statue of Rowena Ravenclaw.
‘Blimey it’s nice up here, isn’t it,’ Sirius said, ‘Have you ever been?’
‘No,’ Remus replied, ‘Peter did this bit of the map - remember he was friendly with - what was her name?’
‘Let’s see how accurate he got it then,’ Sirius said, settling himself down on a cushioned window seat. Remus joined him, carefully unfolding the map and reaching for his wand.
‘Oh, let me do it,’ Sirius said, pulling his from his sleeve, ‘I solemnly swear I am up to no good.’
Fine lines began to spread from where the wand had touched the parchment and Remus turned and folded it swiftly as the map grew, looking for the place in which they were sat. He found them quickly, their names side by side, half way up Ravenclaw Tower.
‘Do you see her?’
‘Not immediately,’ Remus replied, continuing to unfold the map, searching carefully the rooms off the common room. He felt Sirius rise beside him but glanced up only momentarily as he walked away across the room.
‘Here!’ Remus said after a few moments, ‘She’s here, up the stairs, I think - through that door?’ he span slowly on the spot trying to work out which door. ‘Yes, that one.’ He looked up, to find Sirius inches from the marble statue, staring up at the witch’s carved face.
‘Wit beyond measure is man’s greatest treasure,’ Sirius whispered as Remus drew level with him.
‘What?’
‘Her crown. Why didn’t we think of this before?’ he turned to Remus, ‘Ravenclaw’s diadem. Supposed to give the wearer wisdom. Lost for centuries? Surely it’s that Remus, he would’ve loved that idea right? Being all-knowing?’
‘The map says the Grey Lady’s up here,’ Remus repeated, pointing again to the door, ‘Let’s go and ask her.’
Another staircase lay behind the door and they climbed it. Through the windows, Remus could see the mountains stretching out beyond the forest, rising into the February mist. Higher and higher they climbed and then, along a corridor, curled in a window seat, her long hair hanging down her back, they saw her.
Remus put out an arm, stopping Sirius where they stood, suddenly realising he had no idea how they were going to approach this. Sirius looked at him, eyes questioning his hesitation.
‘What?’ he said, quietly, but not quietly enough. Helena turned, her eyes wide with surprise, and then she was gone, vanishing downwards through the window seat.
‘Shit.’
They turned back the way they had come, tripping over each other in their haste to get down the stairs, Sirius opening every door off the staircase as they went, Remus struggling with the map.
‘Ok, stop,’ Remus said, as he spotted her, ‘She’s back in the Common Room, but just wait a second - what do we say? How do we stop her disappearing again?’
‘I think we’ve just got to tell her,’ Sirius said, ‘This is urgent, we’ve got to make her listen.’
Remus nodded, ‘Ok,’ he said, ‘Ok. Let’s just try and approach in a non-threatening way -’
‘She’s the ghost,’ Sirius said, ‘Why would she be afraid of us?’
‘I suppose just don’t storm at her,’ Remus said, a hand on the final door handle, ‘ready?’
They opened the door slowly, letting it swing on its hinges, and stopped in the doorway. Helena stood across the room, face composed, hands clasped in front of her. She was waiting for them.
‘You do not belong here,’ she said, imperiously, ‘What business do you have in Ravenclaw tower?’
‘We - uh,’ Remus wasn’t sure why he was so nervous. There was something about the way she hovered above them, the haughty look on her face. ‘We were looking for you,’ he said. ‘We are carrying out some important work for Professor Dumbledore, and we believe you may have some vital information.’
For a moment she looked intrigued, and then she regained her composure, ‘I don’t know what help I could possibly provide,’ she said, ‘But you may ask your question.’
Remus took a deep breath.
‘We have reason to believe that Voldemort is attempting to return to power,’ he said, watching Helena carefully for her reaction, ‘It seems that when he was defeated, he left behind - parts of himself that would allow him to eventually return. These parts were hidden within magical objects -’ Remus stopped, he had seen a glimmer of something - recognition perhaps - in Helena’s eye. It had been momentary, but there. ‘We are trying to locate these,’ he continued, slowly, ‘And free these objects from his -’ he searched for the right word ‘- from his possession, in the hopes that it will allow us to defeat him when he shows himself.’
Helena remained in her place, motionless, gazing back at him with a stare so intense he began to feel the hairs rise on the back of his neck. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Sirius take half a step forward, and he raised one palm, signalling for him to wait.
Eventually, she spoke: ‘And what makes you think I can help you in this quest?’
‘We believe one of the items belonged to your mother,’ Remus said, ‘Can you think what it may have been? Something valuable? Something Voldemort may have coveted?’
She floated backwards a little, wrapping her arms around herself defensively.
‘Please, Helena,’ Sirius said, suddenly, surprising Remus with the desperation in his voice. ‘Please help us. We must do all we can to stop him -’
Her gaze shifted to Sirius and something in it visibly softened, one hand moving to the dark stab wound on her breast.
‘The item you are looking for,’ she said, in a voice much softer and less frightening than the one she had used before, ‘Is my mother’s diadem. You can see it there, upon her head.’ She gestured to the marble statue of Rowena that Sirius had been examining not half an hour earlier.
‘I stole the diadem from my mother,’ she continued, ‘I sought to make myself cleverer, more important, so I took it and ran away with it.’
Remus felt rooted to the spot, he looked desperately for Sirius, but he had moved out of his field of vision. He didn't dare move for fear of interrupting the ghost. If she stole it, he thought in panic, does that mean she has it? Or is it truly lost
‘My mother, they say,’ Helena continued, ‘Never admitted that the diadem was gone, but pretended that she had it still. She concealed her loss, my dreadful betrayal, even from the other founders of Hogwarts.’ She had drifted from her position above them and now floated just inches from the ground. She looked small, Remus thought, and young.
‘Then my mother fell ill-fatally ill. In spite of my perfidy, she was desperate to see me one more time. She sent a man who had long loved me, though I spurned his advances, to find me. She knew that he would not rest until he had done so,’ she paused, as if collecting her thoughts, and continued. ‘He tracked me to the forest where I was hiding. When I refused to return with him, he became violent. The Baron was always a hot-tempered man. Furious at my refusal, jealous of my freedom, he stabbed me.’
‘The Baron? You mean -?’ Sirius had spoken and Remus was able to locate him, standing off to his left, just a few steps back.
‘The Bloody Baron, yes,’ said the Gray Lady, ‘When he saw what he had done, he was overcome with remorse. He took the weapon that had claimed my life, and used it to kill himself. All these centuries later, he wears his chains as an act of penitence…’
‘As he should,’ Sirius added, encouragingly. ‘And the diadem?’
‘It remained where I had hidden it when I heard the Baron blundering through the forest toward me. Concealed inside a hollow tree.’
‘A hollow tree?’ Remus said, ‘Which tree? Where?’
‘A forest in Albania. A lonely place I thought was far beyond my mother’s reach.’
‘Oh.’
Helena clutched at her cloak, pulling it protectively around her, covering her wound and hung her head.
‘You told him where to find it.’ Sirius said. It wasn’t a question.
‘I had no idea,’ she whispered, ‘He was flattering. He seemed to - to understand - to sympathise -’ she was tearful now, pearls forming in her eyes, ‘And then he took it, and he defiled it!’
‘Where is it now?’ Sirius asked, ‘Do you know where he put it?’
She stilled, tears vanishing in an instant.
‘And what exactly is it you intend to do with it if you find it?’ she asked, voice suddenly full of suspicion.
‘You do know where it is!’
‘We will remove the curse he placed upon it,’ Remus said quickly, cutting Sirius off, ‘It has been done before, to three other objects, and we wish to do it again, to your mother’s diadem. Once it is restored, it will be yours, to do with as you see fit.’
Helena surveyed them sternly. Remus could understand her mistrust. The last time a wizard had come to her about the diadem, his intentions had not been so noble.
‘He returned it to Hogwarts,’ she said slowly, ‘I felt it as soon as it entered the building. I sensed its familiar power and I tracked it to its hiding place. But it - was different, evil, and so I left it there, where it should never be discovered by accident -’
‘Can you show us?’
She turned without a word and vanished through the blue door. Remus had barely registered the movement before Sirius was streaking past, grabbing him by the hand and pulling him across the room.
‘Get the map out!’ he said, as they hurried down the spiral staircase, struggling to keep the ghostly tail of her cloak in sight. They descended the stairs at a dangerous pace, emerging in a seventh floor corridor and catching sight of Helena again, turning left at the end of it.
‘Astronomy tower?’ Remus gasped as they ran.
‘Quick, through here,’ Sirius grabbed him again and pulled him through a tapestry, an old shortcut they had taken many times before. They emerged behind a suit of armour, finding Helena much closer now, taking a right turn just ahead. They rounded the corner and found her motionless in front of a blank wall.
‘What is she looking at?’ Sirius hissed as Remus held up the map.
‘Nothing there,’ Remus replied, looking up at her as she floated, just inches from the stone.
‘The Come and Go Room,’ she said, ‘Is not just a legend. If you ask it for what you seek, it shall lead you there -’ she reached out a hand, and Remus was surprised to see it make contact with the stone, as if she could not pass through it.
‘We must concentrate,’ she said, as she began to drift to the right, and then back the other way, ‘On what it is we need -’ she moved back again, ‘And the room shall reveal -’
‘Woah -’ Sirius said as a great door appeared in the wall, wide and wooden, looking as if it had always been there. Helena turned to them and nodded once, before passing straight through. Sirius hurried forward and grasped the handle, pulling it open so they could follow her inside.
They were greeted by a mountain of objects, stacked higgledy-piggledy in teetering towers. Old furniture: chairs and tables, grand old cabinets and threadbare sofas, hidden by layers of junk: bottles, books and shoes.
‘What is this place?’ Sirius breathed, turning to look at the mounds that rose around them.
‘This is the Room of Hidden Things,’ Helena said, gliding past them, ‘Everything lost eventually finds its way here -’
They followed her, past a broken grandfather clock and an enormous gilt mirror. A small mound of socks sat on a four-poster bed, its red drapes dusty and torn. On they went past a large pile of broomsticks, stacks and stacks of crockery, and an old writing desk, parchment spilling from under its lid.
‘Do you hear that?’ Remus said, gripping Sirius’ arm. There was a strange whispering sound, getting louder as they followed the ghost through the maze of items, hissing at them, calling to them. They rounded a huge tower of chairs and found her in front of a large cupboard with a violent burn down one side. On top of it stood the bust of an ugly warlock, wearing a dusty wig and what looked like an ancient discoloured tiara. They stopped beside her, gazing up at the headdress, with no question about where the sound was coming from.
‘That’s it?’ Sirius asked, not taking his eyes off it.
‘My mother’s sacred diadem,’ Helena nodded gravely.
‘May I?’ Sirius asked, and she inclined her head again. He reached up, pulling the bust from the cupboard and placing it on the floor. The hissing had intensified, filling the room around them now, making the smaller objects balanced at the very tops of the piles shake. Remus could feel it seeping into him, crawling under his skin -
‘You should do this one!’ Sirius shouted, pulling the sword from his belt.
Remus reached for it, taking a step forward as Sirius stepped back. He looked up at Helena, once more, who nodded once and then covered her eyes with her pale hands. He raised the sword above his head and swung.
The hissing gave way to an ear-splitting scream as the diadem clattered to the floor. The sword had sent the wig flying and gouged a hole in the soft stone of the bust. A great shadow rose from it, filling the space between them, and for several moments Remus found himself blinded. He searched desperately for Sirius, his shouts swallowed by the deafening noise. He stumbled slightly, falling against the old cupboard, sending it toppling backwards. As he scrambled to his feet, he thought he heard a crash from the other direction, and followed the sound, tripping over something on the floor and dropping the sword. He curled in on himself, hands over his ears, fingers digging into his temples and then - just like that - it was over. The sound stopped, and the smoke cleared. He looked up, to find Sirius sitting across from him, and Helena bent protectively around the diadem, which sat on the floor, no longer dull and tarnished, but whole, pristine and glittering.
Sirius coughed harshly, clearing his throat of dust and smoke.
‘Four down,’ he said.
