Unveiled
Thursday the 6th of October 1977
"Miss Potter?" Her hand slid out from under her head, her whole body jerking slightly as she looked up to see Professor Flitwick staring at her with concern, stood before her desk as she blinked back at him. “Do you need to go to Madam Pomfrey?” He asked, softly as she tried her best to smile back.
“No, Sir – sorry, it won’t happen again.” She spoke, ignoring the eyes that seemed to be looking at her from every direction of the class.
He nodded his head, offering her a rather gentle smile, as he turned back towards the board, speaking to the class while Hermione tried to focus on his words instead of the burning in her cheeks and the tiredness in her veins.
One month back in school and she was already struggling, not only that but she was actually falling asleep during class.
The bell rang above their heads, and Hermione didn’t think twice about jumping out of her seat, bag banging against her side as she all but ran from the classroom and her friends watchful eyes, moving down the stairs and to the closest bathroom she could find away from everyone.
Her hands gripped the porcelain sink tightly before moving to turn on the tap so she could splash cold water on her face, which was pale and tired looking – purple bags under her eyes and a lack of warmth that might have been found if she had gotten a good nights rest in the past few days. Even her activities with Sirius had done nothing to tire her out.
“Mi’.” Hermione looked up, the reflection of James moving into the bathroom and tucking the map into his pocket as he frowned at her in concern. “You ok – you tore out of there pretty fast?”
“Just couldn’t stand everyone staring.” Hermione muttered as she used the sleeve of her robe to wipe off the water from her face, before she let out a little laugh that was half full of tears. “And maybe I’m a bit embarrassed that I fell asleep in class.”
“I mean he was going on a bit, so I think it’s understandable.” James spoke with a teasing smile before he took one look at her face and suddenly he was behind her, full of concern. “What happened? Is everything ok?” He tilted her head up slightly, like he was looking for that familiar red that came with her ‘episodes’.
Her hand slapped his away, with a frown on her face, but it was slightly teasing as he tried to reach for her again only to be pushed away. “I’m fine, I’ve just had a lot on my mind and I’m really tired.”
“Then go to bed.”
“And then spend the rest of my night awake, thinking about every little thing that needs solving – I’d rather just stay awake and crash later.” Hermione commented as she looked back into the mirror, wincing slightly at the purple bags and messy hair. Merlin, she was a mess.
James was frowning at her slightly but he didn’t get a chance to speak as Hermione spun around to look around the bathroom. Ugly in a way that old bathrooms were, with discoloured tiles and old plumbing – like it had been done at the turn of the century and no one had ever decided to change it or at least fix things.
And it was empty.
Which wasn’t unusual considering that people were no doubt going to their next class, or their dorm, or wherever they were going, but most would take a second to pop their head in or quickly use the loo, but no one bothered and Hermione couldn’t figure out why.
For some reason throughout her seven years at Hogwarts, she had avoided this very bathroom, unless with her friends and in desperate need for the bathroom, and for some reason the whole place made her think cats and strange potions with strange smells, and changing faces and the whole thing was just too much to even try and read into.
“I’ve been here before.”
“Haven’t we all?” James spoke as he looked around with a grimace as Hermione glared at him. “You hear about some girl ghost hiding in the bathrooms when you’re eleven, and you get curious.” He answered her unspoken question, shrugging his shoulders. “Plus barely anyone comes in here, it’s good for discussing Marauder activities.” She could almost imagine herself doing the same, though younger and slightly stupid.
“You have a dorm.” She spoke dryly as he narrowed his eyes at her.
“Which has lately been used for sinful sleepovers, and has become some kind of hotspot for hanging out.” He all but cried as Hermione fought the urge to blush. It was like a silent agreement they had come to, to not speak about what happened behind Sirius’ closed curtains.
It was also the reason Hermione was more than happy to use her Prefect abilities to sneak around and find somewhere else where her brother wasn’t, because it was a level she wasn’t too comfortable crossing.
“Sorry…” Her voice trailed off and her eyes rolled into the back of her head as there was a noise from one of the closed stalls, and then the door was all but flying off the hinges as Myrtle made her grand appearance.
Short, with thick hair and glasses, and pimples that would litter her face for eternity, she had obviously died young and at one point that would have made Hermione feel sorry for her, but there was a reason no one came here and a reason that Hermione was regretting walking into this very bathroom.
And all it took was Myrtle opening her mouth. “What are you doing here?” She asked Hermione, in a tone that just showed how young she truly was, and a stance to match as she crossed her arms over her chest.
Hermione fought the urge to roll her eyes, she couldn’t do with the sobbing that would come with offending Myrtle, and it didn’t seem to matter much once she turned to see James there, face lighting up in a way that made her look younger.
“James.” She almost sounded mystified as James tried to keep his cringing to a minimum, and instead smile – not that it really worked and Hermione was a second away from laughing. “I thought you wouldn’t come back.”
“Yeah, me either.” James muttered under he breath as Myrtle floated forward, smaller than him by a lot, his tall and lanky frame almost making her look squat and tiny.
“I missed you.” She spoke, almost reaching up a hand.
“Discussing Marauder activities, eh?” Hermione spoke, raising a brow as James looked over at her with a glare that her laughing slightly and shaking her head. “What is it with you and ghosts?” She asked as he blushed slightly.
It wasn’t that her brother wasn’t handsome, he had plenty of girls wanting to catch his eye, but they were normal blushing girls who kept their distance – they didn’t float up to him like Myrtle or stare at him like Helena did, which was a problem in itself. What did a thousand year of ghost think was going to happen? What did Myrtle think was going to happen?
“There’s another ghost?” Myrtle spoke, moving back with a slight pout that did have Hermione rolling her eyes. “Everyone else said that you were going out with that Lily Evans – I was just hoping that I was the only Muggleborn you would want to join forever.”
“I am.” James spoke, holding up his hands before he frowned and panic spread all over his face. “Wait – what?” He asked, but Myrtle had drifted slightly and was beginning her moaning – like a badly sung song that made Hermione want to tell her to shut up.
It was rude and she would keep her mouth shut because annoying or not, Myrtle was dead and given a nickname because of what she did, Hermione didn’t need to remind her of that.
“And then you bring her here, like I wasn’t already having a bad day.” Hermione had no idea what she had done to receive such scorn from the ghost, but she doubted it would even matter in the long run.
“Aren’t we all, and I was here first.”
“I have been here for nearly thirty five years!” Myrtle moaned, hovering before Hermione, but even then she was still shorter and now Hermione could see every spot and mark on her face, and unlike Helena there was no sign as to what had killed her.
“I meant before James.” Hermione spoke, internally rolling her eyes as the girl pouted, her mouth opening but Hermione cut her off. “You’ve been dead thirty five years – so that means you died -”
“Before the summer of 1943, not that anyone cared or not that anyone checks, clearly since no one even knows how I died – I just wasn’t as important as the other people who got hurt that year.” Myrtle moaned as James sent her a glare but Hermione felt her eyes widen, as she tried to communicate to her brother without Myrtle thinking they were talking about something else.
“Other people – what the fuck happened?” James asked as he looked away from Hermione, clearly not getting the message or even remembering the same things she did.
“Some idiot let a beast on the loose, it harmed many people but of course I was the only one who died – Isn’t that sad, James?” Myrtle spoke as she floated before him, her hands clutched to her chest as James stared down at her.
“Very.”
“I was in here when it happened, because Olive Hornby had been teasing me about my glasses again, and then I heard someone come in, he was hissing like some snake, and so I went to tell him to go away, but I opened the door and there were these big golden eyes next to this tall boy, and I died.” Myrtle spoke, floating upwards to rest her see through head on James’ shoulder with a sigh.
“Tom Riddle.” Hermione muttered as Myrtle lifted her head and James stepped to move behind Hermione, shaking himself off slightly.
“What about him?” Myrtle asked with a frown.
“Did you know him?”
“Oh yes...he was very handsome, a Prefect, but he wasn’t very nice to anyone who wasn’t Slytherin, and he never seemed to find any girls interesting.” Myrtle pouted again and Hermione did roll her eyes this time. The girl seemed to find anyone with a decent face worthy of her crushes and eagerness for them to join her forever. “He was the one who found the monster and it’s owner, I heard he them expelled or something, not that I was interested by then – tormenting Olive was more fun.”
Tom Riddle, Lord fucking Voldemort, had been the one to find the monster and end it’s reign of terror – something just didn’t add up. Hermione turned to look back at the mirror and sinks, a frown on her face as she moved forward.
Big yellow eyes and someone hissing, that was what Myrtle had last seen and heard before she died, and yet Hermione could almost see and hear both in her own head, along with a fresh wave of terror that she wouldn’t allow to grab hold of her. Her pale hands reached for the tap, fingers brushing against the metal only to stop so she could bend her head down to look.
There on the side, engraved and faded throughout the years, was a snake.
Hermione felt her mouth grow dry, an inkling in the back of her mind, though the memories still remained intact and hidden, something she was slightly thankful for because fainting in front of Myrtle or having to explain anything to anyone who might walk in wasn’t the way she wanted things to go.
“Hey Jamie.” Hermione spoke instead, keeping her eye on the snake and trailing her hand over it, her brother responded behind her with something she wasn’t actually focused on. “You don’t happen to speak Parseltongue, do you?” She asked as she stood back up to look at him.
Myrtle had drifted away, sulking sadly about something or other, and hopefully not paying attention as James all but stormed to her side, the pair of them leaning over the sink. “No, why?”
“Because I think I’ve just found the entrance to the bloody Chamber of Secrets, and I think the thing that killed Myrtle might have been a basilisk.” Hermione hissed, just in case the ghost became curious, but it would be hard to hide the shock and disbelief on James’ face, even as she pointed to the tap.
His eyes searched over her face like he was waiting for the blood to come pouring from her nose, his hands awkwardly stretched like he thought he might have to catch her, but Hermione truthfully felt fine, no onslaught of memories, just feelings and perhaps one saying.
“The chamber of secrets has been opened, enemies of the heir, beware.” She whispered as James looked at her with wide eyes.
“What?”
“Not now, maybe in the future…” Hermione stopped as she looked back at Myrtle, before she turned back to James and grabbed his arm, pulling them into the corridor and ignoring the students that looked at them as they huddled together.
“What are you trying to say?” James asked, hissing as they moved forward with no direction in mind.
“Think about it, Tom was here during that time, he stopped the ‘attack’, and he came from a family who were known for hissing like snakes.” Hermione all but snapped as they stopped at a corner, whispering even lower as a group passed by them.
“Are you saying Riddle is the heir to fucking Slytherin?”
“Maybe.”
“And what does that have to do with what you said ‘enemies of the heir…’ or even the future?”
Hermione stopped, a frown on her face as she tried to think without pushing herself over the edge before she remembered something, her hand reaching out to grab James and pull him along once again. “I saw Harry in a chamber, deep underground with snakes and a dead fucking snake beside him…”
“Are you telling me some kid in the future is going to kill a basilisk?” James asked with disbelief again, his eyes narrowing as Hermione shrugged her shoulders.
“I didn’t see that part but I saw him, with a diary and a sixteen year old Tom.” Hermione explained lowly as they rounded another corner.
“If this in the future then Tom would be...not sixteen.” James spoke slowly, eyes narrowing as though he was trying to calculate only to give up half way through, looking back to Hermione for seemingly so help in calculations.
“Yes, but that version of him disappeared or died or something the moment Harry stabbed the diary with a fang.” Hermione spoke, she wasn’t interested at the moment in trying to figure out Tom’s real age, though she guessed it was older than someone that petty should be.
“Are you saying all our Voldy problems will disappear if we stab him with a giant snake’s tooth?” James asked with wide eyes and a grin, miming stabbing someone as Hermione rolled her eyes.
“No.” She answered as she led them towards the Great Hall slowly. “I’m saying that the diary and Tom are connected, which we already knew, but perhaps the diary has preserved a part of him like a…”
“Memory.” James finished for her as Hermione pursed her lips and shrugged her shoulders. “Or a part of his soul or something.” It was what she had been thinking but she couldn’t quite pinpoint on why it almost felt wrong and right at the same time.
It was like they were missing a large part of the picture, that they had all the clues and notes but none of them seemed to be lining up perfectly until they figure this out.
Which was why she spoke lower than before, more serious. “Exactly, which is crucial in figuring out why these objects might be tied to him and his demise.”
“So if we figure out what he did or what it is then we can figure out how to use them to end him?” James asked, but once again his eyes were scanning over her face, concerned and his arms were within reach. And she appreciated it, she really did but she didn’t want to have to think she was going to end up on the floor every time she figured something out.
Maybe that was the difference between remembering and learning; remembering meant she was pushing against the wall and perhaps doing more damage than good, and learning was using the brain she had and piecing things together without interference from the wall. There was no pushing or pulling, just piecing.
“I think so.” She answered, half away with her thoughts and theories.
“Great, now that we might have figured that out and you’re still stood on two feet – what do we do about the dangerous lizard living underneath the school?” James spoke, facing paling slightly as he looked down at his feet as though the basilisk was going to burst out at that very moment.
“It’s been there for centuries, and however Harry got in seems like we don’t have to worry until the future, so for the moment we leave it alone and say nothing.” Hermione spoke as they stood outside the entrance to the Great Hall, their friends sat together and eating, barely noticing the two siblings.
“Not comforting in the slightest.” James mumbled as she huffed in agreement, before walking into the Hall and hopefully leaving it behind them for the moment.
…
Saturday the 15th of October 1977
If Hermione’s book was interesting then she had no idea. It was big and bulky, nothing unusual for her, and it hid her face from being seen by the people she was watching in an expression that could only be called disgust.
James and Lily, walking by the lake on the unusually warm down, the kind that came in autumn and made you believe that the winter wouldn’t be as cold as the year before, only to slap you in the face with frost on the ground or freezing winds.
Anyway, it wasn’t like they were doing anything out of the ordinary, but their hands were clasped together tightly, and their eyes were dazed to match their dopey grins, and worst of all they had left her here, just gotten up and taken a walk without even a look back or even asking if she wanted to join them. She would have said no but the thought should have been there.
Plus it didn’t help that on her other side there were Remus and Edith, talking, her friend half bent over with his hands in his pockets and a sheepish expression on his face as Edith grinned up at him. But of course, they were just friends – just friends who also seemed to forget she had been sat there for the past fifteen minutes.
“Penny for your thoughts?” Hermione jumped slightly as Sirius appeared, laying back against her legs as he grinned up at her.
Marlene had followed him too, sliding into the seat beside Hermione with an apple in her head and a knowing grin on her face. How rare it was to be graced with her presence, they had barely seen each other since the blond’s eighteenth, which Hermione understood but she wasn’t happy about.
She wasn’t happy about a lot of things, like the lack of research she had been doing, and the dream of giant yellow eyes plaguing her at night.
Discovering the Chamber hadn’t led to much, because there wasn’t much she could do in that regard, and the amount of books she had found about placing memories in objects were far and few between, even in the restricted section. So she was stuck until some memory came knocking about again or until she had some sort of epiphany.
“Erm...excuse me?” Sirius spoke, poking her cheek as she moved her head to glare down at him, lowering her book to her lap.
“What?” She asked as Marlene snickered beside her as Sirius all but pouted.
“I was talking to you.”
“I know.” She answered as she looked back to Edith and Remus, the werewolves cheeks a bright pink and Edith’s smile softer. How they stood there talking for that long and about whatever was besides her. And it wasn’t like she hated Edith or anything, the girl was smart and Hermione had a feeling there was more to her story than she knew. “What do you think they’re talking about?”
Sirius groaned, laying his head back so it rested on her thighs and Marlene laughed slightly. “I’m sure he’ll tell us when he’s ready.”
“As long as he isn’t giving away Gryffindor’s strategy then I don’t care.” Sirius commented, silver eyes all but rolling into the back of his head. “So what’s up with you?” There was no doubt who he was talking to in the slightest but Hermione blinked down at him like she didn’t know.
“Me?” The look he gave her almost made her laugh, stern and knowing. “Nothing.” She answered as he let out a sigh.
“Because sitting out here by yourself and people watching is what you normally do.” He spoke dryly as she fought the urge to blush as his hand rested on her leg, stroking patterns on the cool skin.
“I wasn’t alone, just everyone left to flirt or whatever, and I was enjoying the last of the sun we’ll probably get.” Hermione spoke as she looked back down to her book, turning the page and looking over the words that made little to no sense when he raised his hand slightly higher.
“Well I’m here now so we can flirt or whatever.” Sirius smirked at her, tugging on her skirt slightly which had risen higher than it should have.
“Did you forget I am also here?” Marlene asked from beside them with an annoyed smile.
“No, I was just hoping you’d take the hint and piss off.”
“Rude, just for that I’m going to stay and annoy you all day.”
“Suddenly I feel sorry that my brother has to deal with you.”
“He’s deals with me just fine.”
“I don’t need to know all the dirty details.” Sirius scoffed, waving his free hand in the air but there was a glint in his eye, one that came from riling up their friends and arguing with anyone it seemed.
“And I don’t need you to see you trying to get your hand under Hermione’s skirt – I mean, Merlin’s left ball, this is a public space, Sirius!” She shouted, icy eyes glinting as the few people near them turned to look and his hand pulled back slightly. “I mean I get it, Hermione’s got some fun lady bits, but there is a time and a place.”
Sirius gave a grin and kept his hand on her lower thigh, not embarrassed in the slightest even as Hermione blushed and tried her best not to look around at all the prying eyes.
“Like the seventh floor broom closet?” Sirius spoke with a grin as Marlene’s eyes grew wide and her hand reached out to shove Hermione slightly.
“You told him?” Before she could respond, Marlene was snarling again, looking back at Sirius. “At least it’s better than having to fiddle under the covers next to the bed her brother sleeps in!” Hermione cringed but Sirius, once again, didn’t seem to care.
“Oh...you mean the one you fucked said brother in?” And that wasn’t the reminder she needed and clearly something Marlene didn’t want to think about as she turned red and opened her mouth to speak.
“Can both of you just shut up and just let me read in peace.” Hermione snapped, head turning back and forth to send them both a glare before she let out a sigh and looked down at her book.
They both shut their mouths and for a moment she thought she might have won, that they would take her seriously and left her do what she wanted to do without them jumping down the others throat, and she almost relished in the silence, her boyfriend still resting on her, hand on her thigh and her best friend sat beside her.
Calm and peaceful until Sirius opened his mouth to speak again. “What’re you reading?”
“You’re so annoying.” Marlene muttered beside her, it seemed all it took was one of them breaking for another argument to break out.
“Excuse me for taking an interest in my girlfriends extra studies – though you don’t have to answer if you don’t want to, love.” Sirius spoke as Marlene gagged, sitting up against her instead and tilting his head to try and see the title of the book.
Hermione blushed slightly, though she doubted anyone even knew why. The pet name had seemed to fall from his lips so easily and naturally. “Actually you might be able to help - are the Black’s connected to Slytherin in anyway?” She spoke slightly shaky as Marlene gave her a knowing look.
“Other than their obsession with the house and kicking those out who aren’t – I don’t think so.” Sirius spoke, shrugging his shoulders and tilting his head to the side like a handsome confused puppy. “Why?”
“I’m curious.” Hermione spoke, teeth biting into her lip. “I trying to see if any of the founders have any descendants left – I mean wouldn’t that be exciting, to be descended from some of the greatest Wizards or Witches in history.” And she wasn’t lying, she wasn’t really lying, there was some truth mixed in there, but Sirius was looking at her like he knew.
She didn’t want to go through it again, the arguments and the accusations, she would tell him one day but not yet – she wasn’t ready yet, and Sirius, the man incapable of letting anything go seemed to realise that as he let an amused expression play across his face.
“And so you went for Slytherin?” He asked as she shrugged his shoulders and Marlene snorted beside her slightly.
“Well the Black’s are hardly going to be related to Hufflepuff’s are they.” Hermione spoke, rolling her eyes and letting an easy smile play across her lips as Sirius snorted in agreement.
“No, that would be the Smith’s.” He spoke after a second as Hermione frowned at him, trying to recall all the Pureblood lessons she had done before being adopted, that her grandmother had put her through.
She could almost see the names of the Sacred Twenty-Eight before her, and then a few other families that were respectable enough though not as grand – ironically the Potter’s were one of them, but in no way could she remember ever seeing the name Smith up there.
Unless having the same name as a bunch of Muggles’ was enough to have you excluded.
“Who are the Smith’s?”
“Apparently the heir’s of Hufflepuff, or that’s what they used to tell everyone – and sometimes still do.” Sirius answered with a shrug. “They said they even used to have a possession of hers, or some distant aunt or cousin did but she was dead long before I was born, it was some cup that got stolen or something – though no one believed them.”
He spoke so casually, as though it was a throw away comment that didn’t mean anything. And she couldn’t blame him for thinking that, because why would some family claiming to be Hufflepuff’s descendant with some cup mean anything to him in the slightest when he didn’t know what Hermione knew or had seen.
Her whole body felt alive, jumping up and down in excitement at the thought, even as she tried to remain a nonchalant as possible.
“Interesting.” Marlene spoke dryly as she rolled her eyes slightly and stretched out her limbs before curling her lip in disgust slightly. “James is coming back.” She added as Sirius sat up and stretched out his own limbs before turning to place a kiss at the corner of her mouth.
“I should have done that when I first sat down.” His eyes crinkled slightly as he smiled at her, kind and warm, the sun hitting those silver orbs and making them shine even brighter as she smiled at him before frowning as he stood up.
“Wait – where are you going?” It sounded slightly whiny and she knew that, but Sirius grinned as James appeared at the edge of their little group, grimacing slightly.
“Quidditch practice.” Sirius spoke with a fond smile as he leaned down slightly to give her a kiss on the head. “As much as I’d love to stay here and chill with you, your brother -”
“Needs to make sure we win our last Qudditch cup, not watch you two snog.” James finished for him with a quick glare before his eyes darted around nervously before he coughed slightly and leaned down to place a kiss on Lily’s cheek, his cheeks a rosy red as he pulled away. “See you later.” He spoke before turning on his heel, Sirius and Marlene following behind him.
“Aw Prongsie…” Sirius’ voice drifted away as the three walked, leaving Lily blushing and Hermione staring after them with a confused frown.
“What are you -” Hermione blinked and turned back to Lily, her past conversation coming to light as she stood up and grabbed the girls hand.
Lily didn’t even blink, allowing Hermione to drag her towards where Remus and Edith were still talking, closer than they had been before and only looking at each other. Honestly, it made Hermione slightly relieved in a way that made her feel guilty.
She wasn’t blind to how Remus might have felt, and it had been brought up once or twice, and he was handsome and kind, but he was nothing more than a friend and one kiss that had been shared on the train all those years ago. To see him talking to someone else, even after everything else that had happened the past few months, almost made her want to grin.
Which she would do later with Lily, when she wasn’t focused on one thing.
“Sorry Edith, we need to just borrow him for a bit.” Hermione spoke as she let go of Lily to grab the man and pull him towards her, smiling as the blond raised an eyebrow and something flashed in those stormy eyes. “I promise, he’s all yours once we are done.”
“No problem, I was going to go freak out James by watching their practice anyway.” She spoke with a devilish grin that had Remus turning a shade of red that Hermione hadn’t thought was possible and had Lily pursing her lips in amusement.
“I don’t -”
“Really sorry.” Hermione spoke before Remus could continue, swinging him around by the back of his jumper and then pushing him towards the castle as Lily laughed and Hermione tried not grin at the shocked expression on his face.
“Stop manhandling me!” He exclaimed as she moved to push him forward again, only for him to step out of the way. “What! What is so important that you had to drag me away from a conversation?” He snapped, but there was no heat in it.
“Relax, I’ll let you go back to your ‘friend’ soon – I just need your help with something, couple of hours tops.” Hermione spoke as she raised her hands, her friends glaring at her slightly.
…
“You know when you asked for help, I didn’t think it would mean you becoming a kleptomaniac.” Lily hissed from where she walked before her, voice low and strides long. She looked over her shoulder once, emerald eyes missing Hermione’s head by a good few centimetres.
Hermione couldn’t blame her, hidden under James’ invisibility cloak, it would be hard to see exactly where she was, and despite her friend not actually meeting her eye, Lily’s look was stern enough that Hermione could still feel the disappointment.
Still, she couldn’t stop the laugh that left her mouth as she followed behind her friend, just close enough to whisper and not be heard. “I haven’t stolen anything...yet.” She chuckled once more as Lily sent her a glare. “And I might not, I just need to see if he has anything that can help.” She explained softly as she moved to the girls side, reaching to tap her side so Lily knew.
“The library -”
“Is something I have been checking for the better part of the past few weeks, and no part of it, not even the restricted section has any information regarding memories and objects, or any other dark things that Tom might have done.” Hermione hissed into her ear as Lily pursed her lips, mouth kept shut as they passed some students and stopped before the Gargoyle statue.
“What makes you think that Dumbledore will even have anything that you are looking for?” Lily asked lowly,
“Not sure – how about we call it a gut feeling and leave it at that?” Hermione joked slightly, mouth raising in a smile that Lily couldn’t see but most certainly knew as she turned to glare at Hermione.
“If this ends up triggering something, and you end up passed out then just knew that there will be nothing that I can do.” Lily spoke, turning around before Hermione could open her mouth and whispering the password to the gargoyle, before she turned to whisper to Hermione. “I’m giving you ten minutes to get in and out – any longer and you’re on your own.”
“I’ll try to be quick then.” Hermione muttered, more to herself, as she stepped onto the steps, moving as fast as she could and slowly pushing the door open.
The office was empty, just like they knew it would be when they threw this quick plan together – or when Hermione decided this is what she would be doing and that her friends would have to help, the only exceptions being the portraits that snored softly, bored in their frames and fawkes preening himself on his little perch.
It almost as though he can see her, big eyes looking her way for a few seconds, before he goes back to his feathers, ignoring her. Hermione breaths a sigh of relief as she scans the shelves, books upon books on different subjects, some familiar and some unknown.
Her eyes moved to a certain one, high up, small and old, half concealed by the other taller books around it, but there was something about it that spoke to her.
It was almost like she had seen it before, even more so as it slipped from the shelf and into her hand. There was a nagging in her brain, one she didn’t want to push on just yet, that made her feel as though her answers lied inside.
“Is that you Granddaughter?” Hermione cursed under her breath, pulling her arm back from where it had slipped out of the cloak to catch the book before she turned to look at the portrait. “Don’t worry about them, you are hardly the first student to sneak in here.” Phineas spoke as he gestured to the other portraits, uninterested and bored it seemed.
Perhaps he had a point, she doubted any of them cared enough to tell on her, especially since she wasn’t actually doing anything. Even Fawkes seemed bored of the whole thing, eyes closed as he slept on his perch.
And that was the only reason she moved, pulling the cloak off her head to reveal her face in no doubt a comical image as Phineas’ lips twitched slightly even as Hermione frowned at him. “What do you want?”
“What an interesting artefact you have, it almost seems genuine.” Phineas spoke, raising his brow as Hermione rolled her eyes, mouth opening, but he spoke again. “What is it that you are looking for that you would have to sneak into here to steal it?” He asked.
Hermione narrowed her eyes. “None of your business.”
“I can help.” He spoke, and for a second she could see Regulus in his appearance, almost pleading eyes, half hidden behind the sternness and stubbornness of his sharp features.
It didn’t make sense to her why he would even care, why he wanted to speak to her when not a year ago he was telling her what a shame she was. Maybe he was having a change of heart, or he knew more than he let on – or perhaps he was willing to exchange information with those that resided in his family house, spending his days collecting and moving between portraits.
It was why she bared her lips as she spoke. “I don’t want your help.” She didn’t, she really didn’t but Phineas’ lips pursed and she turned to leave, and suddenly there was something else on her mind that had her turning back around to face him. “The Smith’s are descended from the Hufflepuff’s.”
“So they used to claim.”
“Ravenclaw’s line supposedly died, Gryffindor’s is a secret – and Slytherin?” She asked, as Phineas raised a brow once more.
“Are you asking me about his descendants?” He asked right back, though the amusement was gone and instead there was a wariness there. Hermione didn’t care to look into that as she nodded her head and clicked her tongue, looking back over her shoulder quickly. “There were rumours throughout the years, though even the purest families are hard to track from a thousand years ago...many claimed they had Salazar’s blood, and none more than the Gaunts – I trust you have heard of them or what they were before they turned into cousin marrying filth?” He asked, looking down his nose at her.
Hermione fought to remind him that most Pureblooded families were ‘cousin’ marrying, even Sirius’ own parents were related – Merlin, Hermione was related to Si – no she did not want to go down that road. There was at least some different blood between them, and a different last name. But the matter of the fact was that most, if not all, Purebloods were related to one another in some way, shape or form.
Clearly, it was only good when you churned out people worth while and money, and not whatever the Gaunts were that had Phineas looking like he did.
“I don’t care about that.” Hermione spoke dryly, waving her hand though he couldn’t see it. “Did the Gaunts have any artefact that belonged to Slytherin?” She asked warily as he frowned down at her.
“Artefact?”
“Like Ravenclaw’s Diadem, or the sword of Gryffindor…”
“How very clear that you make it that you are not Slytherin.” Phineas scoffed, though he almost looked proud. “He had a locket, not very well known, and I saw the Gaunts enough to know they too ‘possessed’ his locket, a gaudy thing with an ‘S’ on the front, they were partial to gaudiness though.” He grimaced slightly, shaking his head and adjusting his rich robes.
“And you saw it?” Hermione asked as he looked down at her like she was a simple child.
“They showed it to everyone, along with their ability to use parseltongue – well not all of them, there was a boy while I taught here, I believe you would have liked him, his name was Om -”
“What happened to it – the locket?” Hermione spoke, cutting him off. She didn’t care about old students long gone or related to Voldemort and his mother, because unless they were here and could tell her anything, they held no importance.
And personally, she could not imagine liking someone related to the mass murderer and her Pureblood, Slytherin loving ancestor who viewed everyone as less.
“I imagine someone took it when the family became extinct.” Phineas spoke, once again rolling his eyes. Hermione opened her mouth to speak only to stop at the sound of distant voices. “You should put that back on – I imagine the Headmaster won’t be too happy to find you here.” He spoke lower as he nodded to her.
“Won’t you tell him anyway?” Hermione snapped as she pulled the cloak over her head and covered herself from view.
“I am many things, but I do not tattle.” Phineas spoke with a small smile, though his eyes were looking to the door as she slowly stepped backwards. “Whatever it is you have taken, I hope it helps in whatever is to come and whatever you have to do.”
He didn’t mean it. He couldn’t mean it, but he looked so sincere that it was hard to think he meant anything else. Surely he wasn’t rooting for his Gryffindor, Muggle loving, Potter descendant to win whatever it was he thought she was doing.
But she couldn’t stop herself from speaking, muttering almost under her breath. “Thank you.”
“And granddaughter, watch yourself, there are people who are after you, and people who are waiting for the right moment to strike – and people who want nothing more than to keep you for themselves.” Hermione stared for a second as he whispered the last words, his eyes darting to the door where voices and footsteps could be heard. “Go on now, before I change my mind.”
Hermione nodded her head, throwing the cloak over her and the book as she sneaked towards the door, jumping away as it opened slowly and Dumbledore strode in, Lily following behind him, emerald eyes looking everywhere for a sign of her.
“So Miss Evans…” Dumbledore began as Hermione moved past her friend, gently tapping her side as she slipped through the door, smiling as Lily let it shut behind her with what sounded like a sigh of relief.
Their muffled voices continued behind her as she crept down the stairs and into the hallway, a large grin on her face that no one passing would have been able to see, and when she all but skipped back to her dorm, bumping into Snape along the way and laughing under her breath when he looked around in confusion, she couldn’t help but feel as though she had accomplished something.
…
As much as Hermione lov- liked Sirius, his bed just wasn’t the place to read – a barely made bed and a mess of clothes at the end just didn’t make for a comfy atmosphere, and was even hard to ignore from where she laid on James’ bed, book open before her, detailing some rather awful things that just didn’t seem to fit the bill.
A smile curved on her lips as she turned the page, the door slamming open as Lily stormed in and glared at her, barely even paying attention to where Remus jumped on his bed, his ink almost spilling over his essay and a piece of chocolate half way to his mouth.
“How was your chat with Dumbledore?” Hermione asked easily as she turned another page, trying not laugh as the girl stormed forward to sit on Remus’ trunk, leaning over to grab a piece of his chocolate and ignoring the cry from behind her.
“Great – I might have convinced him to do some kind of Yule Ball if enough people stay for Christmas.” Lily snapped before shoving the chocolate into her mouth.
“Why?” Hermione asked with a small laugh as she looked back to her book.
“Well considering we won’t be going to the Potter Manor this year, and it’s Christmas – and oh yes, I was put on the spot, it was the best I could come up with.” Lily cried, throwing her hands in the air before leaning backwards onto the bed as Remus hastily pulled his essay away from her head.
“You guys could still…”
“Shut up Remus, we promised we would be here, and it’s our last Christmas here, might as well see what Hogwarts has to offer.” Lily snapped, sitting up once again to glare at Hermione. “Now did you get it?”
“Get what?”
“Hermione…”
“Yes, I got it, it’s what I was reading so peacefully before you came storming in.” Hermione spoke, rolling her eyes as she frowned at the next page, skimming through the words and hoping that her brain would latch onto something that would make sense or that would be the answer.
“And what were you doing?” Lily asked, turning back to Remus who was capping his ink and placing his essay to his bedside table.
“Why am I being dragged into this?” He asked with a frown. “I was just doing my homework when -”
“You didn’t think to tell her off for not only stealing a book, but stealing from the Headmaster?” Lily hissed as Remus raised his eyebrows.
“What makes you think Hermione would listen to me – and didn’t you help her?” He asked as Hermione let a smile play at her lips, Remus wouldn’t have been able to stop her if he tried. “And don’t you start smirking, it is a bit dodgy, and that’s compared to all the other dodgy things you do.” He added as Hermione scoffed.
“I don’t do dodgy things.” Or she didn’t think she did. “Also, I think this book might be the answer to our big problems – or that’s what it feels like.” She muttered as she turned to the next page – though small, it gave a list of a lot of things that she would rather not be reading about.
“What? Are you a seer now?”
“No, I just happen to have parts of the future in my head and a need to follow my instinct.” Hermione spoke, frowning at Lily.
“Is that the same instinct that tells you to rob an old man instead of going to watch your brother play Quidditch?” Remus spoke with an amused grin, ignoring the glare sent his way.
“I wasn’t invited to do that.”
“I will say the idea of you getting upset that you weren’t invited to play Quidditch and socialise is quite funny.”
“Yes it’s hilarious – I’m pissing myself with laughter.” Hermione snapped, both her friends chuckling to themselves slightly like the nuisances they were. How funny that she hadn’t been invited to join the jocks as they practised for their next big match. “Did you know Sirius knows about the cup?” She asked instead, taking joy at the seriousness of their expression.
“The cup? The one you saw in your dream?” Lily asked as Hermione nodded. “How?” There were more questions there, and almost relief – like she had thought Hermione had spilled her secret.
Guilt wound it’s way through her body as she shifted slightly and looked back down to her book, ignoring the sighs she heard. “Pureblood rumours, apparently it belonged to some Smith.”
“That’s great, not like it’s the most popular name in all of England.” Remus muttered as Hermione looked back up once again.
There was no anger in his gaze, perhaps a slight understanding in why she hadn’t spilt her guts to her boyfriend, to the man she felt strongly about. A secret this big had repercussions and consequences, and Remus was a little more familiar with what big secrets could do and the stress it put on a person – but he had told them in the end.
Or they had figured it out and thrown it in his face. Sometimes she hoped Sirius would do the same with her, or that someone else would spill, but this wasn’t as easy – and perhaps there was the feeling for Lily and Remus that they enjoyed being in on something that the others (except James) weren’t.
“And he said the Smith’s said it was stolen or something – and apparently they were related to Hufflepuff herself and were quite braggy about it.” Hermione explained softly before speaking once more. “And that the Gaunts might have had the locket – or that’s what Phineas said.” She winced slightly, the rest of what he had said on the tip of her tongue but she swallowed it back.
“Your great something grandfather?” Remus asked as she nodded, before he gave her an amused smile. “I thought we were supposed to be discreet about this information.”
“I am being discreet – anyway no one is sure what happened to it once the Gaunt’s died.”
“Oh this is great, some stolen cup and another lost artefact that belonged to Tom’s family, how in Merlin’s name are we supposed to find them?” Lily cried as she stood up, pacing the floor before them and adding to the slight scuffs that were already there.
“Exactly where my dreams told me they would be.” Hermione answered as though it was obvious, and maybe it was to her since both her friends looked at her with matching frowns of confusion. “I’m guessing Tom was the one who stole them – or found them, however you want to call it.”
“So where…”
Hermione frowned, thinking back on her memories as she kept her finger on her page. There had been so much going on, and so many little details that had flown over her head as she went through everything, and she hadn’t been taking it all in, not really.
Harry and possibly snake weren’t worries for the moment, the ring had burnt off her whole hand and possibly Dumbledore’s, and might be in the Gaunt Shack at this very moment, which was something she regretted not getting during the summer. The diadem was in some secret room in Hogwarts, maybe – or that’s what their theory was.
The locket in some kind of cave that might end up with Regulus if she wasn’t careful. The diary was destroyed in the fucking Chamber of Secrets, and before that she had no fucking clue – and the locket, was in Gringotts...in...
“The fucking Lestranges!” Hermione shouted as stood up from the bed, barely glancing down at the book as it bounced on the bed, open on some random page that she didn’t care to look at.
“Please do not tell me they are involved.” Remus sighed, rubbing his hand over his face as Hermione seethed in her spot.
“Think about it, if Voldemort has something important that he wants to hide then who is better to protect it for him other than his right fucking hand and crazed minion, Bellatrix – who happened to marry into some rich family where a single golden cup is not going to stand out in their overpacked vault?” Hermione asked with a scoff, running a hand through her tangled curls only to pull back with a grimace.
“So they are involved.” Remus slumped back against his bed, Hermione would have had sympathy for the whole situation considering their little run in with Bella before school, but it shouldn’t come as any surprise that Bella and the Lestranges were involved.
“He’s collecting objects for whatever reason; Ravenclaw’s diadem, Hufflepuff’s possible cup and Slytherin’s possible locket.” Lily spoke softly. “They’re all objects from the founders...and the only one that is missing is Gryffindor.” Hermione sighed as she sat back on James’ bed, pulling the book back onto her lap.
“And the ring and diary?” Remus spoke with a raised eyebrow.
“Personal, possible family heirlooms.” Hermione answered him before Lily could. “I think the ring has a curse on it, in my dream when it was on my hand, my whole arm looked as though it had been burnt…” Her arm now was pale and thin, covered by the sleeve of her familiar turtleneck, now sign of burning in the slightest.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if the rest of them had curses on or something, I mean a sixteen year old Tom memory from some diary doesn’t seem like a sweet and simple spell.” Lily spoke, rolling her eyes slightly as she reached behind her to grab some more of Remus’ chocolate. “What does your stolen book say?“
“I wouldn’t have had to steal it if it was in the library where it should have been.” Hermione muttered, a slight pout on her face as Lily grinned at her and Remus chuckled from behind her.
“Ah, excuses for your crimes.” Remus joked, laying on his side and letting his legs hang off the edge of his bed as he shoved what must be half a chocolate bar in his mouth. Petty and childish, but must have given him enough joy as Lily sent him a glare. “Your father is an Auror, you know.” He added around a mouth of chocolate.
“I doubt he would care.” Hermione spoke, rolling her eyes. Fleamont wasn’t Dumbledore’s biggest fan at the moment, and he would tell her off with a smile and let her do what she needed to do. “Why are you in such a good mood anyway?” She asked, looking up at Remus as his cheeks scrunched up slightly, eyes twinkling.
“Would you prefer that I copy Sirius and pout at you as you read, poke at you like James and Marlene – or should I lean into the werewolf stereotype and brood for the rest of my life?” He asked, adding a pout and tensing his arm in what was probably supposed to show off his muscle, but he was still lanky and had yet to fill out.
But when he did, the world better be ready, because teenage Remus with two hairs on his chin and a skinny body would probably be nothing compared to what he could be like in a couple of years. And Hermione couldn’t wait to see whatever confused expressions and unsure he would have the moment girls started following after him.
“I don’t think you could pull either of those off.” She added, before looking down at her book.
“You know if you are going to keep insulting me -”
“I’m not trying to do that, I’m just – shit.” She muttered as her finger moved across the words, a strange thumping in her chest and a tingling in her brain.
She almost felt sick as she read the words, wondering why she hadn’t seen it before, barely even acknowledging the friends that flew to her side, pressed so close they might have looked like some strange three headed creature as they all read over the words.
“What’s a Horcrux?” Lily’s whispered beside her, breath tickling her face as she pulled away to sit properly, and Hermione was thankful for the space as she stood back up.
“Probably one of the most foul and evil things a person can create.”
“Right…”
“It’s a damaged and ripped piece of soul that is place into an object or a thing, a surefire way to make sure that if someone damages your body or ‘kills’ you, then you aren’t truly dead – and the only way to do it is by committing the most wicked and sinful act that a human can do.” Hermione explained lowly as she paced along the floor, eyes focused on the book that Remus had now picked up and was reading over.
“Like killing someone.” Lily muttered, bottom lip quivering slightly as she looked between them both.
Remus looked a little green. “Murder is the first step it seems, and then there is something else – another step that the book calls grotesque and heinous, a crime against nature and all of mankind.” He read slowly before looking up at Hermione who was fighting the urge to vomit or scratch the itch inside her head. “You know what it is.”
“Yes...no...I’m not sure, I have an idea but it doesn’t even matter.” Hermione spoke as she moved forward to pull the book from his hand, throwing it across the room. “Voldemort has Horcruxes, five of them at this time, that’s why...that’s what these objects are and why they have to be destroyed.” It wasn’t some big declaration, but instead it almost felt heavy.
If Hermione who had her memories knew this, Merlin, if she had known this years ago – then why hadn’t they been destroyed then? Why hadn’t Dumbledore done anything? There were too many questions, and what ifs, to even think of them all.
She was seventeen and in her last year of school, with friends, her brother and even a boyfriend, and now she had to try and figure out how to kill the most evil man in Wizarding history and destroy his little dark soul objects in order to save everyone, because no one else had figured it out and no one else was going to be able to…
“Regulus.” Hermione whispered before she could stop herself.
“What about him?”
“He knows – or he will.” Hermione whispered, rubbing the side of her head. “To the Dark Lord, I know I will be dead long before you read this but I want you to know that it was I who discovered your secret. I have stolen the real Horcrux, and intend to destroy it as soon as I can. I face death in the hope that when you meet your match you will be mortal once more. R.A.B."
Lily and Remus stared at her, for longer than they probably should have as she shifted on her feet, before Remus snorted slightly. “Your memory is insane – I mean you can’t even remember half of your other life, but you can remember a letter that doesn’t even exist yet from your boyfriend’s brother/best friend’s boyfriend.”
Hermione glared at her friend, before turning away and deciding to ignore him. This wasn’t a laughing matter, this was panic inducing and something she had know and dreaded for a while. “I need to find a way to save him from whatever is going to happen – get the Horcrux before he can or figure out what is going to…”
“You need to calm down for the moment.” Lily spoke softly, standing up from her spot and placing her hands on Hermione’s shoulders. “Nothing has happened yet and we won’t let anything happen to Regulus, so we can’t freak out about it, not when our main focus needs to be destroying these things.” She added, a colder expression on her face as she stepped away.
“But Regulus is -”
“Only going to get involved if we don’t destroy them first right?” Remus spoke, standing up also, taller and kinder with his face than Lily. “If there is nothing for him to go looking for then he can’t go looking, can he?”
“I suppose not.”
“Good – so then how do we destroy them?” Lily spoke, and Hermione winced, but she could understand. Lily and Regulus weren’t exactly friends, not that Hermione thought they hated each other, but perhaps they were too different, and Lily was too nervous around people who used to hate her and Regulus was still a bit too caught up in certain traditions.
Not the hateful ones, but still in the ones that believed Purebloods were slightly better than Halfbloods and Muggleborns, not the point of killing, of course, but still the point still stood.
“Fiendfyre, basilisk venom – something potent enough to completely destroy the object so it doesn’t have the ability to ‘heal’ itself.” Remus spoke as he picked up the book and read from the page, grimacing slightly as he looked back at the girls.
“Of course.” Hermione muttered under her breath. “Of course!”
“Mind cluing us into whatever moment you are having right now?”
“We figured it out the other day, James and I, that the Chamber of Secrets exists and that inside that there is a basilisk inside it – it’s the reason Moaning Myrtle died, it’s why Harry stabbed the diary with a fang – though why he was down there is another thing I need to figure out.” Hermione spoke, running her hands through her hair and sighing.
“What – the – the Chamber of Secrets – that exists?” Remus spoke, eyes wide and face pale. Hermione cringed, ready to open her mouth and apologise for not having a little more tact when Remus spoke again, resigned but still pale. “We’ll figure it out.”
“Hopefully before Voldemort catches on and decides to rip his soul apart even more using us.” Lily mumbled under her breath, sitting back down on Remus’ bed.
“A bit dark Lil’.”
“But no unexpected from someone whose name literally mean flight of death.” She replied as Remus frowned and Hermione felt the corners of her mouth turn up as Lily looked to her, raising her eyebrows. “That’s what it means doesn’t it?”
“I suppose so – if you break down his name – how did you even figure that out?” Hermione asked, amused and waiting as she crossed her arms over her chest and watched as Lily’s cheeks turned slightly pink. “Please don’t tell me you tried to learn French to impress a boy.” And by boy she meant James, which in itself was not something she wanted to really think about.
Nor did she want to remind Lily that James had grown up occasionally hearing Hermione speak French, had been forced to learn some by their governess in order to keep that side of Hermione’s life alive. They may not speak it together any more, but it was still engrained in their family.
Lily scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest. “No, I learnt some in primary school.”
“Somehow I doubt they were teaching you ‘Flight of Death.” Remus spoke, teasing with a large smile as he sent a wink to Hermione before adding. “But then again what do I know?”
Lily frowned, cheeks still pink as she glared at the both of them. “Is that really what’s important right now or should we perhaps be figuring out how to use fiendfyre so we don’t have to wake some giant Pureblood pet?” She hissed the words, sounding much like a snake herself.
"One of the Black ancestors thought it would be a good idea to casts fiendfyre, ended up killing himself and a whole village before someone managed to stop it – not sure I want to try with that.” Hermione muttered more to herself than the other two, wincing slightly as she recalled the tales Dorea had told her about some idiot Black.
Or perhaps he had just been as hateful as the rest of his family and had wanted nothing more than to burn the whole village of Muggleborns or Muggles and used fiendfyre as an excuse. She would never know nor did she want to.
"So instead we figure out how to kill a giant snake and how to get to said giant snake?" Remus asked with a raised eyebrow as Hermione shrugged her shoulders. "Well at least our last year won't be boring."
"No, just dangerous."
“Excuse me, we are not going on the hunt for a basilisk.” Lily exclaimed as she stood up once again, hands moving to her hips. “Need I remind you both that this thing was brought about by the Muggle hating Slytherin -”
“No, you -”
“And that looking a basilisk in the eyes means instant death, so how would you even manage to kill something you can’t even look at?” Lily continued, cutting off Hermione.
“Harry did it.” Hermione spoke with a slight pout. Granted, she didn’t exactly know how Harry, as a child, had managed to take down a basilisk without dying or looking at it’s eyes – but if some twelve year old child could figure it out then she was sure she could.
“Sometimes I’m not entirely convinced that your future friend wasn’t an idiot or just lucky.” Lily snapped and Hermione couldn’t stop the smirk. Lily wouldn’t be saying such things if she knew exactly who Harry was. “So if either of you -”
“Merlin, mum, we get it.”
“You know what, Remus John Lupin, I have half the mind to bring your mother into this – and yours too Hermione – so that the both of you will stop joking about such stupid and deathly ideas.” Lily snarled, looking between them again. Remus shrunk back into himself, looking much like a scolded child while Hermione rolled her eyes.
“I wasn’t joking.” And Lily could tell Euphemia for all she cared, as much as she loved her mother, there wasn’t going to be much the woman could do unless she wanted to lock Hermione away for eternity – and in that sense then Lily would signing her own imprisonment at the Potter manor, along with Remus and James.
“We will find another way, another thing capable of killing horcruxes and if it doesn’t work then we will revisit fiendfyre and a way to keep it contained, our last scenario will be the basilisk.” Lily spoke, hands back on her hips as she raised an eyebrow. “Do you understand?”
“I was just -”
“I said, do you understand?” She snapped as Hermione all but glared at her.
“Yes.”
“Good, now for the minute lets try and focus on each object and their possible locations and how to get to them with some safe and foolproof plans.” Gone was the coldness and stern expression as she sat back on Remus’ trunk with an easy smile despite the tension she had thrown into the room.
“You know, I’m not sure when we put you and James In charge.” Hermione muttered. She wasn’t here to follow the orders of people who didn’t understand the exact position they were in, but she could agree that having another method of destroying these objects would be helpful.
“Since the pair of you started being idiots.” Lily answered easily, pointing at the both of them before she smirked. “Honestly, you’re lucky your my friend otherwise I would have thrown you from the window with the amount of shit you have.”
“Lucky me.”