Even through the thick walls surrounding the Room of Requirement, Jericho could still hear the peals of thunder from the violent storm that was battering the castle. Most of the other students would be in the common room at the moment, but he didn't see a point in exchanging meaningless banter with them on such a beautiful night.
It was only on nights such as this, when everyone was cuddled up inside all cozy, that he could roam around after curfew with the least suspicion. He was almost certain that if any of the professors or Hogwarts staff became aware of what he was doing, he would be expelled. Even though it was almost four years since Harry Potter, the Boy who Lived, defeated He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, there was a zero-tolerance policy for suspicious behavior.
And Jericho was very suspicious. He knew that what he was doing was not evil, or even remotely wrong. He wasn't going to hurt anyone, and he certainly didn't plan on dabbling into the Dark Arts. However, perception was everything. At best, he'd be laughed at. At worst, arrested.
The room was still scarred by the fiendfyre that had incinerated most of it's contents, complete with the lost Diadem of Rowena Ravenclaw, and had only just recently begun revealing itself to the Sixth Year.
Various apparatuses and devices were scattered about the room, but Jericho was most focused on the workbench before him. His wand, as well as several other tools and a half-eaten chocolate frog were strewn over it. In the center, clamped to the bench under a large magnifying lens, was a small metal fragment that shined faintly under the candlelight; parts of it charred and blackened.
Jericho had the better part of a year trying to acquire it.
A fragment of the ring of Marvolo Gaunt, one of the Horcruxes created by Lord Voldemort himself.
While the soul fragment within it had long been destroyed by the great wizard Albus Dumbledore, traces of the dark and evil magic remained, as well as the clues to how the unholy deed of splitting the soul was done.
Jericho shook his head, tapping the fragment with his wand lightly, a wave of nausea cutting through him. He couldn't imagine splitting one's own soul. And from what he had gathered, creating a horcrux required the murder of another human being.
No, Jericho Adams was no dark wizard in search of immortality. He did not seek to split his soul, and follow in the footsteps of who was perhaps the most evil wizard of all time. He did, however, seek to learn the secrets of the soul, and how it can be molded or moved.
His thoughts drifted to his brother, still unconscious as he had been for the past five years. Still comatose, still being treated at St. Mungo's. They would not be able to help him, however. Clenched his fist around his want, and smiled slightly.
He would unlock the secrets of soul transference, and set his brother free, without being corrupted by the terrible power of the Dark Magic he would undoubtedly be exposed to.
Suddenly, the door opened, and Jericho turned, his wand behind his back, blocking the ring fragment from view.
"I figured I'd find you in here. Once again, you neglected to tell the room to keep out other people. I swear, it's like you're asking to get caught."
Jericho couldn't help but grin at the blonde girl standing before him. Judging by her attire consisting of a black hoodie emblazoned with the Ravenclaw crest, and baggy pants, he could tell she had recently awoken.
"You should know, Athena, that I have in fact instructed the room to only a select handful of people into it. I guess you're here to drag me back to the dormitory?"
She nodded, sighing overdramatically. "William and Autumn want to discuss this weekend's plans, and for some reason they want your input. Also, you need some proper food and rest."
Jericho stepped forward hurriedly, as she turned to lead them out of the room. "I was just going to spend the night in there. If we get caught, it's on your head."
They both laughed and heard the door quietly disappear behind them, as they made their way silently back to the Ravenclaw common room.