Hermione looked down at the fake horocrux. She laid it out on the table Harry had asked her to keep it safe in case they ever needed it so she was keeping it in her bag. It was a simple silver oval locket. She popped it open and read the note inside for, what had to be, the millionth time. Whoever it was had to have fallen out of terms with Voldemort, Not just anyone could know where it, how to get to it, how to replace it, or what it even was to begin with. 'Well RAB whoever you are, You-know-who must have really pissed you off' Hermione thought and put the locket back into the bag. She returned to the piles upon piles of books before her. A thousand years' worth of students. Hermione just hoped R.A.B. had went to Hogwarts because she seriously doubted she could get school rosters from Durmstrang or Beauxbatons very easily, or at all for that matter.
Hermione looked behind her as she heard the door open. Harry poked his head in and smiled at her.
"How's it coming?" He asked.
"Slowly but surely," Hermione said. Harry came in and looked at the book she was currently copying from.
"Wouldn't be easier to just look through the Slytherin records?" Harry asked.
"R.A.B. may not be in Slytherin," Hermione said. Harry raised an eyebrow.
"He's got to be a death eater, therefore a Slytherin," Harry said. Hermione was about to say something but was cut off.
"There's not a witch or wizard who went bad that wasn't in Slytherin," Harry recited Rons words from the day they were sorted.
"But not all Slytherins have gone bad and there have been numerous cases where the other houses, even Gryfindors, became Deatheaters." Hermione answered.
"Name one death eater that became a Death Eater!" Harry replied as he leaned against the desk and crossed his arms over his chest.
"Peter Pettigrew!" Hermione said without missing a beat
"Shite!" Harry laughed at himself and hung his head. Hermione on shook her head with a smile.
"I'll see you at Dinner," Harry replied and lifted himself off the desk.
"See you," Hermione said as Harry walked to the door to leave her to her research.
Hermione completed her list, marking every student with the initials of R.A.B over the last fifty years. She met the boys for dinner and laid the list before them. As they were engrossed with the list Harry nudged the Halfblood Prince copy of Advanced Potions towards Hermione.
"I take it you want me to hang on to that too?" Hermione asked.
"Aye, maybe you will find something in it I didn't" Harry answered and glance back down at the list.
"Why have you got Black on here?" Harry asked. Hermione looked up.
"Regulus Arcturus Black, R.A.B.," Hermione answered.
"Well they must be related to Sirius and Sirius wasn't evil," Harry said.
"No, but didn't you say Sirius showed you his family tree before he died. The Blacks disowned him for being good. Can't believe you forgot about Mrs. Blacks painting already," Hermione answered. Harry kicked himself for not remembering.
"Talking to Sirius just seems so long ago," Harry trailed off and set the list down.
"Let me know if you can narrow it down," Harry said. Hermione glared at him and took the list back. She put it in her bag and finished her meal.
Hermione hiked up to Minerva's office. She heard through a house elf that Minvera wanted to speak with her. Hermione just hoped it wasn't a reminder about the test she was supposed to take the next day. Since Friday she had been studying near nonstop. Harry and Ron tried to get her to research for them and were absolutely no help. She had to lie and say she was so they would leave her the hell alone.
Hermione got to the office, said the password, and waited for the Gargoyle to move to the side. Hermione got on the stairs and went up. She raised an eyebrow when she found the room to be empty. Hermione walked in and looked around.
"Miss Granger!" Hermione turned around and saw a portrait of Dumbledore.
"Professor," She greeted.
"That's an unusual necklace, may I see it closer?" He asked. Hermione looked down and almost gasped at the sight of the charm Snape had left around her neck. During her studying she had completely forgotten about it. She gathered the charm in her hand and looked at it for a moment before walking over to Dumbledore's portrait. Once she was about a foot away he spoke again.
"Hermione, my dear. I called you up here. I understand you saw Severus. That you talked, the necklace proves it. Hermione I know what has been said of him but you must trust my judgment when I ask you to say yes to him. He has a way of bringing me back, finding all the horocruxes, and leading Harry to Voldemort," Albus said to her. She looked at him as though he was crazy.
"Professor you can't be serious!" She argued, fiddling with the charm.
"Hermione, please! Do it for me if you can't find another reason," Albus said. Hermione looked to the door, around the room, analyzing what she was hearing.
"How are you in league with him?" Hermione asked, lowering her voice.
"He has a small canvas with him that I can travel to and talk to him. When a person dies and they have a portrait their soul goes into the portrait, so you can trust I truly am asking you to do this," Albus said.
"I've read about such theories but what would I help him with?" Hermione asked after a moment of silence.
"Feeding information to the Order, this way when you are asked to research something you can use your time to do something more productive because you will have each other to find the answers. Severus will explain everything when you see him." Albus quickly said. Hermione looked to the locket.
"I don't think I could share information with him like that," Hermione said.
"Hermione, the man killed me and I still support him. Does that not tell you anything?" He asked. Hermione looked up to him.
"Why did he kill you?" Hermione asked.
"He was bound by two unbreakable vows, he had no choice. Have you learned of unbreakable vows?" Albus asked. Hermione nodded.
"If you don't perform the task, your magic will make you, and then kill you," Hermione said. Albus nodded.
"Please Hermione," Albus pleaded again. Hermione was silent for a minute and nodded.
"Alright," She said with a shaky breathe and looked down at the charm in the palm of her hand.
"Thank You, go beyond the gates and activate the port key. Keep your bag with you at all times," Albus said. Hermione nodded and headed for the door.
"Hermione! A few things you need to take with you, on the book shelf, the Human Alchemy book, the black bound book next to it, and my wand in the case." Albus told her. Hermione went to the bookshelf and found the books. She slipped them into her bag and looked to the wand that was in a glass case above the fireplace.
"Professor McGonagal will know it's missing," Hermione said, pausing in front of the hearth.
"Break the glass, I will tell her we were all asleep when someone came in and took it. If everything works out it won't matter," Albus said. Hermione nodded and pulled the glass case off the shelf and it shattered on the ground. She grabbed the wand, pulled the box to her own wand out of her bag, placed Albus' wand inside, and returned it to her bag.
"Hermione you must go as fast as you can, run if need be. I will be in contact." Albus said. Hermione nodded and ran out the door. She ran through the castle without stopping. She nearly knocked over Filch who stood there cussing at her as she fled.
"Sorry!" Hermione shouted but kept going.
Once outside the gates she pressed down on the top of the locket and was pulled away. When the spinning stopped she found herself in small town. It was nearing the end of sunset. Everyone seemed to be going in for the night and no one seemed to notice her sudden appearance. She was standing on a sidewalk in front of a bakery that looked as though it was run out of someone's home. An elderly gentlemen was in there hanging up pretzels to cool.
"Evenin' Miss, care for a pretzel, fresh from the oven," He called over to her. Hermione walked over to him.
"Sir how long have you lived in this town?" Hermione asked. He smiled at her.
"Me whole life, are ye looking for someone?" He asked. Hermione nodded.
"Yes, Snape, do any live around here?" Hermione asked. The man thought for a minute.
"Ah, yes, only saw the bloke once though," The old man answered her.
"Did he kind of remind you of a vampire?" Hermione asked. The man laughed.
"Oh that he did, If you follow this road you're on, keep going straight, the pavement will end and it will turn to dirt. Just follow it and you'll find his house outside town. I don't want to frighten ye, but I think he may be dead. No one has kept up that house and there is never smoke in the chimney." He said. Hermione shrugged.
"If he's not there, I'll just stay the night there and head home in the morning. Thank You for your help," Hermione said and turned away.
"Oh wait missy, here yah go," He said putting two fresh pretzels in a bag.
"I don't have any money with me," Hermione said.
"That's alright, it's nearin' supper time and you've got yourself a long walk ahead of ye, You'll need it," He said. Hermione smiled and accepted.
"Thank You so much," She said. The man smiled, lifted his hat to her, and continued working. Hermione put the pretzels in her bag and began the walk.
The sunset was gorgeous. When she cleared all the buildings Hermione got a clear view of it over the fields. When darkness finally settled in Hermoine turned to see how far from the town she was. Upon deciding the distance was sufficient , she took out her wand and lit it for the rest of her journey. 'He better be there' She thought.
Hermione could see the house in the moonlight just ahead. From what she could tell, no one was there and the house was seemingly long abandoned. She finally got to the door. The house was covered in Ivy and vines. She ripped a few of the vines down to get to the door, which was locked. She tried to use magic to unlock it but it wouldn't budge. Hermione couldn't tell if it had wards on it or the old thing was just too rusted to come loose.
Hermione cursed and looked into the windows. The house was filled with old dusty blanket covered furniture. Hermione looked around the front porch and saw a bench against the house. She chanced sitting on it and when it successfully supported her weight she relaxed against the house. Time passed and her stomach growled. The Old man was right, She needed those pretzels. She recovered them from her bag and enjoyed them for dinner. Hermione fell asleep on the porch, watching the town in the distance and listening to the grasshoppers sing.