Once again they landed in not the most elegant of fashions, and Harry's generally messy hair now had an embellishment of rose petals in it. Hermione stepped out from their bush and then leapt back behind, her face fixed into a scowl 'Ministry officials, everywhere!' Harry didn't look surprised however, and reached into the inside pocket of his cloak, pulling out his fathers invisibility clock, saying 'I had a feeling we wouldn't be alone. Come on, the sooner we get out of here the better.'

They crept towards the back entrance of the manor, avoiding the witches and wizards circling the grounds. As they reached the door Harry stretched out his hand to open it but pulled it back fast. His hand had been burnt, and the doorknob was steadily turning green, and as they watched the dark mark appeared on it. Seeing the snake Harry instinctively hissed the parseltongue for open, and the knob regained its former colour and silently opened; they hurriedly entered.

As they stood in the cold, dark cloak room Harry whipped of the cloak and looked around. There was a door just to the side which presumably led to the main part of the house, and countless boxes and shelves. He and Hermione started to make there way across to the door when there was a movement behind them, and then a snide voice echoed around the walls, 'Mr Potter! How much I hoped I would be meeting you again. Indeed it seems that you require yet more lessons on not to lie doesn't it. Is that why you came?' Hermione reacted faster than Harry and moved to one side, dropping to her knee and screamed, 'STUPEFY!' Then even before the toad-like features of Umbridge had mixed with the hard concrete floor Hermione had covered her with sheets and boxes from around the room. Smiling a little she led the way forward into the house.

As they walked deeper into the heart of the previously respected building it grew darker and colder. Finally they reached what appeared to be the centre, were there was a staircase going down, and one going up. Hermione sat down on the bottom step and regained her breath. After a while she said slowly 'how did she get in? You needed parseltongue to get in, how did she?'

'She must be one,' came the instant reply. 'She's evil enough to be a descendant of Slytherin.' The conversation was left there, though Hermione still looked deep in thought. 'Let's check the display cabinets first,' said Harry, 'and if we can't find it we'll search the bedroom. I'm sure they have some sort of hiding place in there.'

With this they climbed to the next floor of the house and searched round. However it became evidently clear that this was Draco's floor. It reminded Harry of his Aunts and Uncles house back at Privet Drive, and how they worshipped 'ickle Dudders.'

The next floor up seemed more likely a place, countless pictures and painting adorned the walls, and around the rooms were countless tables and shelves of expensive looking artefacts. 'So err Hermione,' stammered Harry, 'any idea what it looks like?'

'Honestly Harry, one of these days you'll read Hogwarts a History. It clearly states in a history of founders, that it is a small golden cup with two finely fashioned handles, with an engraving of a badger on it.'

'You know what Hermione? I'm just glad you've read it, now come on, lets get searching!'

They spent the next hour searching through the display cases and shelves, with Harry picking up almost every small cup and showing it to Hermione, and Hermione rejecting every one of the cups that Harry selected. Finally in the dingiest of all the cases, and the smallest, was a cup that finally met Hermione's approval. 'That's it!' yelled Hermione suddenly. Running over Harry peered down at the one she was pointing at saying, 'are you sure?' and after her quick nod he punched through the glass and picked up the cup.

The door just to their side flew open and bursting threw it came Narcissa Malfoy looking frightening in a robe so ripped and dirty that it was hard to make out the original colour. 'Potter' she yelled, and then in the same breath she screamed 'CRUCIO!' Harry yelled out in absolute pain, and for the third time he was writhing around the floor because of Voldemort and his Death Eaters. Hermione had instantly turned and raised her wand, pointing it at Narcissa's head 'AVADA KADAVRA.' There was a flash of green light, and Harry stopped writhing around in pain; at the same moment Narcissa's body fell next to him.

They stayed still and silent for what seemed like hours. Then they both simultaneously began crying. For Harry it had just kicked in that everyone he had ever thought of as a fatherly figure (other than Mr Weasley) had been killed: his father, Sirius, and now Hagrid. Hagrid; killed trying to save Ron. Killed, like the others, fighting against the Death Eaters. Not Ron, no more deaths, he Harry would end it. He Harry would be the one to finish Voldemort forever. 'Hermione,' he said in his most reassuring voice 'thank you,' she said, and suddenly everything was fine. She had just witnessed one of her best friends being tortured by someone who was in allegiance with those who had taken Ron. She had suddenly felt rage like none other, and with Harry's screams in her ears she hadn't thought and had just used an unforgivable curse. She Hermione had broken the law. She Hermione had killed somebody!

Suddenly there were deafening thuds from the stairway to their left, with voices accompanying them moments later, 'did you see the flash!' 'Yeh! Did you see Umbridge? Stunned!'

Hermione instantly grabbed a cup from the nearest shelf and performed the portus spell on it. Just as their feet left the ground they saw the face of Rufus Scrimgeour staring at them with absolute rage, 'Potter!'