A/N Hey people! It's time for chapter 11! So I have the usual good news and bad news.
The good news is, congratulations! If you reviewed, you get a pensieve!
If you didn't review, your room will get trashed by a psycho wearing Neville's grandma's hat.
Okay then, onto chapter 11!
There was silence.
"No…it can't be" Ron stammered. "Just-just check your trunk!"
"I did."
"W-well, check it again!"
"I did, Ron." Harry sighed. "It's gone. Someone's taken it."
"Harry…you don't think…that, Neville did it, do you?"
Harry didn't answer.
"Come on Harry, it had to be a Gryffindor, how would anyone else get into out common room?"
"You sure you saw Neville come in here?"
"Yeah."
"Then, for all we know…he could have."
Hermione was in the common room that morning. She was arranging her homework and sorting it into piles. She picked up the charms book again, eager to see what was written inside to her question. Sure enough, when she flipped to the page with the doodle of the duck, she found a reply: I'm your secret admirer.
Surprised, Hermione replied back: Who are you, really? Nobody in their right mind would secretly admire me.
It was true. Hermione found it hard to believe that people liked her. She just didn't see what they saw in her. Sure, her hair wasn't as bushy, her teeth the normal size, but she just didn't see what anyone saw in her.
Ron chose that moment to walk in. Hermione quickly slammed the book shut. She didn't think it would go down too well if Ron found out that she had a secret admirer. She had no idea how this admirer was replying, but she didn't think Ron would like the idea.
Ron sat down next to Hermione with his arm around her waist.
"Sorting more homework?" he asked, smiling.
Hermione nodded, a faint blush appearing on her cheeks.
"We've got Umbridge again today" muttered Ron, sighing. "Neville wasn't wrong, she HAS changed. But she became even worse."
"Can't argue with that" muttered Hermione. Harry entered the room.
"Are you guys snogging?" they heard him ask warily.
Hermione laughed. "No Harry, come in." They made room for him on the couch. "So you have no idea who stole your elder wand?"
"Not a clue." Muttered Harry, annoyed. "And the sad thing is,I think it might have been Neville!"
Just at that moment, Neville entered the common room, rubbing the side of his head and wincing. They all jumped.
"Hey guys" muttered Neville, who seemed a little dizzy.
"Neville, are you okay?" Hermione asked. "Do you need to sit down?"
"No, it's fine…" muttered Neville. "I can…I have to get…yeah…" He left through the portrait hole.
"Wow, someone's been drinking a lot of firewhiskey."
"Enough Ron" muttered Hermione. "So Harry, I want to see the box Dumbledore gave you for the mission."
Harry opened the wooden box he'd been carrying and looked at the contents for the first time. It was the strangest assortment of things. There were three vials with polyjuice potion in them labeled "Narcissa Malfoy", "Draco Malfoy" and "Gregory Goyle." There was also a map of Malfoy Manor. On it, the dungeons were marked with a red X. There was also a sneakascope.
The trio stared at the contents for quite some time, completely puzzled about what Dumbledore would want them to do with them.
"But why on Earth would we need…OH" cried Hermione, comprehension dawning on her face.
"You know what to do?" asked Harry, eagerly.
"It's obvious!" Hermione announced. "We are going to use the polyjuice potion to transform into Narcissa, Draco, and…Goyle!"
Ron opened his mouth, but Hermione cut him off. "Then", she continued, "we will go to the dungeons in Malfoy Manor and place the sneakascope there!"
"Why would we do that?" asked Harry, bemused.
"Obviously Dumbledore thinks the Lucious is hiding something down there that's not trustworthy!"
"Why Lucious?" asked Ron. "I mean, he IS a creepy bloke, but why not his wife?"
"Because" explained Hermione, inpatiently. "He wouldn't have us transforming into just Narcissa and Draco if Lucious was completely innocent!"
"It's brilliant" announced Harry. "We'll go this weekend."
Unlike previous years at Hogwarts, this year, students could leave Hogwarts on weekends, so that would be the perfect time to do it.
"Harry, coming to breakfast?" asked Hermione.
"You two go without me, I'll be there in a minute."
Ron and Hermione walked off, hand in hand.
Harry quickly stowed the box safely under his bed. But suddenly, he remembered when Nev…someone came into his dorm room last night, they had checked under the bed, and he didn't want anyone seeing this. He shoved it under a loose floorboard that he discovered, and left through the portrait hole, eager to go the Dumbledore and tell him he knew what to do fot the mission.
But when Harry reached Dumbledore's office, it was empty. Dumbledore was probably already in the Great Hall. Harry looked around, entering Dumbledore's office.
"Professor? Professor Dumbledore?"
No answer.
Harry sighed in defeat. But suddenly, almost against his will, he looked over, and saw one of Dumbledore's desk drawers open. He slowly walked over to it, planning on just closing it, but he spotted what the contents were, and knew he couldn't just close the drawer.
Inside the drawer, there were dozens of tiny, crystal containers that Dumbledore usually kept memories for the pensieve inside. But these memories were labeled "Lily and James Potter."
Suddenly, Harry heard someone come in. He looked around, to see Dumbledore.
"Professor" Harry said. "I-I shouldn't have been looking…"
"I am not mad, Harry. Curiosity is only natural. Now Harry, I sensed that there was something you wished to tell me."
"Yes" announced Harry. "Well…we, me and Hermione and Ron figured out what to do to get into Malfoy Manor."
"Very good" announced Dumbledore nodding.
"Professor?"
"Yes, Harry?"
"What exactly are…"
"…Am I expecting to find in the cellar of Malfoy Manor?" Dumbledore finished for him. Harry nodded. Dumbledore sighed.
"That Harry I can not tell you, for I do not know if it is there or not."
"And if this thing is there?"
"Then, Harry, we will be in danger."
Harry nodded, wondering what could be in the cellar of Malfoy Manor that would be so dangerous. Dumbledore led Harry out, but as Dumbledore started to walk away, Harry noticed something. Dumbledore kept his door open. Harry slowly looked around. Nobody was nearby. He quickly opened the door to Dumbledore's office.
The drawer was still open. Harry took a deep breath, and made a decision. He quickly looked around, to be positive no one was coming. Then, scooped up the crystal memory flasks, and stuffed them into his bag.
"You…stole..from…DUMBLEDORE?" Hermione whisper-shouted. "Harry, I could report this!"
"Don't" muttered Harry, scooting away from Hermione in his usual seat at the Gryffindor table. "It's just…they were my parents, Hermione. I never knew them. And…I mean, Dumbledore gave me a pensieve, so I could watch my parent's memories…"
Hermione gave Harry a very dirty look, and scooted nearer to Ron, who leaned down, and kissed her on the cheek, making her blush.
Ginny, who had been listening said "I think Harry's right, Hermione."
"Huh?"
"Come on, Mione. Dumbledore left his door open and didn't bother to close the drawer with the memories in it." Ginny announced.
"So?" asked Hermione, bristling.
"Dumbledore was asking for it. He gave Harry a pensieve" announced Ginny.
Hermione rolled her eyes, but dropped the subject. Harry smiled at Ginny from across the table. She grinned back.
Harry cleared his throught, and muttered "Me and Ron have to go to Flitwick early."
"See you in charms" Hermione muttered to Ron, kissing him. Ron, looking a little dazed, got up and followed Harry out.
"See you Harr bear" Ginny called, knowing this would embaress Harry. Half the Great Hall heard and laughed. Harry, turning beet red, quickly left the Hall, blushing.
Ginny grinned at Hermione.
"Ginny, you're going to kill the poor boy" Hermione announced.
"Please, he can handle it" announced Ginny. "So how are things going with you and Ronniekins?"
Hermione went red. "Uh…fine, fine!"
"Details please" Ginny announced.
"Fine…there's been a lot of talking…and…"
"AND?" Ginny prompted.
"A lot of snogging" muttered Hermione, with hesitation. "But believe me, it's much better than with Cormac…" She shuddered.
Ginny laughed, amused. "I can't believe Ronniekins finally got a girlfriend!" she cried. "And besides, Cormac's desperate. Always saying hi to you in the halls hoping you'll notice him."
They ate in silence, for a few moments.
"Hey" muttered Ginny, lowering her voice. "Is it just me or is Draco Malfoy looking at you funny?"
"Why would he be?" asked Hermione, taking a sip of pumpkin juice, matter-of-factly.
"No, I'm serious, look" muttered Ginny.
Hermione looked around. Draco was looking at her with his eyes widened but as soon as she looked at him, he quickly started eating toast.
"It almost looked like…he was looking at my bag" announced Hermione suspiciously. She looked at her bag. "Is it broken or something?"
Ginny snorted. "Seems like he was looking at you Mione."
Hermione rolled her eyes. "As if. I'm mudblood, remember?" She started to eat her toast.
"I know right?" laughed Ginny. "Roflshtmsfoaidmt!"
"…huh?" asked Hermione. "What does that stand for?"
"Rolling on floor laughitng so hard that my sombrero fell off and I dropped my taco." Ginny announced, completely seriously.
"Right…"