Two weeks later, Harry came through the fat lady late again. Ron and Hermione had come back to the dorm hours ago but Harry felt like they were failing and didn't want to call it a night yet.
As he climbed the stairs to the dormitory that he had lived in for the past six years, he worried about their slow progress. After the potion that Hermione found he hoped that they would find another lead so that they could leave and go test the potion. So far, Harry and Ron had no luck on items that the other founders possessed.
Harry pushed open the door to the dorm and noticed that Hermione's bed was empty. He looked at Ron's to see that his friends were lying in the same bed. He was thankful that they were both on top of the covers and asleep but this was a new development. Harry sat on his bed and looked over at his two friends.
He was glad that they appeared to have told each other what he has known for a while. Being the confidant for both of them, he knew how they felt but also knew that it was not his responsibility to tell the other what one told him.
Looking at them, he couldn't help but think of Ginny. He had really messed up with her. If he could ever find her when this was over he would spend the rest of his life trying to make it up to her. As he began to get ready for bed he thought of the brief time they had together last year. He was stupid then too, he waited so long to do something about his feelings for her that they ended up not having a lot of time together. But the time they shared was wonderful.
"Harry? What time is it?"
"It's late Ron go back to sleep," Harry told his friend.
"Are you okay, mate?"
"Ron, please stop asking me that you know the answer," Harry said as he climbed into his bed. "Besides, you look to be doing pretty well."
Ron had the grace to blush at his best friends comment.
"Yeah, sorry, we didn't mean to fall asleep."
"It's okay Ron, I'll see you in the morning," Harry said as he rolled away from his friends and tried to get some sleep.
A week later, Professor McGonagall found the three friends huddled around a table in the library.
"Good afternoon," she said. The three looked up at her as she approached them.
"Afternoon Professor," Hermione said.
"Any luck," Professor McGonagall asked.
Hermione looked over at Harry. She was disgruntled with him because he would not go and speak with Professor Dumbledore's portrait about the potion. Harry knew how upset Hermione was with him so he decided to see if they could come to an impasse.
"Professor, I was wondering if Hermione could go speak with Professor Dumbledore," Harry looked back at Hermione with a smirk.
"Sure Harry," Professor McGonagall said before she turned to Hermione to continue. "You can go on up to my office if you like, the password is phoenix. He was awake when I left."
"Thank you Professor," Hermione said as she looked over at Harry and conveyed her thanks to him as well before leaving the library. Harry was satisfied, that would get the answer to her question and get her out of his hair.
"So Mr. Potter, is there anything else I can do to help you?"
"I don't know Professor, we have looked in almost every book that is in here on the founders and we are having no luck."
"Harry!" Ron was shocked that Harry had just revealed what they were looking for. Harry blushed and looked down at the book he had been searching.
"The founders," Professor McGonagall wonder what they could be looking for that was so important. "Well I don't know what you are looking for but," she said as she began to walk toward Madame Pince's office. "There is a book on the founders that we keep behind the desk here. It is not usually loaned out because it is more of rumor based information on the founders." She stepped behind the desk and searched the books on the shelves. Harry and Ron had followed her and were standing in front of the desk. "Ah, here it is, Tales from the founders we. There is obviously no proof but it is believed that the founders themselves wrote this."
Harry took the book from Professor McGonagall and set it on the desk between them.
"Thanks Professor, we promise to put it away when we are finished with it."
"Alright Mr. Potter, I understand." Professor McGonagall started to leave them before turning back with a second thought. "I was asked to let you know that Remus is going to stop by tonight, he would like to see you Harry."
"Thanks Professor, will you let him know where we are?"
"Certainly Mr. Potter," she said. "Good luck," she turned and left them.
"Come on Ron," Harry said as he grabbed the book and made his way back to the table they had been at. "Let's see if this gets us anywhere."
Forty five minutes later Hermione walked into the library to find Harry and Ron laughing.
"Well," she said as she sat down at the table with them. "I hope the lack of work means that you have found what we are looking for?"
"Hermione," Ron said before leaning over and giving her a kiss on her cheek. "What did you find out?"
"Well, I actually have accomplished something." She was still frustrated with Harry and his unwillingness to speak with Dumbledore himself. "The Professor's Portrait said that there is no way to know for sure if the potion we found will be successful until we try it. Though he did say that the potion sounds promising. So," she said as she pushed her hair behind her ear. "I think that we should test it. We can get all of the ingredients in Diagon Alley and it doesn't take long to brew."
"You are probably right, we should test it." Harry agreed with her as he turned the book in front of him around. "Ron and I have found the first place we need to go look to find the cup." Hermione looked at him in shock, before looking down at the book.
"But how," she said. "We have been looking for over three weeks, how did you find it all of a sudden?"
"Professor McGonagall showed us a book about the founders that was hidden."
"Wow," Hermione said. "Three weeks and we get two answers in one day. Though," she said as she looked over at Harry. "We could have had one of these answers weeks ago but someone lost their courage to go and speak with a portrait. Well, now that we have two leads, are we going back to Grimmwald Place?"
"Yeah," Harry answered. "But McGonagall says that Remus is coming by so we should probably wait until he gets here."
"I could go pack for us," Hermione said. "That way we will be ready to leave when he gets here."
"Okay," Harry said. "Ron, want to play wizards chess?"
"Yeah," Ron said. "We will see you later Hermione." Ron went and got the school set that was on a window seat a little ways away. He missed the look that Hermione sent after him.
Ron and Harry played a game of wizarding chess before Hermione returned.
"So Harry," she started as Harry and Ron began there second game. "What do you think we will find at the Hufflepuff castle?"
"At this point," he said. "I have no idea, we could find anything. I think I am more worried about actually finding the castle, any clue where it is?"
"Well, yes actually. Hogwarts: A History says that all four of the founders had castles near here. I don't know exactly where but if we could some how get access to the records in the Ministry then I am sure that we could pin point the exact location."
"Great," Ron said as he looked up from the chess board. "Now if we could just find a way into the Ministry without anyone knowing why."
"Evening," Remus said as he came around a bookcase and found the trio. "How's the search been going?"
"Not well," Hermione said. "Until today," she smiled up at him. "We have something to destroy them and a lead on where to find number four, which would leave us with three more."
"Let's not count it too soon Hermione," Harry said. "How have you been Remus?"
"Pretty good, but I have been worried about you three. I haven't heard from you lot in over three weeks."
"Sorry," Ron said. "Hermione gets a bit intense when she gets to look through books," he said teasing his girlfriend.
"Shut up Ron," she said with a smirk.
"Remus," Harry said. "We were actually going back to Sirus' if you would like to go with us."
"I would love to," he replied. "When were you going?"
"We were waiting on you," Harry told him.
"Then let's go," Remus said. "I can make dinner, while you tell me more about what you have found."
The four made their way to Professor McGonagall's office to use the floo.
"We can go to place I am staying at first and then we can make our way to your place. When you go through the floo, we are going to Queen's Manor," he told them.
The four said their goodbyes to Professor McGonagall before leaving for Queen's Manor.
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