Once the party some what died down some Rowena and Hermione found themselves in front of Lily's room "What's going on?"Rowena asked as James sat on the side of the door with a hand yanking his hair and his hazel eyes red "She didn't make it." Hermione whispered Rowena frowned and her shoulders slumped a little then she knelt by James and pulled him into a hug. The older boy wrapped his arms around her midsection and started to shake, Rowena ran a hand threw his hair with her green eyes darker then Severus's ebony eyes. That was how Remus and Sirius found both of their girlfriends, Rowena held James who was torn up over not being able to comfort Lily while Hermione was standing in front of the door willing Lily to open the door and yank her or even James in. "Kitten, Is everything okay?" Sirius asked looking down at Hermione who shook her head no "She didn't make it." again she replayed the same line to Sirius and Remus who touched both James and Rowena's shoulders "It will be fine." Remus whispered James shoulders shook harder and Rowena nodded "I know that Remus, How many more people are we going to loose because of this?"She asked.
She already knew how many and it killed her even more to know that if she failed that she wouldn't be just failing Harry. She was attached to James, Lily, Remus and Sirius all of them would end up with a tormenting fate. Lily and James dead for protecting their only son, Sirius imprisoned for a crime that Peter would commit and Remus would spend years not knowing what happen to Harry nor anyone else. Rowena's hand paused as her heart tightened in her chest and her eyes felt like pricks of needles going in and out of them. She rubbed her eyes a bit not wanting to cry, her job here wasn't to get emotional but to help them for the future. It still didn't stop that boil of rage towards Lucius who was down stairs dancing away the night with his elegant wife after just killing a innocent muggle and scaring a woman who will grown to turn that confusing and fear towards keeping her sister out. Remus kissed her forehead "I don't know love." He whispered Rowena stood pulling Remus towards James who tried to keep her there "I have to talk to someone." Rowena whispered to James "I'll be back." She looked over at Hermione who was taking comfort in Sirius's strong arms. Hermione felt her stomach curl as she saw that look in Rowena's eyes.
She knew things were about to get complicated after graduation which was only a couple of weeks ahead and they still have yet to hunt down the Diadem. Rowena nodded confirming Hermione's fear of Rowena doing something completely Gryffindor. "I must." She whispered before in a elegant wave of cloth she walked down the stairs and into the party that was in full swing, "M'lady you must dance with me." stated a man who made Rowena's arm hairs stand on end "Ah, Mister Lestrange is it?"She asked politely but Rabastan could feel the under tones of something that made his forearm burn. He regarded her with a careful look before speaking again "Yes, You are Miss Gaunt." Her mouth twitched in a way he was scarily familiar with, "I am afraid my shoes are hurting my feet and I must talk with the lady of the house." She said and the. turned her back on Rabastan and walked off. Rabastan couldn't be insulted for his hands shook, his brother swung his powerful arm around his brother "Feelin' a bit sick? You look white as Bella's dress.".
Rowena found Dorea talking to the Minister of Magic "Lady Potter can I have a word?" Rowena spoke up interrupting the Minister who sent her a scathing look but Rowena could care less. Dorea nodded "Forgive me but I must speak with Rowena" She said softly to the Minister before walking into the alcove that Rowena was waiting for her. "What is it?"Dorea asked Rowena looked around slightly before speaking "She didn't make it, Lily's upset and not letting anyone into the room." Rowena said then she added "This week could it be possible for me to see my brother with Hermione? I'm afraid that this might be the only peaceful Christmas that we will have." Dorea nodded "I'll talk to Albus." then with that Dorea walked towards the stair case. Rowena watched her leave and then took in the last sight of Lucius Malfoy before fallowing the elder witch.
"I can't believe that Dumbledore is actually allowing you two to do this." Sirius whined as Rowena packed her bag her hair was still pinned but she had stayed up all night with Remus under neath the stairs on the roof of the manor. "I have to see my brother." Rowena stated looking at the handsome man who looked like a petulant child. "I have presents for Regulus and Draco." Hermione said with a warning look for Sirius if he spoke ill about his brother. "Besides someone has to make sure James wont take a dive off anything." She stated looking towards James who looked to be in a fit walking back and forth in the mirrors that Sirius had. "He'll be in safe hands." Remus spoke up looking at Sirius who nodded his head "Still, please be careful." He added looking down at Rowena who smiled and her usual reptilian green eyes turned mossy "I will don't worry." She said kissing his cheek. "Aye, What about me?" Sirius asked urning a slap to the back of the head by Hermione "Kitten love, I meant you." He tried but his playful grey eyes just dug himself a hole that he could never climb out.
"Right and standing in front of Rowena?"He looked down at his bare feet then back at her "I got turned around?"He said meekly "Sirius Black." Hermione shook her head and continued to pack her bag knowing that this was probably going to be more then just a vist between old friends and siblings.
When they arrived and started down the path towards the Slytherin common room, a few first years who couldn't bare to part with the castle stared at them then started to whisper "I'll wait." Hermione told Rowena who paused and gave her a look "Why? Severus and Draco are the only Slytherins staying and the portraits are off doing lord knows what." She then whispered the password and a nervous Hermione walked into the common room and stared at it in awe. "Is that the squid?"Hermione asked amazed by the large squid swimming by. "Oh yah." Draco stated after getting up from a rather harsh session with Severus to hug Rowena and then he pulled Hermione into a hug "Are we okay?"Hermione asked meekly. Draco smirked "Granger, I don't like loosing you to Black but I'll live."he replied behind false arrogant behavior. Hermione knew this but kept her mouth shut about it. "So what are you really doing here?"Severus asked closing his copy of the potions textbook that had his own corrections made to it.
"Can't I see my brother?"Rowena asked Severus raised an eyebrow, She laughed "I want to take out the Diadem." She stated Draco paled "But thats..". "In the room of requirements." Hermione spoke "It will be different this time, no stupid idiots letting loose fynfire." Rowena stated eyeing Draco who looked down "He was just misguided." Draco muttered "What is this room." Severus asked eyeing the three feeling very out of sorts with the situation. "It is the Room of Requirements, It is a room that only someone who has use of it will see and be able to enter it." Hermione explained "It's not in Hogwarts a History." Severus got her a bored look "Very surprising." he commented she raised her chin and eyed him. Rowena touched her forehead and wondered briefly instead of how to get the Diadem but of how compatible Hermione and Severus was if they both didn't have years or in Severus case months of hate and a history of his rude comments. They could be a powerful couple which made Rowena's skin crawl and for her to banish that thought entirely, Hermione and Sirius was a perfect out of place match.
"When are we to do this sister?"Draco asked eyeing Rowena who smirked "Right now, Hermione and I only have two hours then back at the Potters." Rowena said softly as she looked over at Hermione who frowned "Do you think we need to talk to the Grey Lady?"Hermione asked "No, Harry told us all something that will get us in." Rowena stated then she turned to the door.
"There is no door." Severus snapped for the fourth time as they walked back and forth then suddenly the door materialized "Oh look there's a door." Hermione curled Severus shot her a look that made her get a Sirius look about her. "Stop it you two." Draco groaned looking at Rowena who frowned "Let them be Draco, Its a normal reaction." She said smirking at Severus shooting her a look and then pulling out his wand "Lets go then." With a snort they went in. Severus was expecting what they saw with the locket but it wasn't the same the room was stacked from floor to the high ceiling in old nick knacks "Looks like Filtch wasn't the only person to store things in here." Hermione said Rowena closed her eyes "Draco were was the diadem?" She asked Draco looked at his wand "I wouldn't know, I got tripped by Crabbe." He said the pointed "Over there." it was the back entrance.
"Then Hermione?" Hermione walked forward and then a hand shot out just as a unstable pile came crashing down. "Watch it." Severus remarked Hermione tightened her grip on his shirt before letting go "that didn't happen before." Hermione explained Rowena nodded then she moved the other way, they fallowed behind her silent and waiting on the crash or worse to happen. She heard ticking and closed her eyes "Finally." She said "One hour left." Draco warned as they moved to a table that held thick rope for tying back the heavy drapes. Rowena could feel the slick overwhelming slithering of her uncles magic, being blood related she could hear the Horcrux's a fact she didn't know until the Locket. Wand at the ready she lifted the box and sucked in a breath at the beautiful Diadem glowing. "It's so pretty." Hermione gasped as she leaned in "Hermione."Draco pulled her back "What?" Hermione snapped unlike herself. Rowena looked at Draco who shook his head "No." He said looking at Rowena who pulled out the fang out of her bag and handed it to Hermione "Here." She said.
Hermione frowned "Me?"She asked "But its a piece of history and..I can't" She said Rowena yanked Hermione's wand away from her hands and pressed the fang into her hands "You can."She said then looked at Severus who looked unease by Rowena. Rowena moved the boys back as Hermione stared at the Diadem "This is wrong." Severus remarked "Draco and I have faced our demons, Hermione has to face hers." Rowena said "Which would be?"Severus asked rather harshly "Easy, the thirst for knowledge.".
"Place me on your head Hermione and you will get all of my knowledge." Hermione turned her head to face the Diadem that had been whispering things to her since Rowena opened the box. "I can't." Hermione said more to the Diadem then Rowena "Hermione... Don't you want to know how to go home? You won't see your parents for twenty years." Hermione reached out and touched the diadem with her finger she didn't see the harm in just running her finger along the sliver. "Hermione." It was Draco's voice calling her, She couldn't care about him at the moment. Her whiskey colored eyes went dark and her mouth twisted up "Granger." Severus stated watching as she cocked her head to the side "Kill it." He ordered "Why would I do that, Severus?" Rowena for a moment thought she made the wrong choice in letting Hermione kill the Horcrux. "Are you happy?"Draco asked turning his grey accusing eyes to Rowena who frowned "I thought she was stronger then this." She replied "Hermione." Draco called.
"Hermione, you want this knowledge I can feel it." Thoughts and memories of the happier years with Harry and Ron flashed in front of her eyes. Then it flashed threw their fifth year when Mr. Weasley had gotten to spend Christmas with them. "Sirius." She muttered as she watched the older Sirius laugh and swing a meek Remus into a dance while singing 'God Rest Ye' Merry Hippogriffs' at the top of his lungs. "No..No no no no no no no!" Hermione shouted yanking her hand away just as her other arm slashed down and with the Basilisk Fang stabbed the Diadem that screamed at a high pitched wail before a man like figure tried to grab Hermione. "Protego!" Rowena shouted and a sliver shield shined as the man disappeared. "I hope your happy." Draco stated pulling Hermione away from Rowena and lifting her up, Rowena watched Draco walk with Hermione in his arms.
Instead of saying something Severus just gave Rowena a look before walking off fallowing Draco, Leaving Rowena to her thoughts.
The girls walked into the Potter manor with Mrs Potter meeting them at the door "I want for you two and the boys to gather Lily's things. She's staying here.". "Love are you okay?"Remus asked Rowena who looked pale and drawn "Yes I am fine." She replied as Hermione pulled Sirius into her "Kitten you act as if we are going to die! We only have to pick up Lily's knickers and things." Sirius joked. Rowena rolled her eyes and ignored the feeling that something was going to happen.
They walked into Lily's house "Her bedroom is over there." Rowena said as she holstered her wand and took a closer look around "Do you think we should put up wards?"Hermione asked Rowena shook her head "No, I doubt they will be around here. Petunia has already packed her belongings." Rowena said as she looked at the floor that held a ripped photo "Are they all ripped?" Sirius asked as he picked up a photo of Lily's face smiling but not moving "Yes, maybe she has a few that are magical. Petunia wouldn't touch those." Rowena said as Remus emerged from Lily's room with a bag "I grabbed as much as my bag would hold." Hermione said then she paused "Rowena?" She looked perplexed "What?"Rowena asked "The...". "Dark mark." Sirius finished for his girlfriend as they paused for only a moment before all hell broke loose.
A scream of dark joy filled the house and dark smoke filled the room "Shield yourselves!" Rowena shouted before throwing up a bright blue shield over her and Remus. "Why isn't it my cousin." Sirius remarked darkly as Bella stood with her light eyes crazed and her hand poised on her hip. The white dress from the nights party had been replaced by a signature black wardrobe "Traitor." She spat before raising her wand "Stupefy!" Hermione shouted throwing the spell over Sirius's shoulder, "Get to the Potters!" Hermione shouted pushing Sirius away as she blocked a red light "Go!" Rowena shouted yanking Remus out of the way before she fired her own spells at Nott that barreled threw the back door. "Expecto Patronum!" Hermione shouted "We need help! Death Eaters!" the otter shot off as Bellatrix hit her on the arm making Hermione scream "Poor wittle Mud-blood!" Bella crackled as she got hit by Rowena's spell. "Poor wittle bitch" Rowena spat as she blocked Bellatrix's husband, Bellatrix raised and screamed bloody murder.
"Hermione!" Hermione dove behind the couch as the couch exploded, Rowena's heart pounded in her ears as she backed up and flinched as she hit the wall. She was being cornered as Hermione was buried underneath a pile of rubble face down and not moving. "Pined are we?" Bellatrix hissed her eyes going dark as the white dust was coating her dark hair and robes "Go to hell." Rowena spat. "Gladly Crucio!" Bellatrix hissed as Rowena closed her eyes to prepare the attack of pain. Someone knocked her aside and she opened her eyes to see Remus on his knees mouth open in a silent scream. Her heart tore into a little pieces and the wolf inside of her howled with agony "No!" Rowena screamed as she fruitlessly tried to yank Bellatrix down. Suddenly a white light filled the room and then everything went dark...