AN: So, here is the next chapter. I hope you all enjoy this chapter, I enjoyed writing it. Seventh year being one of my favorite years. after this chapter the next may be sort of jumpy with scenes. only doing the most important to finish of year seven.

So that means we have three more chapters before the sequel which deals with the Lightning Thief and pretty much everything Camp related.

Melinda will finally get to camp and finally meet Percy face to face.

The Forgotten Daughter.

Chapter 25: The Years Before: Year Seven II.

"Molly does know we're not going back to Hogwarts," Melinda began as she sat down Indian style on the floor facing the bed which Ron and Hermione leaned against. "Right?"

"She knows," Hermione said, petting Sesha absentmindedly as the large snake slithered by her to curl up on Ron's bed behind them.

Ron nodded.

"But you know how my mum is, she won't accept we're gone until were gone," he said.

"How's Fred taking it?" Hermione asked and she sighed.

Melinda had told him over the summer the plan and he'd wanted to come as well. She had refused, she already had to deal with the fact Ron and Hermione wouldn't take no for an answer. She wasn't going to have to worry about Fred getting killed on their hunt for Horcruxes as well.

It had been a fight between them. If it hadn't been for George she didn't think she or Fred would have stopped yelling at one another. She knew no relationship was smooth sailing, she was bound to fight with the redhead every now and then, but that didn't mean she liked fighting with her boyfriend.

"We have bigger things to worry about," Melinda finally said. "Like the Horcruxes."

"Right, did Tom ever tell you what they were? Or maybe your grams?" Hermione asked, her face suddenly very serious.

Melinda looked up as she sighed and then shook her head.

"I wish, but of course that would be much to simple. Besides the locket...I don't know," Melinda said.

Ron frowned.

"What do we know? I mean what were the other Horcruxes? The ones we had so far, how many did he make?" he asked.

Hermione blinked at how wise and intelligent that sounded, and coming from Ron of all people. She smiled lightly, and looked away when his blue orbs found her brown ones.

"The Diary, it was his very first Horcrux. He told me that himself, it's why such a large part of his soul was inside. He didn't have the understanding of how much to break off," Melinda explained. "I don't know what he used next exactly, but Dumbledore found the ring, which he destroyed."

"The ring, which was a family heirloom wasn't it?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah," Melinda realized, her eyes bright with sudden realization. "The diary was important to him as well. It was his. He was always possessive of his stuff, because he never had much in the orphanage."

Ron shivered slightly.

"It's kind of creepy how you can talk as if you grew up with him," Ron said, earning glares from both girls.

"Sorry," he muttered, hands up in surrender.

"Anyways, the ring was his grandfathers. He hid it in the ruins of the Gaunt house, where Dumbledore found it."

Hermione hmm'd, and from the way her brow scrunched together you could practically see the gears in her head moving as she thought.

"So the ring was a family heirloom and hid in the Gaunt ruins. The diary was his from school, we can assume one of the first things he bought as a wizard, making it worthy enough. He hid that with his right hand, Lucius Malfoy," Hermione rationalized.

"The Locket was his families heirloom as well, worn by his mother before she sold It while pregnant with him," Melinda told them. "He hid that in the caves he'd visited as a child, where he hurt those two muggle bullies. Showing the first traces of the amount of control he had."

"So he's a sociopath who chooses the most worthy objects to make Horcruxes from?" Ron inquired, kind of confused.

"Of course, he always thought himself special. He couldn't use any old object," Melinda said. "Dumbledore thought the next Horcrux after the locket was Hufflepuff's Cup. He took it after killing the former owner, Hepzibah Smith."

"So we need to find the cup next," Hermione said, sighing. "The hard part is actually finding it."

"I think we're all missing something important here," Ron began, drawing their attention to him. "The ability to destroy them. Do any of us know how to destroy a Horcrux?"

Hermione pulled out the book loaned to her by Melinda, and another book Melinda was confused about until she saw the title and gasped.

"Oh my gods," Melinda breathed. "There is actually a copy of that still around?"

Melinda practically snatched the book from her friends hand and began flipping through it, much to Hermione's annoyance and Ron's weariness. He'd never been very fond of her study of the dark arts, but he understood it was just in Melinda's nature to be curious and want to learn all she could about magic. Even the darker aspects, it was in her blood.

"That book is the most vile thing I've ever read," Hermione said, looking sort of sick as she recalled some of the things she'd read in it. "The more I read the more I found it hard to believe anyone could make one much less seven."

"Voldemort wasn't exactly into morals," Melinda said.

Ron snorted and Hermione rolled her eyes.

"So this leads us back to how we destroy them," Ron pointed out once again.

"Right, well it's doesn't exactly say much on the subject," Hermione began.

Melinda looked over the passages in the book and cringed, closing it with a snap.

"Tell me about it," she said. "It's really a gruesome book. Interesting but gruesome, I don't think the Black library has anything on this book."

"Really?" Ron asked, raising an eyebrow.

It was no secret the Black family was one of the darkest surviving Pureblood families.

Melinda glared at her friend.

"Well, besides the family secrets but I can't honestly tell you those," she said, rolling her eyes at the stupidity of the question.

Ron was a Pureblood, he should know this.

Hermione gave each of them stern looks before she spoke.

"From all that I've read, what Mel did to the diary was one of the few really foolproof ways of destroying a Horcrux."

"A basilisk fang?" Melinda inquired, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, because we have a large stock of those laying around," Ron said sarcastically.

::Actually, hairless red monkey, you are wrong. Surprise, surprise,:: Sesha began, ending in a sarcastic tone

Raising up so Melinda could see her between Hermione and Ron the serpent continued.

::Setara will develop venom potent enough to drop a elephant in about three months. In two years she'll be nearly as potent as Set was before his death.::

Melinda blinked.

::Wait, you're telling me it took Setara nearly sixty years to hatch, yet she'll reach a potency of a thousand year old basilisk in two years?::

Sesha gave the snake version of a laugh.

::Foolish Mistress, basilisks are not like wine. They do not become more potent with age. They all have a certain potency and they normally reach it within their first three years.::

::Can she destroy the Horcruxes?:: Melinda asked, not caring that her friends were staring at her in confusion.

::No,:: Sesha said bluntly and Melinda's left eye began to twitch. ::But Set's corpse still resides in the chamber. The venom does not leave a dead basilisks fangs unless milked.::

Melinda smiled.

::Couldn't have said that before,:: she said, shaking her head.

"What was that about?" Ron asked.

"The basilisk fangs, there is two in the chamber from were I killed the basilisk in my second year," Melinda explained.

Hermione's eyes brightened up.

"That's brilliant!"

"Yeah," Ron agreed. "But what about getting the Horcruxes to Hogwarts. Death Eaters will be everywhere."

The two girls sighed.

"Are you always this depressing or is it a new development, mate?" Melinda asked.

Ron's ears turned red in embarrassment.

"Is there any other way?" Ron asked a moment later. "A spell maybe?"

"Not that it said. The Horcrux has to be damaged beyond magical repair. basilisk venom is one way, the other is..."

"Phoenix tears," Melinda realized.

Hermione nodded.

"There is one other way, but I don't see Voldemort ever agreeing to it," Hermione said.

"What?" Ron asked.

"Remorse," Hermione replied.

Melinda actually burst out laughing, clutching at her ribs when the laughter got the best of her.

"Lin, seriously," Hermione said, sighing. "How can you find this funny?"

Melinda sat up straight, regaining control of her laughter.

"I'm sorry but I just can't see Voldemort doing that."

"None of us can," Ron agreed.

"What next?" Hermione asked.

Melinda bit her lip and then sighed.

"We need to be ready for anything, figure out a plan. We have to know where we are going when we leave here after the wedding. I just hope it's worth the wait, because the longer we stay here the stronger he gets," Melinda said, looking gravely at her friends who mirrored her expression.

xXx

Melinda stared at the Daily Prophet in contempt.

Dumbledore's Dark Secrets Revealed, the front page read.

"Sick isn't it?" Fred asked, leaning against the wall.

He was trying to fix his tie and do up the rest of the buttons on his burgundy colored vest. Melinda smiled at the stumbling movements and placed the paper down and moved over to help him.

"I don't pretend to know the man, or have liked him," Melinda began softly, her fingers working to adjust the tie just right. "But even I don't think it's right how they've tried to paint him the villain so soon after his death. Or whatever they're doing."

Her hands now worked on buttoning up the vest, her eyes never leaving his chest. Her was at least a head taller then her, but they seemed to fit well enough. Fred's eyes never left his girlfriend face as she buttoned the last button, her green eyes shinning.

"Seems rather unplaced doesn't it?" he asked, pushing back some of her loose hair.

Fluer and Gabrielle had taken to straightening it for the wedding and braiding part of the sides and pulling them back with a small iris flower clip in a violet color. Her dress was just below her knees and a pretty blue which made the green of her eyes look more sea colored.

"Your beautiful," Fred said and Melinda smiled, licking her lips.

"I'd say the same but I've been told men don't like being called beautiful," she replied, smiling teasingly.

Fred chuckled, cupping her cheek.

"That's why I love you Lin-Lin," Fred said, leaning forward. "You know how to joke."

Melinda sighed in content as their lips met in a slow yet passion filled kiss. She moved closer, molding her body into his and wrapping her arms around his neck. They might have stayed like that longer if not for the cough behind them.

Breaking apart the two turned to find George. A cup of coffee or possible tea in one hand and his other on the counter he leaned upon. He had a smirk on his face and a white bandage around his head, covering his severed ear. She'd tried to heal it, but her pearl couldn't regrow limbs.

"You have the worst timing," Fred snapped, his eyes narrowed halfheartedly at his twin.

"Sorry to interrupt but the Minister Bones is here to see Melinda," George said after a second.

Melinda blinked in confusion but nodded.

"Alright," she said. "I'll see you at the wedding Fred."

Fred watched her go and then turned on his twin.

"Really, George?" Fred began, shaking his head. "How long were you standing there?"

George snickered.

"Long enough to know Melinda's a pretty good kisser from the looks of things," he replied.

Melinda sat down between Ron and Hermione as Amelia Bones sat in front of them. She looked a lot like Susan, only older and she had gray eyes.

"Minister, what are you doing here?" Melinda asked, the silence getting on her nerves.

"I think you know the answer to that Ms. Potter," Amelia replied and unrolled a leather fabric.

Inside were three items.

"Dumbledore left you three things in his will," Amelia said, a sad tone in her voice. "I've tried to get them released sooner but I've had some trouble as of late."

Hermione looked concerned of that.

"To Ronald Billius Weasley," Amelia began, picking up what appeared to be a lighter. "I leave my dilluminator, in hopes that the light will always be there to lead him home."

Ron looked shocked and hesitantly reached out for the device. He turned it over in his hands and then clicked it open. They were surprised when all the lights flowed into it and then when he opened it again the lights escaped and returned to their former spots.

"To Hermione Jean Granger, I leave my book, tales of beadle and bard," Amelia began picking up the small thick book. "In hopes these tales will be as inspiring to her as they were to me."

Hermione took the book, looking more confused then was normal for the girl.

"Finally, to Lady Melinda Pearl Potter-Black," Amelia began, and Melinda winced as the full name and title. "I leave the snitch from her first game in hopes it shall bring her more victories in the future."

Melinda found it odd Amelia held it out to her and was watching expectantly for her to take it. Like something was supposed to happen when she touched it. It was disappointing because nothing out of the ordinary happened.

"Is that all?" Hermione asked.

Amelia shook her head to clear it and nodded.

"There was one more item, left to Melinda but there were some...complications."

"What sort of complications?" Ron asked.

"Albus left Melinda the sword of Gryffindor," she answered. "The problem is the sword was not his to give. It is a historical artifact and as such belongs to..."

"Melinda," Hermione interrupted. "The sword came to her, it belongs to her now."

Melinda didn't bother to correct Hermione. Truthfully she had no claim to the sword, not even the fact it was created for Godric, most likely under Zeus' commands for his son, gave her any claim.

Her uncle had it forged but it had burnt her at the merest of touches. It had come to her aid, but at the price of enduring pain to use it.

"I might agree Ms. Granger," Amelia said with a sigh. "But it is out of my hands, as it is the sword is currently no where to be found."

Melinda's head snapped up in shock.

"What?"

Amelia blinked, as if she expected them to know this.

"The sword, it's missing."

"How?" Hermione asked.

"We don't know," Amelia said. "I don't know what Albus has you three doing, but you can't fight this war alone Ms. Potter."

Melinda sighed, wishing that was the case but in the end it was her or Voldemort. Neither could live while the other survived after all.

xXx

Melinda remembered the blue orb which had arrived and announced the Ministries fall and the death of Amelia Bones. The wedding had been scattered over this and Death Eaters had arrived mere seconds later. She'd tried to help, to run to help Fred but Remus had grabbed her and forced her to leave with Hermione and Ron.

They'd gone somewhere they thought would be safe, a Muggle coffee shop but things hadn't ended well. Death Eaters had shown up and a battle had occurred. They had barely been able to knock the Death Eaters out and Hermione had memory charmed them.

She had been tempted to kill them there but she knew if they did Voldemort would know they'd been there. The last thing she needed was to draw attention to them.

"Whose there?"

Melinda rolled her eyes and sighed as walked further down the hall of Grimmauld Place.

"For Hades sake Dray, don't make yourself know like that," Melinda scolded as she entered the parlor to find Draco and Narcissa. "What if I had been the bad guy?"

Draco smiled at seeing his friend.

"But your not," he said.

"But I could have been."

Narcissa sighed.

"Children, stop bickering," she said and stood, drawing her wand to point at 3/4th of the golden quartet.

It had been agreed that Neville would stay at the school this year to make sure the students were safe. Possibly start up the DA again.

"I hate to do this but prove that your who you say you are," Narcissa said coldly.

Melinda smiled.

"Last month Draco tried to cook and ended up setting the stove on fire which he then proceeded to throw left over grease on instead of water," Melinda said. "If you need more proof..."

"No, that'll do," Narcissa said, putting her wand away. "Welcome home, are you three alright?"

Narcissa was rather kind of the Black sisters and had been close to Andromeda growing up. She was a Pureblood, through and through, but she didn't have the same problem with Muggle-Borns as most her family. It was why she didn't bat a eyelash to seeing Hermione.

"We are now," Melinda said, her shoulder slumping in relief at being somewhere they could rest. "I think I'm going to let Ron and Hermione explain, I just want to sleep right now."

Melinda didn't wait for a reply she simply left up the stairs to her room. Leaving Hermione and Ron to explain.

xXx

The next few days the trio stayed at the old black home, and not to Melinda's surprise, Draco and Narcissa gave them space. The mother and son duo understood the three had a mission and they would just get in the way if they tried to be part of the discussions and such.

It wasn't long that Melinda found one of the many mysteries they had yet to uncover. She had been in her room when she'd knocked into a floorboard and it popped up.

Inside she found some pictures of two boys and then the younger boy – she recognized Sirius in the former and the younger boy which was in all of them looked a lot like her godfather – with others she didn't know.

The biggest find was a diary, on the front it said, Regulus Arcturus Black in big silver letters.

R.A.B.

She could have hit herself. It was here the whole bloody time and she didn't realize it.

"I'm so stupid," Mel announced as she slammed the pictures and diary onto the dinning room table.

Ron and Hermione jumped.

"What?" Ron asked.

"Regulus Arcturus Black, I've been sleeping in his old room for years now. I remember Sirius taking the name plate off the bedroom door and replacing it with mine."

"R.A.B," Hermione said, her eyes suddenly bright. "You found him!"

"huh, do you think he wrote about what he knew of the Horcruxes in there?" Ron asked.

Melinda smirked.

"You bet," she said, turning the diary to the last page.

It was marked July 1987.

I have been foolish. How could I believe in a mad mans dream? It is true, the Muggles are a threat should they find out about us but I see no true reason to eradicate the Muggle-Borns. Maybe once upon a time my lord had intentions with promise, but I have come to learn he is not well.

Lord Voldemort is ill and I pray to Mother Hecate herself for redemption of my soul and his. I do not believe he was always this mad man but I know he must be stopped. The reason behind this all, the beginning of it all lies with a dark piece of magic I have found.

It shocked me beyond believe that my lord would stoop so low. Not even Blacks have gone to such lengths for power. We are said to be dark but even we don't reach into the Blackest of magic, not dark but Black...into soul magic. Archaic it may be, but it is more dangerous. Only a mad man, or a desperate one would attempt such methods.

I do not place blame. Not on my lord, or on those who created him as evil of his length can only be created. I have made up my mind. I shall enlist help from Kreacher to steal the my lord Horcrux from the cave. I shall switch it with a copy and find a way to destroy it.

After this I will find a way to get the cup. It is a long shot but I hope by destroying these abominations to magic I will free my lord from his madness. I do not have great hopes for this, it is more likely I shall be killed for my betrayal. Lord Voldemort does not take disloyalty lightly.

If I should die before my next entry then I pray I have finished what I started and if not that Kreacher or whomever find this diary will.

May Mother Hecate be with you,

R.A.B.

Melinda read this in such a way it sounded as if they were there while it was being written.

"The cup, he mentioned the cup," Hermione realized. "So the next Horcrux is Hufflepuff's cup."

"But where is it?"

Melinda sighed and flipped through the rest of the pages.

"I don't know...wait," Melinda said, turning a page back at the one sentence written on the back of one of the blank pages. "Here...Vault – July 31st, 1987."

"He was going to a vault, on that day?" Ron asked.

Melinda sighed, shutting the diary.

"He would have, had he lived," Melinda said. "Regulus Black died on July 30th, 1987. It's on the family tapestry."

"Great, so the cup is still in this unknown vault," Ron grumbled.

"And we still have no way to get rid of these things," Melinda added, placing the Locket on the table in front of her.

It was then they heard the rumbling, and then Kreacher tumbled from a kitchen cupboard.

"Kreacher?" she asked, surprised and standing up.

"Mistress, Mistress must listen to Kreacher!" the house elf cried as he stumbled and Melinda grimaced at the Deja Vu feeling she got.

Kreacher reminded her of Dobby at the moment. Which reminded her, had Draco let the old house elf off Hogwarts kitchen duty recently?

"Kreacher, Kreacher calm down and tell me whats wrong," she snapped, her voice slightly cold and very stern.

Kreacher looked at her and took a deep breath.

"I is sorry Mistress, but I heard everything. Master Regulus, poor Master Regulus. He trusted me to destroy his Locket but I failed. I could not destroy it and then you found it."

"Kreacher, did Master Regulus ever tell you what vault he was going to visit on July 31st, 1987?" Hermione asked.

Kreacher seemed hesitant to answer Hermione but one look from Melinda had him speaking.

"No, I am sorry Mistress," Kreacher said, looking at Melinda as if she'd been the one to ask. "I not know."

The trio sighed in disappointment.

"Now what?" Ron asked.

"I don't know," Hermione said. "What about Tachýs...can it destroy the Horcrux?"

Melinda blinked.

"I've never actually tried," Melinda admitted. "Even if it does work I don't want to do it here. The diary was different, more sentient but I know if this was my soul it wouldn't let itself be killed without a fight."

"We need to find the sword of Gryffindor," Hermione said suddenly. "If Melinda is right and it was used to destroy the ring...then maybe it can destroy the others if Melinda's sword doesn't work."

"But how?" Ron asked. "It's missing."

"Kreacher, can you look around Hogwarts and Diagon Alley in case of any word on it," Melinda said, looking at the house elf who perked up.

She hadn't seen Kreacher this happy in...well ever.

"Right away Mistress," he said and popped away.

"Was that smart?" Ron asked.

Melinda shrugged.

"Better then nothing," she said. "Get prepared guys, I have a feeling everything is going to get much harder now."

Hermione nodded.

"You're right, especially sense I think the first place to look for the sword is in the Ministry," Hermione said, leaving her two friends to gap at her in disbelief.