He kept walking. Long frustrated strides that lead him second by second closer to his home and Sirius. He would tell him all he had found out. And Sirius would tell Dumbledore and Dumbledore would take care of that snake. Those thoughts made him feel better. How could he ever let himself trust that man? All his years in Hogwarts Snape was awful. Hating him and showing in every tiny chance he got. And now he played the nice inspiring teacher? He should know something was wrong. He should have suspected sooner. The boy took two steps at a time while climbing the stairs to his front door. He said the password to the magically sealed door and entered managing not to bang it too loudly. Sirius looked up from his book surprised.
"I thought you had Occlumency...", he said confused and bewildered by the boy's infuriated expression.
"I will never have Occlumency again! Not with that two-faced snake at least!", Harry almost yelled starting pacing in the living room.
"Harry, what on earth happened?", Sirius asked looking at the boy questioningly. If he was that mad something must have occurred. If Snape had mistreated him again, he'd bitterly regret it.
"He's a liar! That's what's wrong! A fucking liar and a bloody traitor!", Harry yelled again.
"Harry James Potter! Watch your language! Stop all that fussing, calm down and tell me what all this is about right now young man!", Sirius said sternly.
Harry drew in a few deep breaths and then trying hard to keep his voice down he told his godfather everything he had overheard. "I told you! He is a bl... A traitor!", he added at the end.
Sirius ran a hand through his hair and motioned for Harry to sit down at the armchair next to him. Harry obeyed slowly. He looked at the man expectantly waiting yells and threats for Snape that never came.
"Harry.", Sirius began cautiously, "I can understand how upsetting all those things you heard were. But you need to realize that we simply trust Professor Snape. Whatever he said had a reason to be said but that does not mean it was true. And besides that, you were not even supposed to hear all that. You overheard a private discussion..."
"Are you kidding me Sirius?", Harry asked incredulously leaping to his feet. "I'm telling you that I caught Snape plotting against the Order and you scold me about overhearing conversations?"
"Yes, Harry, I do. And if you do not calm down right away you're gonna get a lot more than a mere scolding!", Sirius reprimanded sternly. The boy knew better than to ignore that tone and slowly lowered himself back to his seat waiting for his Godfather to speak again. "Severus Snape has more than once proved his loyalty to us. What he said to a boy that is up to something is none of our business and does not prove anything. It probably was to find out what Draco Malfoy is up to. Besides he had uncountable chances to hand you to Voldemort if that was what he wanted. So stop reacting thoughtlessly based on insufficient information!"
Harry stared at the floor. He could see Sirius was right but he just could not let this go so easily. He chose his next words carefully, "I know you probably are right and I do trust you... But I want to discuss this with Dumbledore too."
Sirius nodded looking at Harry thoughtfully. "You can talk to Dumbledore or whomever you think that would help you cope with this Harry. There is no reason to ask for my permission about that. But you need, in the meantime, to be respectful to Severus no matter what."
"It may be a little late for that...", Harry mumbled quietly.
"I beg your pardon?", his godfather asked with raised eyebrows.
"I might have called him a snake and traitor and a few other things...", Harry said looking at Sirius apologetically.
His godfather sighed and looked at him in the eyes. "What am I gonna do with that temper of yours? I swear that you and Ses are even more short-tempered than your mother! And that says something!". He sighed again. Harry remained silent but smiled faintly at the mention of his mother. Sirius looked at him again, "Ok, I want you to talk to Dumbledore. Before that no further insulting to professor Snape, got it?"
"Yes Sirius..."
"And as soon as you clear this out with the Headmaster, I want you to apologize to Severus and accept whatever punishment he chooses to hand out.", Sirius continued.
"Ok...", Harry said again.
Sirius ruffled his hair and told him, "It's not that bad, kiddo. Go owl Dumbledore and see when you can go talk to him."
"Yeah, i'll do that...", Harry said and headed for his room grudgingly.
…...
Monday morning came and Harry would finally meet Dumbledore. After the day's classes he was to go to his office. But before that he had to go through a full day's lessons, with potions on his first period. Groaning and mumbling things about greasy oversized bats he entered the classroom at the dungeons along with Ron and Hermionie. On one hand he hated the fact that he had to face Snape and endure two hours of him, but on the other, potion making had began to grow into him. It relaxed him and with the tips of the book he became more and more efficient every time he was brewing something.
Today was no exception. He focused completely on his task, followed the books instructions, ignored Snape's glares and expectant looks and before he knew it his spotless potion was in its vial and he was cleaning up his cauldron. When he had everything cleaned up and put them in their right place in the class cupboards, he returned to his, Ron's and Hermionie's desk and started leaf through his book's pages. He saw for the very first time the words written on the first page, 'This book is the property of the half-blood Prince'. He turned the next pages and soon realized that not only tips for potions but spells were written as well. Most of them were unknown to him. And he realized they probably were created by that Half-blood Prince, himself. And seeing how effective and safe his potions tips were, he couldn't see what could be dangerous about his spells. He closed the book and decided that he'd give a try to some of them that night.
"Good job Mr Potter. I dare say you are vastly improving.", Snape said, taking Harry out of his thoughts. The boy realized that his professor stood in front of him inspecting his potion. Harry merely nodded glancing away from Snape defiantly. Snape leaned forward then and looked at him directly in the eyes, "I would advise you, Mr Potter, to quit these childish tactics. You are only making matters worse for yourself. Trust me on that.", he promised looking at him sternly.
Harry gulped at that and answered quietly, "Yes sir."
"Quite better. I'll see you tonight at seven o' clock for our session. You WILL be there.", Snape whispered at him in a matter-of-factly voice.
"Yes sir.", Harry repeated and seeing that his friends were at last ready he got up and hurried away as quickly as he could.
"What was all that about?", Ron asked as they headed outside of the castle to spend their ten minutes break before transfiguration.
Harry looked at his friends thoughtfully. He hadn't told them anything about what he heard from Snape. After what Sirius told him he was afraid to wind them up too over the matter. At least not until he had it all cleared out. "We had a fight the other night. Nothing major. We disagreed on something and i'll talk to Dumbledore today about it. As soon as we clear it all out i'll fill you in.". Ron and Hermionie nodded understandingly. Harry then took the Prince's book back out.
Ron looked at him incredulously. "Seriously Harry! Reading a book during a break? Hermionie is rubbing off on you too much mate...". That earned him a half-hearted punch on his forearm by Hermionie.
"It's just that there are a couple of spells here that I would love to try...", Harry said looking at his friends excitedly.
"What kind of spells?", asked Hermionie suspiciously.
"They're written in the book. But I figured, if the potion tips are safe why wouldn't these spells?", Harry answered enthusiastically.
"But...", Hermionie immediately began to try and reason with her friend, only to be interrupted by an excited Ron.
"Then go ahead and try one right now!", Ron said waving off a hand at Hermionie.
"Ok, then...", Harry answered and not needing any more encouragement he lifted his wand and whispered the first spell he had seen. "Levicorpus!"
Ron all of a sudden was hoisted in the air, head down feet high with his black school robe falling off his shoulders leaving him with his shirt and black trousers. "Oi!", he squealed.
Harry then quickly mumbled the counter spell that was written right underneath the first enchantment and Ron fell hard on the ground. "Sorry mate!"
"Why on earth did you do that spell?", Ron asked while dusting off himself.
"It had this little note beside it saying 'harmless'...", Harry said apologetically.
"Just what I thought. Harry you need to return that book. It is written by someone we don't know and is full of charms and unauthorized magic. That is extremely dangerous. You have to get rid of it! It's very irresponsible to use it, especially if you are trying the spells written on it!", Hermionie scolded her best friend.
"Oh come off it 'Mionie! If the potion tips were safe the spells should be too!", Ron said rolling his eyes.
"You're so thoughtless!", the girl huffed exasperated, but stopped talking and took a book out to read not talking to either Ron or Harry.
…...
When the last period ended, Harry hurried towards the headmaster's office. After saying the password he climbed the stairs two at a time and knocked on Dumbledore's door impatiently. The headmaster's gentle voice told Harry to get in and the boy opened the door and entered the office.
"Hello sir.", Harry said to the silver-haired man who was magically sealing a few rolled parchments in front of him and stored them in a drawer in his desk.
"Hello, Harry. Please sit down. I believe you needed to talk to me about something?", The headmaster asked. Of course he had already been informed by Snape about the incident but he wanted to hear Harry's thoughts as well.
"Yes sir. Well the thing is that I... Uh... Overheard a certain discussion between Snape and Draco Malfoy. That happened the same day with Katie Bell's incident.", Harry said. When all the headmaster did was nod he continued, "Well Snape was..."
"Professor Snape, Harry.", Dumbledore reprimanded gently.
Harry didn't answer at that, "Yes, well he was saying to Malfoy that he had been stupid and not discreet. And that a girl almost got killed instead of the one that should die. And then Malfoy answered that it was a good plan and that he wouldn't fail to kill the one they want to the next time..."
"I see...", Dumbledore answered evenly and looked at Harry in the eyes.
"Well, it is pretty clear that it was Malfoy that put that thing there and Katie found it! And he is planning to kill someone! And Snape is trying to help him kill that someone sir!", Harry said incredulous at Dumbledore's lack of reaction.
"I am aware of all these Harry. I am aware of Draco's plans and I know the reasons behind them which have lead me to the decision not to expel the boy. I have to admit that I never believed he would actually try to put his plans in effect. That was wrong. A girl was endangered because of my poor assumptions.", Dumbledore said darkly. "But I assure you that now I have taken every precaution measure available to make sure I will know when Draco will try anything new. None will get hurt because of him again. And professor Snape is doing all that he is doing under my orders. What he said to Draco was supposed to be said. You do not have to know anything more. Professor Snape is on our side. He is helping in manners you cannot understand right now. Risking his life daily for us. If he really wanted our harm he had all the opportunities he wanted to do it. So please, my boy, stop suspecting him. And disrespecting him."
Harry stared at the headmaster's blue eyes. He could see he was honest with him. And that was enough to trust him. "I will stop sir. I am sorry"
"I am not the one you should be apologizing to, Harry.", the man said his eyes twinkling.
"I will apologize to professor Snape too sir.", Harry said looking at the dark blue carpet underneath his shoes.
"Glad to hear it, my boy, glad to hear it."
Harry remained silent for a few seconds and then asked, "Sir, did you find out anything new about the Hocuxes?"
"Actually Harry yes. I believe I am getting extremely close to the next one. I will inform you as soon as I am sure I found it. Alright?", Albus asked. When the boy nodded he added smiling kindly, "I do not wish to be rude Harry but I am in the middle of something quite important so if there isn't anything more you wished to talk about, I suggest you go ahead to your homework."
"Yes sir. Thank you for your time.", Harry said getting up immediately. "Have a good afternoon sir.", he added as he exited the office and slowly headed for the tower. He had quite some studying to do and wanted to try some spells of the book before occlummency if he had the time.
…...
Sesylia was sitting in a big armchair by the window with a big mug of steaming tea in her hand. She was staring out of her window at the rain and her eyes seemed moist. When Harry entered he dropped his things on the couch and gasped when he suddenly saw her.
"Hey, you scared me!", he said clutching his chest. "What are you doing here?" Ses merely shrugged. Her eyes glittering with the tears that threatened to fall. "Hey, what's wrong?". Her brother said concerned going close to her and sitting on the armchair's arm.
His little sister remained silent and just leaned her head on his stomach. And cried. Silently. Deeply. Harry was totally at a loss of what to do. Ses was never the kind of girl that would cry. She would yell, she would break things she would lock herself away for hours she'd stop talking you at times, but crying? Never. And now here she was.
"Come on, baby sis! Tell me what's going on! You're freaking me out here!", Harry said again gently rubbing her back in an attempt to calm her down.
"It's just... Many things have piled up inside me for a while. No need to worry...", she said trying to dry her eyes but still letting Harry rub her gently.
"You fought with Eric?", he asked.
"No... Though he will be leaving you know... At the end of the term... To that Spanish university...". She said quietly.
"Yeah, he told me. Is that what's bothering you?"
"Among other things...", she answered.
"You fought with Sirius?"
"No... Not that he cares enough to fight... He's all goofy all the time after he started dating...", she said bitterly.
"Well, I can assure you he still fights pretty well... Three days ago I got it pretty hard from him. And seriously, about the dating thing, you need to get over it! You're not five! You know he is not leaving us, you know he will never stop caring!", Harry said seriously.
Sesylia got up and walked quickly to her room, locking her door behind her. Her brother stayed on the armchair's arm, looking at the floor. He decided that he was not the ideal person to handle his teenaged sister's hormones, so he headed to his room to get his studying done before he had to go to Occlumency.
Sesylia curled up in her bed and closed her eyes. All the tears gone. Angry at her brother for not understanding. Angry at herself for acting the way she was these last days. Angry at Sirius for having a girlfriend.
…...
Harry was heading to the dungeons mechanically. He had started meditating and closing his mind a few minutes before he left his room. He wouldn't risk Snape learning about the book he had in his hands. He was more than sure that he would think it was dangerous as well and take it away. Something the boy didn't want by any means. That book had made him good at potions and was now teaching him all kind of new spells. Harmless ones, a few useful for everyday needs, a few used for pranks and he had even spotted one for enemies. Called sectumsempra. Of course after what had happened to Ron that morning he didn't dare try it out. He had promised himself to never ever use it no matter what. Blocking the whole book thing away from his thoughts, Harry knocked on Snape's door.
"Enter!", came the sharp answer.
Harry opened the door, entered the room and closed the door again behind him, before heading in front of the desk and sitting in one of the chairs that were there. "Good evening sir.", he said quietly trying hard not to lower his eyes under Snape's stern and expectant stare.
"Good evening, Harry.", his professor answered and looked at the boy, waiting.
Harry took in a deep breath before saying the words he had more than once rehearse in front of his mirror, "I am really sorry for disrespecting you the way I did sir. I let my anger take the best of me and didn't think over what I heard rationally. I also heard something I was not supposed to. I apologize for that as well."
Snape fought the urge to smirk at the boy's obviously rehearsed short speech and said, "Apology accepted."
Harry blushed furiously before opening his mouth again, "I am also to tell you that Sirius expects you to hand me out whatever punishment you see fit for my behavior."
Snape's eyebrows raised at that statement. Of course he had already decided to put Harry in detention for his awful demeanour, but hearing that Black expected him to do so as well was at least surprising. "You will have detention with me three times a week for the next month. From eight pm to ten pm."
Harry sighed miserably before mumbling a "Yes sir..."
"Ok, then Harry now that this part is over with I need to learn something before we move on to Occlummency.", Snape said evenly. Harry looked the man in the eyes questioningly. "How exactly have you improved so much, in so little time at potions, Harry? Do not get me wrong, I am very proud of your progress. But being a teacher for over a decade I can assure you that no student goes from merely passing grades to straight O's in less than a month. Not in the art of potion making. You have a tutor or something alike?"
Harry clenched his fists besides his thighs. He focused to keep his voice straight and his eyes from blinking before saying, "I have been studying a lot more than in the past sir. And have Hermionie helping me out a few times a week."
Snape raised his eyebrows at the last words. A sixth year Granger spending time tutoring instead of studying was obviously a lie. And only that gave Harry away. His poor excuse. The boy's mind though was empty. Nothing revealing even the slightest hint of truth. That alone made Snape decide to turn a blind eye at the whole situation. After all, like always, the truth would show up herself at some point. Either Harry wanted it or not. And anyways the boy had at last learn how to occlude his mind correctly. If he could manage to hide a lie, then they were at very good point. "Ok, then. Let's begin, shall we?"
…...
When Harry went back to their apartment that night, he found there not only his godfather and siblings but Dumbledore as well. "Is everything all right?", he asked immediately, bewildered.
"Yes, Harry everything is fine.", Sirius said calmingly. "The headmaster has some news he needed to share with us."
Harry turned to look at Dumbledore while he took a seat at the kitchen table where the two men were sitting.
"I found another Hocrux Harry.", he said evenly.
"What?", Harry said excitedly almost leaping from his seat. "Have you destroyed it? Where was it hidden?"
"Easy there Harry. I found out what it is. I do not know though where it is. And that is the very reason I came here tonight. I need as more minds to think about this as possible. I know it's the diadem of Ravenclaw. It is a golden diadem with a big sapphire. Created by Rowena Ravenclaw. The very founder of Ravenclaw's house. It is said it enhanced the wisdom of anyone that wore it. None has ever seen it. But I am absolutely sure that Voldemort found it. And made it his Hocrux. I have researched quite a few possible places, but I cannot spot it.", Dumbledore said, his voice serious.
"Well...", Harry said thoughtfully, "We know that he likes not only fancy items, but fancy places that mean something to him as well. You found that ring in his ancestors home or something, the medallion was at that cave near his orphanage, the diary in the chamber of secrets... Maybe this one is at Hogwarts as well..", he said looking at the headmaster hopefully.
"Still, Harry, Hogwarts is a magic castle with secrets unknown to most. I know that he was arrogant enough to believe he had discovered all it's secrets, but I also know that no human has. The only thing I want from you is to think where he might have hidden it. You know his way of thinking batter than anyone. I just need you to think about this and come to me when you have come up with an idea. Is that something you believe you could handle?", the headmaster asked, his voice kind and serious.
"Of course sir. I will contact you whenever something comes to my mind.", Harry said immediately.
"Well, then I suppose I should get going and let you have your dinner and rest.", the silver-haired man said standing up. He then said goodbye to Sirius as well and turned his back to them heading to the door. Right when he touched the doorknob though he turned around and with twinkling eyes he asked Harry, "I believe your disagreement with professor Snape is taken care of?"
Harry, blushing grumbled a 'yes sir', and his shoulders slumbed remembering his detention. The headmaster nodded and left, leaving Sirius sighing loudly and Harry collapsing in the nearest chair. Ses and Allan went to the living room discussing something quietly leaving Harry and Sirius alone.
"Everything ok with Severus?", Sirius asked while putting a full plate of roast beef with asparagus in front of his godson.
Harry picked up the fork and started picking at the food in front of him, blushing again. "Yeah, I apologized and got detention..."
Sirius nodded and half-smiled with the boy's sulking before asking again, "And Occlumency? How is that going?"
"It's actually going pretty well. I can block my mind quite effectively now! Even Professor Snape said so!", he said a little more cheerfully while taking a bite from his plate.
"I'm glad to hear that.", Sirius smiled, but then turned all serious again, "Now, Harry I don't want you to think about the Hocrux all night alright? Your focus should be your studies. If you come up with any idea then let us know, but do not concentrate on that. And certainly do not try to find it alone if you think you got it. Let us know first! Clear?"
"Yes, Sirius, no need to worry. Can I go to Ron's till curfew and talk about this with him too? And Mionie?", he asked hopefully.
"I don't see why not. But be back at ten. You need your rest!", Sirius said smiling at the boy.
"Thanks! I will!", Harry said smiling broadly and then hurried to finish his dinner so that he could go to his best pal as soon as possible.
…...
Fifteen minutes later, - all freshed up and in clean clothes in case Ginny would see him- Harry climbed the stairs with Hermionie jogging behind him. They knocked the door and were invited in by a smiling Mr Weaseley. After greeting him and Mrs as well they hurried to Ron's room and entered without knocking.
"Oi! Private space here! A knock wouldn't kill you!", he said grumpily jumping up from his bed surprised with the sudden invasion.
"Thank god you weren't in any really 'private' moment then, I guess!", Harry joked throwing the redhead a pillow he grabbed from the bed.
"Oh shut up, already! What's going on?", Ron said blushing a little but smiling.
"Dumbledore got a Hocrux!", Hermionie said excitedly sitting herself on the carpet beside the bed, where the boys had already sat.
Before Ron got a chance to answer, Harry added, "But he cannot find it! He asked for us to think of where it could possibly be!"
"Well what is it?", Ron asked trying to gather up the clues.
"Ravenclaw's diadem!", Hermionie answered excitedly again.
"But that has never been found!", Ron said confused.
"Apparently it has... And we need to think of where he could have put it. Or at least how he found it so we have something to start searching for.", Harry answered while fidgeting with the hem of Ron's blanket.
All three of them went silent for a little bit. Then Harry and Hermionie jumped up startled by Ron's sudden squeal of triumph, "Hey! Ravenclaw's ghost!"
Hermionie looked at him confused but then her eyes went round with surprise realizing what her friend had just said, "That's right Ron!", she yelled enthusiastically, "Ravenclaw's ghost is Rowena Ravenclaw's daughter! She could know where the diadem is!"
"Right! She could also be the one that Voldemort talked to, when he found it!", Harry added now jumping to his feet excited.
"Ok, there is no way they'll let us go to the castle tonight, but we could wake up earlier and go find her before classes tomorrow!", Hermionie said instantly.
Harry's face fell a little bit at that, but Hermionie was right. And after they finally had a clue of where to begin their searching. Waiting a few hours would not kill him. "Perfect! Ok then! We'll meet at seven sharp and we'll go find her."
"Deal!", Ron said, yawning.
"Perfect!" Hermionie said rising to her feet.
"Ok, then! I'm going to see Ginny for a while and then i'll go get some sleep. See you tomorrow guys.", Harry said standing up. He hugged Hermionie and clapped Ron's back before leaving the room, followed by Hermionie who said that Tonks needed some help at the house and would go too.
…...
Harry, Ron and Hermionie were rushing down the corridors heading to the direction Nearly-Headless-Nick showed them. He said the Helena Ravenclaw used to roam at a certain classroom, that was not used for many decades, in the mornings. They found her silver-gray semi-transparent figure hover over the ground in front of a window that looked straight to east. She was staring at the clouds that were painted a faint gold from the sun behind them. The kids exchanged awkward looks, before Hermionie tactfully cleared her throat. The ghost immediately turned around to look at them startled at not being alone like she thought. "What do you want?", she asked all but kindly, her voice deep and celestial.
"We are sorry to interrupt you.", Hermionie said bowing her head a little. "We need to ask you about something. Something of great importance and you are the only one that could help us..."
"And what would that something be?", she asked a little more calmly now, slowly approaching them.
Harry took in a deep a breath and tried to copy the tone of voice Hermionie had just used and seemed to do the trick. "We need to know about your mother's diadem."
Helena's eyes instantly hardened, "You are worthless of the diadem!", she yelled making the kids shiver. "Everybody has been after it! Anyone who has ever approached me only aims to that! But nobody is worth of wearing it!"
"We do not wish to wear it!", Harry answered his voice trembling in front of the ghost's rage. Helena almost snorted sarcastically. "And we do know that you once lead someone to it!", he added deciding to change tactics. He saw her tense -if possible- a little. He almost smiled and went on. "I happen to know, that once you lead a boy named Tom Riddle to the diadem.", of course he knew no such thing, but bluffing was the only strategy he could think of right now.
"He found his own way! I only gave him clues. He was smart enough to realize were it was. He found it. He was worth it!", she said her voice now considerably lower. "He was even smart enough to make me believe he approached me not for the diadem, but for my company..."
"I am sorry he used you in such a horrible way, but we also know that he used the diadem in a terrible way. We need to find it Helena. We need to find the diadem and clean it from the darkest of magic, he instilled in it.", Harry said. His voice was stable his eyes locked with hers.
"I know how he used it... I am the only one to blame for that. The daughter of Rowena Ravenclaw's.. The stupidest woman on earth...", She whispered.
"Trust me, Helena, you are far from stupid. He used you. And ruined one of the most signifficant magic items ever existed. We need to make this right! Help us! Do you have any idea, of where he has hidden it?", Harry answered.
"He said that it was a place secret to everybody but him. That none would ever see it. The only place in Hogwarts that would remain his. A place where you can only enter in a very certain way. To complicated for anyone else to find it. I doubt you will ever find it...", she said and with that she swirled around and flew high in the room leaving through the ceiling.
"Damn!", Ron said.
"No!", Harry yelled triumphantly. His friends looked at him confused. "He was far too arrogant to believe that anyone would find things he found. But really guys, think. A place in the castle, secret, that reveals itself only in a certain way...", He said smiling.
Ron and Hermionie instantly yelped excitedly as well yelling at the same time, "The room of requirement!"
"Come, we need to get Dumbledore!", Harry yelled back and they instantly started running towards the headmaster's office. When there the boy frantically yelled the password, only to hear from an annoying voice that the headmaster was not in his office, and would not be back for another four hours at least. The trio exchanged disappointed looks.
"Ok, i'm not leaving it there!", Harry then said.
"But, Harry Sirius and Dumbledore said to tell them first!", Hermionie said immediately.
"I know, but neither of them is here! And we know where it is! I cannot risk losing it! I'm taking it!", Harry said, his voice decisive. And turned his back to his friends heading to the stairs that would lead him to the seventh floor corridor in front of the room of requirement. Ron and Hermionie after hesitating for mere seconds followed him quickly.
"But how will we destroy it?", Hermionie asked.
"We won't. We will wait for Sirius to come home and we'll see from there.", Harry answered. He flinched a little thinking of his godfather. He would probably get in trouble for disobeying right now, but he would not try to kill the thing and he could not take any risks. When the three friends finally reached at the seventh floor corridor they started pacing in front of it, all thinking of the Ravenclaw's diadem and the need to kill the Hocrux. One, two, three times. And to their relief the door slowly appeared at the wall in front of them. Harry reached out with shaking hands and opened the door slowly entering. They all took their wands out, ready to defend themselves from anything that might be guarding the Hocrux. The room was like an old storing room. Full of stuff old and hidden in the centuries. Hermionie tried to summon it but to no avail. After half an hour of searching Harry yelled triumphantly. "Here it is!"
Ron and Hermionie run towards him. "We shouldn't touch it. In case it's cursed.", Hermionie instantly said.
Harry nodded. Then he saw a little stick behind him. Not too long but thick enough. He picked it up and slowly guided it to the diadem and through it's loops behind the sapphire. He slowly brought it to them and then he handed the stick to Ron who took it cautiously. Harry reached in his inner pocket and drew his invisibility cloak out of it and cautiously covered the stick and the diadem taking it from Ron. Then after they made sure it was hidden they rushed to leave the castle before students and professors started to roam in the corridors and spot them. In a matter of minutes they were in Harry's apartment.
"Hey what's up?", Allan asked seeing the trio entering right when he was about to leave and head to class.
"We found a Hocrux!", Harry said triumphantly.
"Alone?", Allan almost yelled in surprise looking at them disbelievingly.
"Yes! We tried to find Dumbledore but he's away and Sirius had already left for Gringots. We could not risk leaving it there!", Harry said.
Allan nodded in understanding. "Where is it then?"
Instead of answering Harry unwrapped the cloak carefully from his hand and the stick on which the diadem was hanging. "Do not touch it though! We are afraid it might be cursed.."
"Wow!", a new voice squealed. Ses took three long strides and lowered her head to see the Hocrux as closely as possible.
"Watch it Ses!", Harry said warningly.
It was then that the floo was heard. Five heads turned towards the green flames which soon revealed Sirius, who returned to fetch a certain paper he had forgotten. When he stepped in the living room, the man stared at the five kids and the stick with a tiara on it in utter shock. "What on earth are you doing here? You are supposed to be at school! And what is that?", he asked his tone almost stern.
"It's the Hocrux!", Ses said triumphantly, obviously not realizing that Harry would get in trouble for getting it alone.
"The what?", Sirius barked making all of them jumped and flinch at the tone. "Harry James Potter!", he then roared, and taking the two strides between himself and his godson he grabbed the stick threw it to the floor along with the diadem and turning Harry to his side he landed four hard swats to his bottom, making him flush furiously and his friends to look around awkwardly. "What the hell were you thinking?", Sirius roared again.
"I just found out and I tried to find Dumbledore but he was away! And you were at the bank already! I could not risk leaving it Sirius!", he said trying his hardest to make his godfather understand and keep his voice stable.
Sirius was trembling slightly. He was terrified only thinking what could go wrong but on the other hand understood his godson's fear of leaving the Hocrux after finding it. "We will be talking about this later!", he said sternly. And then turned his attention to the diadem. "Albus won't be back for quite a few hours. He gave me though a few basilisk fangs the other day, in case me or some other member assigned with this mission found it."
Harry's eyes flashed with excitement. "Kill it then, Sirius! Now! Please!", he said his voice almost shaking.
Sirius put a gentle hand on his shoulder and squeezed it to calm him down a little bit. Then he accioed a basilisk fang silently. Turning to the kids he said. "I need you out of here until it ends. Just in case. Wait outside and i'll call you in."
"But...", Harry immediately began to protest, only to be silenced by a promising look from Sirius.
"You will go out. Now.", he said quietly but powerfully, daring anyone to protest. The kids turned slowly and exited the room leaving the man alone. Sirius sealed the door so that none could enter and then taking a deep breath he raised the fist, in which the basilisk fang was, over the diadem and brought it down squarely in the middle of the sapphire. The diadem flashed with a black light and with a violent explosion, that sent Sirius flying on the opposite wall, it died.
…...
"I should tan your butt for this stunt!", Sirius was scolding Harry, while the two of them washed the dinner plates.
The boy flushed at the statement but did not answer. He was already walking on thin ice after the Hocrux thing and was not willing to risk a spanking. Lowering his eyes he said quietly, "I'm sorry. I know it was dangerous, but I could not let it there. The ghost knew what I was after. She could tell anyone! I could not risk it Sirius, please understand..."
His godfather sighed deeply. "I do understand. And that's why I am not going to spank you.", he said and Harry smiled at him thankfully. "But I am definitely grounding you!", Sirius added and saw Harry's smile slip from his face.
"Two weeks Harry. It will be school, homework, occlumency and detention and home again to sleep. On weekends I will be giving you a few extra chores as well. Clear?"
"Yes..", Harry answered grumpily.
"And Harry, if you ever pull anything like this again, you will get a spanking every day for a week! Understood?", Sirius asked in a dead serious voice. When the boy gulped and nodded he smiled and with a much more pleasant tone said, "Good. Now finish this up and then straight to your room. An early sleep will do you some good tonight I think.", Sirius said ruffling the boy's hair, before heading to his study to finish a few reports that he was supposed to hand in tomorrow at the bank.
Harry ended the dishes and headed to his room, inwardly thanking his luck for getting only two weeks. His anniversary with Ginny would be here in a few weeks and he wanted to make this perfect. He glanced out of his window and did not let the dark clouds that were gathering up worry him. The sun would come out at some point...
A/N: Yes i know, it took forever again! But i had biiiig Writer's block... I know where i want the story to go, i have all the chapters planned and still when it comes to writing them i keep having trouble with it! Ireally hope i'll be luckier with the next one! I am eager to get the next chapters written so i believe i'll make it to a quicker upload. My free time is decreased unbelievable much, with work and college but i'm doing the best i can! I hope you're still with me! Please please please review! It helps incredibly much!
