Some things, Ron decided as he sat in the large green armchair opposite Hermione, would never change. For example put Hermione in the library at Hogwarts and despite the fact that she had read almost every book in the hallowed halls that she loved so much ( some of them several times , as she liked to remind him) and you had little or no chance of getting a word out of her. But for once Ron didn't mind in any way shape or form. He watched her as she traced her finger along the dusty volumes of the shelf next to her, the dim light of the main section of the library shone temptingly through the cracks a long way off, down deep in the restricted section the only light that guided them was the soft glow of the oil lamp that Hermione had taken from the front desk with a look of confusion from the Librarian.

Hermione took a rather large tomb from the rack and set it upon her crossed legs. She blew the dust of the cover and pulled the lamp closer to her.

There was something rather endearing about the way she devoured the books that came in to her possession, Ron would never understand the thirst for knowledge that drove Hermione, but he could always enjoy watching her as her face contorted as she learnt something new that would give her the advantage if she ever felt the call to use it.

Ron helped himself to a slightly less dust covered volume and sunk deeper in to his chair, not before moving the green leather closer to the dark purple of Hermione's. She looked up at him as he did so. The hunger for knowledge gleamed in her eyes. Ron couldn't help but shift slightly in his seat, as much as he loved her, sometimes, only sometimes, Hermione's over powering personality could be daunting, sometimes a little scary. She gently tucked a lose strand of hair back behind his ear and turned her attention back to the tattered index in the battered text.

He had noticed the change in her, ever since Harry had said that the cup had had a weird affect on her he had felt her changing slowly by the day.

Hermione had a ruthless side he knew this she was so ambitious he couldn't help but remember Percy with his book 'Prefects that gained power'. He had seen that gleam in his brothers eye, the one that Hermione now held in hers whenever she looked upon that cup. It gave him the creeps, to see someone he thought he knew, someone that he knew he knew act like that, as if under some sort of curse that couldn't be seen.

Hermione reached over and placed a hand gently on his, soft warm skin, finding the gap between his fingers leading him from his thoughts. His eyes locked on to hers for only a split second.

Who was he kidding; Hermione would never want that sort of power, would she?

Harry stood in front of the griffin that lead to the headmasters… headmistresses (he corrected himself) room.

"Monomanie." Harry muttered under his breath, the large stone swung back to show the moving staircase that moved unaided to the heavy mahogany door at the top, which stood ajar as he approached.

"Do come in Potter, I dare say you've heard more from that side of the door than any other pupil in the history of this school."

She inclined her head as Harry entered the room, Harry noticed not for the first time that McGonagall looked tired, her eyes looked like they were beginning to sink in to her scull, the stress of trying to live up to her predecessor etched on her face.

"I'm sorry we sort of just turned up Professor." Harry said taking the seat that he had sat in so many times before under Albus Dumbledore's watchful gaze.

"I just wish I knew what the occasion was, although if all is as I expect I suspect that I might get the same answer as I did last time we sat here together."

Harry's gaze was drawn to the sleeping portrait behind his old professors head, a long silver beard rested neatly against a deep blue set of robes, half moon spectacles rested on a crooked nose sliding as the owner breathed.

"And I'll say again the same thing I did last time you asked, unfortunately Professor." said Harry quietly. "Dumbledore trusted me not to tell anyone apart from Hermione and Ron, I can't break my word to him." Harry said vetting his words as he spoke. "Although he told me who to trust, although, I'm sure that I can tell who the right sort of person to trust."

Professor McGonagall observed him over the top of her square copper glasses.

"Again this brings us to the reason that you have accented upon the castle tonight."

Harry could read the tones in his teachers voice he had become accustomed to reading it when his mind wandered in his transfiguration lessons, to know the tone was often the way to avoid detention. This tone was saying I will do anything to help.

"I need access to some of Professor Dumbledore's possessions; I need to finish the work that we started." Harry's eyes were drawn around the room, many of the swirling silver satellites and subsequent belongings still rested , settled in the recesses and along the aged and magically altered desks and spindling tables.

"What belongings?"

Harry's eyes were drawn to the old ornate cabinet in the corner. His old professors gaze followed suit.

"The pensive?" She asked. Harry's head snapped forward again. "We thought…well we knew he used it a lot, but we didn't know that he had shown you…"

"I need to know what Dumbledore was doing the night his hand got damaged, I need the clues. I need them before I can figure out what I'm supposed to do next, I can't move forward if I can't work out the past."

His eyes met his old lecturer over the table.

"Is that why you went to Godric's Hollow? To work out the past?"

Harry nodded.

"Well Potter did you find out what you were looking for?"

Harry thought about it had he found out what he had been looking for? Had he managed to find anything at all in the desperate attempt discover something anything about the way he lived the first year of his life. The simple answer was no, it had turned up nothing, nothing that made sense in his head at the moment, but if he could somehow work the thoughts out, link them…

"I knew both your parents Harry, going to the house that took there life is not going to get you anywhere."

"I have a life to look forward to after all this you mean?" Harry could feel the corners of his mouth twisting in to a smile. " maybe I do professor , but right now my family need me, I have to many people to look after, to many people I love and care about could get hurt if I forget to hold on to my past."

Harry pulled the bag he had dropped on the floor as he entered on to his knee. He carefully took out the top piece of dark green velvety material and placed it on the desk.

"What is it?" Professor McGonagall asked eying the cloth, a look passed over her face highly reminiscent of Hermione's. Harry carefully opened the cloth and placed the cup on the desk in front of a dazed looking teacher.

"But… Potter where did you…"

Harry took out a second piece of deepest green material, he was aware that the portraits around him now watched with deepest interest, all but one.

McGonagall looked at the locket unable to speak.

"When were finished they will be returned to the school, this is where they belong, but until then I need your help." Harry waited quietly for an answer. None came.

"Professor?" Harry asked quietly.

"Sorry, it's just…" professor McGonagall regained her posture.

"I need accesses to all the school records, everything you can think of, inventories, student files, and all the copy's that you can get your hands on, and anything, I mean anything you can find on the founders, I need your help Professor, I don't think I have much time to find the answers that I need.

"And when you're finished the school gets…" she pointed at the two founders items on the desk in front of her.

Harry nodded; it was strange to see her like this, all pretences broken down talking to him as an equal.

"Then I can do know less than what Albus asked of me. He had a great faith in you Harry; ever since the day we left you on you're relatives' front door he knew you would be every ounce as talented as you're parents."

Harry looked past her; he could have sworn he just saw Albus Dumbledore wink at him before disappearing from his frame.