After a sleepless night spent staring at the Common Room fire, Holly met her friends in the Great Hall for breakfast. She ate very little, mainly drinking water, and spoke even less. Hermione was eyeing her with worry and Ron took to gently steering Holly around by the shoulders. During a mid-morning break, Ron and Hermione scooted closer to her at a desk. Professor Sprout was chattering cheerfully, but Holly was doing her best to block out the noise.
"What's going on?" Hermione asked quietly.
"Are you feeling sick? Is this about Dumbledore?" Ron questioned.
Holly bit her lip, tears forming at the very mention of the man's name. Ron frowned and shook his head when it looked as if Hermione would speak again. The two waited until Herbology ended and then walked Holly back to Gryffindor Common Room. The three grabbed a table in the far corner. Hermione cast a Muffling Charm and whispered, "Talk to us, Holly. We hate seeing you like this."
"I…" Holly licked her dry lips and closed her tired eyes. She tried speaking again. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry that everyone keeps getting hurt and that people keep getting killed. I'm sorry about George, Ron. I really am. I'm sorry about Bill. I'm sorry we were kidnapped. Hermione, I wish I could have taken your place. I'm so sorry."
"Oh, Holly." Hermione sniffled and cautiously put a hand on the smaller girl's trembling shoulder. "One day you'll believe us when we tell you that it isn't your fault. It really isn't."
"She's right, mate." Ron whispered, "Bill and George know what they signed up for. We all do. We want Voldemort dead. He's the one who has caused all this mess."
Holly nodded and closed her eyes for a moment. She quietly said, "Dumbledore is dying."
"What?" Ron gasped, aghast. His face went grey.
"It's the Cursed hand, isn't it? The Dark magic?" Hermione asked grimly.
"Yes." Holly nodded while glancing at the both of them. She said, "Severus didn't tell me so, but I know it. Dumbledore is absent. McGonagall won't let me see him. Severus won't, either. The password has changed to the Headmaster's office. He was weak during the fight over the summer. His hand is so much worse."
"Did Professor Snape or McGonagall tell you Headmaster Dumbledore is dying, Holly? Did they actually say so?" Hermione asked pressingly.
"No." She spoke through numb lips. "They didn't have to."
"It could be possible that…" Hermione began to speak thoughtfully. Holly cut her off by whispering, "I know. Hermione, I know I'm right. He's getting his affairs in order. McGonagall is going to take over as Headmistress. He's working on the Cup with Bill now. He's doing it all as fast as he can. I know it. Severus told me as much."
"Oh, no." Hermione gasped, hand covering her mouth as Ron let out an odd choked sound. Ron whispered, "He can't die. He just can't."
"If Dumbledore is dead, we stand no chance." Holly mumbled.
"No, Holly, no." Hermione spoke firmly, but with her tale-tell shrillness as if she would panic at any moment. It was Ron who put a hand on Hermione's shoulder and whispered, "Take a breath, Mione. We need you calm, not going stark raving mad."
As Hermione took measured inhales and exhales, Holly began to fidget in her chair. Ron eyed her carefully before saying, "What? What else do you have to say?"
Holly looked into clear, hard blue eyes. They were more familiar to her than her own. She said, "We have to get that Cup."
"That's what Dumbledore is working on." Hermione responded, "He told you so himself at Shell Cottage."
Holly shook her head, glancing at Hermione before turning back to Ron, who was curiously still and watchful. She explained, "He seems to think Bellatrix may have checked on her Vault, but not actually touched the Cup. He thinks it's safe. I know it isn't. If it's somewhere she or other Death Eaters know of, then it isn't safe."
"What do you suggest?" Hermione asked cautiously.
Holly repeated firmly, "We have to get that Cup."
"Yes, but how?" Hermione replied just as firmly.
"You want to…what?" Ron asked, awed. "Go and get it ourselves? Go against Dumbledore? Are you mad now as well? Hermione is enough to deal with."
Holly shook her head and whispered, "I don't know."
There was a pause before Hermione took a deep breath and said, "I do."
Two heads snapped to face her. One was inky black and the other ginger orange. Holly asked, "You have a plan?"
Ron muttered, "Damnit. What is it? What's the plan, Mione?"
Hermione nervously chewed on her lip, glancing around the Common Room before leaning even closer to her best friends. She said, "I have hairs from Bellatrix Lestrange."
Holly leaned back in her chair, her heart beating faster. Ron muttered, "Blimey. You want to…pose as her?"
Hermione nodded and said, "I've been thinking of it for days. The Headmaster being absent has only delayed us. If he were at full health, I wouldn't even dream of doing this, but…Holly is right. That Cup needs to be obtained and destroyed."
"I know that," Ron whispered fiercely, "but we're talking about Gringott's. This isn't a quick stroll by the lake we are talking about."
"We've faced worse before." Hermione firmly replied. She looked to Holly, who was frowning heavily and staring blankly at the floor.
Ron said, "What about Dumbledore and Bill? They must have a plan. Bill as good as confirmed that he was giving Dumbledore information about the goblins' security measures."
"Yes, but you said so yourself that Bill admitted to Dumbledore that there was no way to sneak into a Vault as heavily protected as the Lestranges' without being detected. You were the only one present for that conversation in Shell Cottage. I was unconscious and Holly was outside."
There was a pause. Ron sighed, "Yeah. Yeah, Bill said it was suicide. Said he wasn't even aware of all the measures in place even though he's worked for the goblins for years. He told Dumbledore he had watched a fellow Curse-Breaker die when the bloke had thought it would be a fun challenge to break into one of the Black Vaults."
"What about Professor Snape, Holly?" Hermione asked a moment later, "Would he help us?"
Holly looked at her strangely before saying, "No. He would stop us."
All three friends looked at one another. Holly finally asked, "Do you have Polyjuice?"
"No." Hermione shook her head, "I know where to get some, though."
Holly sighed, "Severus."
Hermione nodded. "His store room. If we take it from his cupboard and immediately leave for Gringott's, he likely won't have time to notice the absence."
"He has Charms and Wards all over that storeroom." Ron reminded them.
"Yes, but…" Holly paused before whispering, "I can get through them."
There was another pause. Hermione cleared her throat and asked, "Are we in agreement? The three of us?"
"Yes." Holly said a moment later. "I have to try to get the Cup. This has to end, but I'd rather the two of you not-"
"We're going with you. There is no taking off alone. You'd be dead in five minutes." Ron interrupted with a grumble. "Shut your yap, Holiday."
Holly felt the weight of her friend's words settle on her shoulders, pushing her even further into her seat. She swallowed a lump in her throat and croaked, "I will try to grab the Polyjuice tomorrow evening."
"Good." Hermione nodded, "I will make sure we have everything we could need in my bag. I have a few cauldrons that need attending in the dorm. Two potions I'm brewing should be ready for bottling."
"You really were planning this already, huh?" Ron asked with a slack-jaw.
"Always the tone of surprise, Ronald." She said as she stood from the table and headed for the spiraling stairs.
