Chapter Five: In Which Leads Are Followed
"No, it doesn't," she said. "It doesn't, Harry, you're just getting carried away. Please," she said as he started to speak, "please just answer me this: If the Deathly Hallows really existed, and Dumbledore knew about them, knew that the person who possessed all three of them would be master of Death — Harry, why wouldn't he have told you? Why?"
"Right, because Dumbledore's known for his sharing nature and transparency," said Harry sarcastically.
Hermione looked to Ron for support, who shrugged and said, "Harry's got you there, Hermione. I've been saying it since first year — Dumbledore was a bit mental."
"You both are getting sidetracked," said Hermione frustratedly. "This isn't game, this isn't practice! This is the real thing, and Dumbledore left you with clear instructions: Find and destroy the Horcruxes! That symbol doesn't mean anything, forget the Deathly Hallows —"
"Dumbledore left me with clear instructions?" said Harry incredulously. "Hermione, they were anything but clear! Now, I don't know if that's because he was murdered or because he just didn't want to tell me or all this is part of another convoluted plan of his. I don't know. But what you should be remembering is we struggled for months to find new Horcruxes, Hermione! Or have you forgotten?"
"I — I haven't, but this is just not part of our —"
"There were a hundred times when you two wished I had known something that would help us find the Horcruxes. Don't bother denying it," Harry added as she and Ron tried to protest. "Every single time, I was the one wishing that Dumbledore had told me something concrete. I have come to realise something very important over the months — there is nothing concrete on this mission. We have to grab every small lead and follow it till it goes dry. . . ."
Hermione crossed her arms mutinously.
"This lead is huge, Hermione! In terms of what we had until now, this is positively gigantic! It all adds up — the Deathly Hallows could be very real, and we might have two of them and You-Know-Who's looking for the third one," speculated Harry.
"It's just a legend, Harry!" protested Hermione.
"Yeah, just like the Chamber of Secrets," retorted Harry.
Hermione looked at Ron for support.
"Again, he's got you there. Ironic, really — in second year you were the one asking Binns in History class about the Chamber and he was the one telling you it was just a legend," said Ron, snickering. He then changed his voice to imitate Hermione's and said, "But sir, don't legends always have a basis in fact?"
"That's not how I sounded!" she protested. "But you're right, we should go on this lead."
AN: Roses are red, violets are blue.
It's a crazy world where legends are true.
Follow the lead, squeeze it dry.
The ones who don't, tend to cry.
Minds are narrow, make them broad.
Using well-chosen words, not trickery and fraud.
I hope you like this rhyming stuff.
It's just so goddamn tough!