Harry and Hermione moved towards the chocolates, where Ron was sure to be by that point. On the way, Hermione whispered that they should avoid telling Ron about Slughorn. So instead, they decided to check out what they had. Which, thanks to Ron, would be more than enough.

With the matter of sweets settled and their stomachs beginning to rumble, the trio bundled back up and began to brave their way towards The Three Broomsticks pub.

Harry was visibly apprehensive as they walked, which Hermione knew was because of a certain ginger. Ginny had said earlier that she would be there with Dean.

Right outside of the pub, they noticed a whispered conversation between two suspicious-looking people, who Hermione quickly realized were the barman at the Hog's Head Pub, and Mundungus Fletcher. As the barman walked off, she just hoped the other two wouldn't stop to talk. Mundungus was never good news, and she didn't feel like dealing with him at that moment. Or, rather, having to wait for Harry to deal with him while her nose slowly froze off her face.

"Mundungus!", Harry said as they got closer.

The plump little nervous man started, and immediately dropped the contents of his arms. It seemed to be a bunch of junk and old trinkets.

"What's all this? Are you selling it?" Harry asked, as Ron picked up and began inspecting a small goblet.

"Ah well… just tryin' a make a livin," He grabbed the goblet from Ron's hand, "Gimme that- AAAHHHH!"

Suddenly, Harry had moved forward with his left arm aimed straight at Mundungus, quickly latching around the man's throat. His right hand was pointing a wand against Mundungus's, now sweaty, balding head.

"That's Sirius's stuff! What'd you do? Go back to headquarters and rob him the night he died?"

"Harry!" shrieked Hermione, as mundungus had already started to go blue.

Harry, of course, ignored her.

But, before anything else could happen, there came a loud "POP!" and Mundungus suddenly disapparated, along with the box full of trinkets.

Harry turned to glare at Hermione, whose stomach plummeted in a pang of fear and guilt.

"Hermione, he nicked Sirius's stuff! Nicked it!"

"I- You can't just strangle a man in the middle of the street. But I know he's awful, and I know it's your things that he's stealing-"

A look of realization hit Harry's face as he interrupted, "That's right! It's my stuff!"

Ron lead the way as they continued into The Three Broomsticks, and finally, warmth. Hermione could already feel her toes thawing.

"You'd think the order would be able to keep someone like Mundungus under control!" Harry whispered angrily as they found their seats.

"Shhh!" whispered Hermione, looking around to make sure no one heard them. Sure enough, there were a few nearby pubgoers who were already staring right at Harry, though she hoped it was just from his fame, and that they hadn't heard him. Then there was Zabini resting against a pillar not far away.

"I'll go get us some drinks. Try to calm down please,"

Hermione knew Harry was still grumbling even as she stood waiting at the bar. She glanced back at Zabini, thinking how odd it was that he was standing there by himself, without even a drink.

When she finally returned to the table with three mugs of butterbeer, some chips, and two mince pies to split between them, Harry was still in a mood. And once he had the mug in his hands, he began chugging it down so fast he almost choked. Ron had apparently been ignoring him the whole time and was staring longingly at the back of the room, where a certain curvy barmaid was unloading a crate of supplies.

"What are you looking at?" Hermione said coolly.

She and Harry, of course, had been very aware of Ron's crush on Lady Rosmerta since their first visit to Hogsmeade in third year, as he was less than subtle with his leering.

"Nothing,"

"'Nothing's been bending down an awful lot to riffle through those crates," Harry added breathily, between gulps of butterbeer.

Now Harry wasn't the only one grumbling.

Hermione, hoping to finish the day with as little drama as necessary, suggested that they go straight back to the school once they finish. The boys agreed, as they'd accomplished all they needed to, and it would only get colder the longer they were out.

They were soon trudging back through the small town, Hermione between the other two. The three of them had linked arms and huddled a bit as they walked through the flurry. The weather had indeed gotten worse while they were inside the pub, and they could see little farther than Leanne Spinks and Katie Bell, who were not far in front of them, and also seemed to be heading back.

On the way, they passed Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop, where Hermione spotted Ginny and Dean through a window. The shop was very pink, flowery and cosy as it was known to be for couples. And not only were they there together, but they were snogging.

She glanced at the other two, hoping neither had noticed. Ron clearly hadn't. His eyes were still squinting determinedly ahead of him. But Harry, who was already on the side closer to the shop, now wore a distinct scowl.

About halfway down the road, Hermione noticed the voices of Leeann and Katie growing louder and more piercing.

"It's none of your business, Leanne!"

They were both pulling at something familiar, but that Hermione couldn't quite make out, when suddenly Katie shot up into the air. It wasn't like what had happened to Ron that morning, dangling as if held up by an invisible object, 'there was no harm done', as he had said.

Katie was floating almost elegantly, arms outstretched. Her dark hair whipped in the wind, and her red coat made her stand out clearly from the pale snowy air.

But one thing made the whole ordeal deeply unsettling.

Her eyes were wide with terror, and she was screaming. One long, seemingly unending, scream.

After what could've only been a moment, they ran up to help Leanne try and pull her from the sky. They tugged on her shoes, pulling at her pants, trying what little they could think of to bring her back to earth.

All at once, Katie fell. Ron and Leanne caught her, and then immediately sat her on the ground as gently as possible, given she was now thrashing and flailing like a wild animal.

Harry had gone for help and found Hagrid, who immediately understood what was in the package they had been fighting over, and warned them not to touch it. It was a beautiful opal necklace, that would curse anyone who touched it.

The four of them; Hermione, Harry, Ron, and Leanne; were then interrogated by Professors McGonnagal and Snape.

Leanne had told as much as she could up to the point where Katie touched the necklace, then broke into tears, unable to continue. Harry had continued briefly about what had happened to Kaite after that.

"She flew into the air, started screaming, and then fell back down," he had said curtly, trying to move the conversation to his own points, and told the professors of his conspiracy about Draco.

Hours later in the common room, the conversation raged on.

"He wasn't even there, Harry! McGonagall herself said he was doing Transfiguration work with her." Hermione persisted, for the hundredth time.

While part of her wanted to support Harry, she knew none of the information matched up. Not to mention, which she never would to Harry or Ron, but getting to know Draco recently had made her sympathize with him a lot more. Even if the wrapping on the cursed necklace did resemble the wrapping on his mother's tin of biscuits, cursing Katie Bell was not something she could believe he would do. That part of her mind that agreed with Harry told her not to be so sure, but it had as few legs to stand on as Harry did at the moment.

"I know Malfoy bought the necklace though, Hermione. It was in Borgin and Burkes at the same time we saw him there!"

"Except I went in right after to ask about it, and Borgin never said it was sold, only its price."

"And, as I brought up about an hour ago already, I'm sure hundreds of people go in there. Even you accidentally went there using the Floo Network before second year. Just seeing him in the same shop as the cursed necklace means nothing. Especially since he left without it," added Ron, who seemed more than fed up with this conversation.

"I can't believe you two are siding with McGonnagal and Snape over me!" he shouted back.

"How ridiculous!" replied Hermione indignantly.

It was clear this conversation wasn't going anywhere, and soon the three of them retired to their dormitories.

Hermione was still fuming as she pulled herself under the covers, ignoring Lavender, Parvati, and Ginny's giggled conversation a few beds over. She would continue going over the day in her head as she eventually fell asleep.

A/N: Hey guys, thanks to the people who let me know that the formatting was wrong! I still get confused about posting on here sometimes!