Author's Notes: This is the second story of the "Shakespearean Arc" series. They are all connected, so if you haven't read the first story, "Much Ado About Nothing", then you may not understand all that is happening. I started this series two years ago (before book 5 had been published). This is an alternate universe where Sirius Black is still alive, the Lucius Malfoy has not been taken to Azkaban, and Harry is still on the Quidditch team. There will be original characters introduced. You've been warned.

italics - means thought

A Winter's Tale

Chapter 1

A strong wind rattled the library windows causing Hermione to glance up momentarily from her schoolwork. Frowning a bit as she watched snow splatter against the rippled glass, deciding she definitely wasn't going outside today. Flipping the page in her history book she smiled inwardly. There was nothing better than reading ahead so she could answer all the questions correctly. She would have the highest grades in all her classes this year, no matter what.

Suddenly a loud "thunk" resounded through the silence followed by barely hushed voices.

"Oops. Sorry."

"That was my foot you almost hit."

"I said I was sorry." There was a pause. "I hope this doesn't mean you won't help me with my Potions homework."

The other laughed lightly. "Of course I will. I'll help you salvage your grade if it's the last thing I do."

Hermione shook her head in disdain. If they were going to talk, why couldn't they be quieter? This was a library after all. Turning another page, she tried to block out the two voices as they teased each other. She couldn't. They were getting louder, which meant they were heading her direction. Great, she thought. Just my luck.

"Oh, hi Hermione." Ron Weasley said a bit surprised to see her there.

"Hello Granger," Natalie DeWinter chorused, smiling warmly. Hermione thought her teeth were going to rot. Ever since Natalie and Ron had returned from being Nothing last September, they'd been inseparable. If one watched how much they held hands, they'd die of sugar overload. They giggled, leaned in to whisper sweet nothings in each others ears and basically made an annoying spectacle of themselves. Malfoy had said as much right before the Christmas holiday and found himself lying on the floor spitting up slugs because of it. Ron had gotten better at that hex.

"Could you two be any louder?" She grumbled. "Some of us are trying to read." They immediately fell silent.

"Sorry about that. We didn't realize we were that loud." Ron scratched the back of his neck.

"If we're disrupting your studies, we can find another table." Natalie said quickly. "Although, we are doing Potions homework. You're welcome to join us."

Hermione didn't have to think about that.

"No." She said firmly, a slight bite to the edge of her refusal. I'd rather chew razors was what she wanted to say, but didn't. Instead she dropped her gaze back to her book until the two shuffled off to another table. Hopefully it was on the far side of the library, well away from her.

After a while she closed her books and stretched. Deciding that was enough studying for the moment, she wanted to start her search again. Leaning backwards, she peaked around the shelves to make sure no one else was around, then dug into her pocket and pulled out a piece of parchment. It's been folded so many times that it was hard to keep open once she laid it flat on the table.

Back in September when Ron has vanished, she and Harry had spent quite a bit of time in the library looking through old yearbooks. The records section of the library, where those books were kept, was rarely used by the students. Most of the yearbooks still had stiff spines because they'd never been opened. During that time she'd come across a small book about various clubs that had once been prevalent at Hogwarts. Most of the clubs in the book were gone now, but Hermione had found it interesting. That's where she'd found the paper. It'd been wedged between the back cover and the last page and had been there so long that she'd originally thought it was another page. Only when she tried to turn it did she realize that it was actually a note, folded in half.

"Dear Queen of the North," she began reading in her mind. "I trust you had a lovely holiday. I am sorry I will miss you this year; I have really enjoyed myself. We had a lovely time didn't we? I am going to trust to you the sacred duty of continuing on our brave quest. We must not fail in our efforts for future generations will one day look at us and be glad. The inner sanctum of the Minotaur's House has yet to be found. I know you will find it. For that I have left to you the instruments you will need. The first can be found with the crying rose that watches the sunrise. The second is with the four fish that live in the House of Tomes. Use these to your advantage. Lastly, I wish for you to find an apprentice or perhaps two that will understand and be willing to join you on this quest. Good luck my dear Queen of the North. Sincerely, Lady of the Greenland."

Hermione had read the note many times and it still troubled her. Near as she could figure, two students had started a fantasy game years ago. The Lady of the Greenland had graduated, but her friend, the Queen of the North, hadn't. The problem was they spoke as if everything were real, even using archaic grammar. She didn't know what the Minotaur's House was, but she assumed that it was Hogwarts. They'd been doing something, but it'd been left unfinished or else she wouldn't have found the note. Maybe the Queen of the North had been transferred or had died unexpectedly.

It had taken her a while to puzzle out the first item. The crying rose who watches the sunrise turned out to be part of a small stag statue nestled amongst a cluster of decorative shrubs that was located on the eastern side of Hogwarts. She'd had to come back to the statue several times before she discovered that if she touched her wand to the stag's mouth it opened. Inside, she'd found the first item, wrapped in a faded pink handkerchief. It was small and appeared to be made of wood.

Currently the item, which reminded her if she turned it just right of the crest of a wave, was resting inside her drawers in her dorm. She'd hidden it under her sweaters, knowing no one would find it there. It was important; she just didn't understand how it fit into the game. Maybe when she found the four fish it would make sense.

Refolding the note, she tucked it away and decided that it was time to take a brief look around. Hopefully she could spot at least one of the fish today.