Chapter 22

Harry stared at the mangled remains of the crown on McGonagall's desk.

"I don't get how you even knew about the horcruxes, Hermione."

She gave him an exasperated look. "From the Black library. You really need to make or find an inventory, Harry! It was mentioned in one of the books I took home, and I planned to research it, but that elf came and stole them."

Harry's temper rose. "Stole them back, you mean! The books belong to me!"

Hermione clenched her fists. "Then maybe you ought to read them!"

"Stop!" Daphne held up both hands. "Let's get back to the point. Horcruxes! What did your research turn up, Hermione?"

Hermione looked to the other girl gratefully. "Well, I figured out pretty quickly that Ginny's diary was one. I overheard Snape telling Dumbledore he should have known better than to put on that ring…so it was obvious that was another. Since Voldemort was clearly using magical artifacts, I thought I might find one in the Room of Requirement, and I did."

"What did you plan to do with it?" McGonagall asked curiously.

"Give it to Harry, and tell him my theory! I hoped…well, I hoped if I did that, he'd…forgive me. Be friends again!"

Harry ran a hand through his hair. "It never occurred to you to talk to me? To ask me to forgive you?"

"Yes it did!" Hermione nodded eagerly. "That's what I planned to do, but then I figured that if I brought you a horcrux, you'd be so pleased you'd be sure to want me back, and we'd be friends once more."

"Oh, Hermione." Harry shook his head.

Hermione twisted her hands together. "But…some of the Slytherins followed me, and tried to take it. And when I escaped, Crabbe cast the Killing Curse at me!"

The assembly gasped.

"It's fine, he missed." Hermione assured them. "He hit the coronet, and a piercing shriek came out of it, and…"

"It was destroyed," Harry concluded. He looked at his long-time friend. "I'm glad you're ok, Hermione."

"Thanks to Millie." Hermione filled them in about the way the Slytherin girl had saved her.

"But…I think Crabbe's body is still in the room."

McGonagall swept to her feet, looking pale. "That must be dealt with at once!"

"Will Millie be able to stay in the Gryffindor dorm tonight? She can't go back to the dungeons."

"Certainly," agreed McGonagall. "A house elf will fetch your things, Miss Bulstrode."

"I can't believe that Nott got away with murdering Crabbe," Ron growled.

"I can," Neville admitted. "He had sense enough to break his wand; can't use Priori Incantatum when the wand is in splinters. After that, well, they all swear that Crabbe committed suicide, even though they tried to stop him."

"Right; it's our word against three Slytherins." Hermione's voice was grim, but inside she felt elated. Harry had been grateful for her efforts, and where Harry went, Ron and Neville would follow.

Daphne warned, "They're bound to try something else. Better be prepared for an ambush."

"Right. From now on we move in groups," ordered Harry. "At least two or three at a time. Spread the word."

Hermione hurried up to the dorm; she had to warn the other girls, and to tell the truth, she was a bit worried about how they would react to the sudden intrusion of a Slytherin.

She stopped in surprise. "What's going on?"

Lavender spared her a glance. "We're giving Millie a makeover."

"You're letting them cut your hair?" Hermione faltered.

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing." Lavender continued snipping away.

Parvati plied her cosmetics with expert hands. "She'll look like a different girl when we're through. There, I'm finished. What do you think?"

Hermione never considered herself a girly girl, and had scorned cosmetics; that is, until she'd witnessed her own transformation for the Yule Ball in fourth year.

Now, as she blinked at Millie, she was sure she was seeing a goddess: a tall, statuesque dark beauty smiling shyly at her.

"You look…"

"Yes?" Millie prompted.

"Gorgeous," Hermione blurted. "Just…stunning, Millie. And I never knew!"

Millie's smile broadened. "You know now."

Night had fallen by the time Remus finished his rounds and headed home. He had decided to skip dinner in the Great Hall in favor of warming the shepherd's pie one of the Hogwarts elves had delivered earlier. It should be just about time to take it out of the oven.

He'd almost reached the hut when he spied a dark shadow hovering near the door.

Silently he drew his wand, and crept up behind the intruder.

"It's me," said a familiar voice.

Remus hurriedly unlocked the door. "Get inside, quick!"

Severus Snape followed the werewolf. "What? No hexes? No questions?"

"I once let a friend down because I disregarded what I knew of him, and blamed him for a betrayal. Yet it was I who was guilty, of failing him! I won't make that mistake again."

Snape seated himself at the table. "Something smells good," he hinted.

Remus served them both portions of the pie, and opened a bottle of claret.

"So, Draco Malfoy killed Dumbledore?"

Snape grimaced. "He couldn't. Draco is spoiled and immature, but a murderer he isn't! The plan was for me to do it…a mercy killing. But the plan went wrong after the Greengrass girl intervened. Dumbledore was supposed to die undefeated, and keep the power of his wand from Voldemort forever."

"I take it that didn't happen." Remus poured more wine.

"No, Potter disarmed Draco right before we fled." Snape removed the wand that Albus Dumbledore had wielded for so many years, and handed it to Remus.

"I'll see Harry gets it." Remus picked it up.

"It might make all the difference."

"You were right, Harry." Bill Weasley handed over a twisted piece of metal, with the faintly discernable image of a badger on it.

"Found it in the vault of Bellatrix Lestrange."

Harry nodded. "It figures; she was always one of his most fanatic followers. She'd guard whatever he gave her with her life."

"So that leaves…" Bill prompted.

"Voldemort's familiar. The snake."

"Fine, but how do we get to the snake?" Ron asked logically. "It always sticks around You-Know-Who."

They were gathered in the Room of Requirement once more: Harry, Daphne, Neville, Ron, and Hermione.

"I'm not sure," Harry admitted. "But I'm wondering if we could set some sort of trap to lure him out…like he did for…" He broke off abruptly, still unable to allude to the way Sirius had died.

"What did you have in mind?" Hermione's voice was subdued. She sat up suddenly. "Harry! I've thought of something!"