As she predicted, Hermione and Amelie managed to get the term's project together in three hours, mainly because Amelie was the equivalent of a living library. She had an amazing memory for book titles, and even page numbers, so Hermione just had to do what she was told and write down the relevant information in an ordered manner. And then they were done, after five and a half rolls of parchement. Obviously, that was just her part of the project. But she had notes written down for Draco, so all he had to do was transcribe them, and the same applied to Harry. And then they'd be done. Simple.

Although they did have to still spend lots of time in the library doing research – as much for image's sake as to research the Founder's potion. It was still only the end of January, but with Easter coming halfway through March, there was a deceptively short time to do the research, make the potion, and ensured it worked.

Because if it didn't work, it was back to plan a. Trust Harry to get a hit on Voldemort before Voldemort or one of his cronies got a hit on him and then hope for the best.

The potion seemed much more foolproof.

But then, nothing was ever foolproof because as often as not, fools were geniuses.

Funny old world, ain't it? Amelie asked jovially.

It'll be funnier when all this is over. Hermione retorted.

Only if you win. Amelie commented.

We have to win. Hermione replied seriously. We haven't got another choice.

There's always another choice. Amelie argued.

Not if you're a mudblood.

That is a very good point.

I realise that. It's one of the main reasons I actually made it.

Research on the Founder's was going slowly. There was, of course, the standard information on the actual people, a brief and patchy background, and a long paragraph / chapter on the founding of Hogwarts. Even Hermione agreed that once you've read it about twelve times in consecutive books, you've read it quite enough for one day.

There was also the small issue of juggling the complete veritaserum potion. Draco had already written up his bit, adding his finished work to Hermione's, but she was still having to feed it bit by bit to Harry. And he kept turning up at inconvenient time, forcing them to swap books hurriedly so they were researching potions rather than founders.

"We're going to be at this for decades!" Ginny wailed quietly, letting her book drop onto the table with a thud. Hermione looked over from where she was scanning the bookshelves.

"We'll find something."

"Besides information on the founders which I think I can now recite by heart." Draco commented, returning to the table from the far reaches of the library with a pile of books in his arms. He dropped them gently onto the table, and leaned against the bookshelf with a sigh, crossing his arms.

"I'm going for a wander, see if I can find something useful in here." Ginny announced, rising.

"Good luck." Hermione commented, pulling a book off the shelf and opening it, flicking through the pages.

"I'm going to need it." Ginny left the little alcove where they had scattered the books and wandered off.

"There's got to be something here." Draco said, pushing himself off from the bookshelf and starting in on the book on top of the pile he had brought back.

"Hey Hermione…Malfoy." The Head students looked up as Harry walked up. They exchanged looks, and Hermione smiled weakly.

"Hey Harry."

"Why didn't you guys tell me you were researching? I could help."

"Um…well. We thought you were busy with Quidditch practise." Hermione lied quickly.

"God knows you need it." Draco muttered. Hermione shot him a quelling look.

"Says you. So what stage are we at?" Harrry asked, looking around the small alcove. He frowned as he saw all the books on the founders and the first dark war. "And what's with the fascination with the founders?"

"They were here when we got here. Pince was putting them back but we told her to leave 'em." Draco shrugged.

"So…?" Harry said.

"Yes! Guys, I found something. The remaining three founders used a potion to destroy Salazar Slytherin, which was made up from the blood of…oh." Ginny looked up as she walked into the alcove and trailed off as she saw Harry. "Hi." She glanced down at the page number of the book she was reading and then snapped it shut, laying it on the table and resting her hand on it protectively.

Harry looked around at the three of them without saying anything. Something was going on here besides a potions project. After all, Ginny wasn't involved in the project…and she had said something about the founders destroying Slytherin. He studied each of them in term, trying to understand what was happening. Draco glared at him, leaning forward and bracing himself on the table with slender hands, the only decoration on which was a silver and sapphire ring, remarkable similar to the bronze and ruby one of Hermione's thumb. He met Hermione's eyes and she looked away. He glanced at her hands, clutching the book to her chest, and saw a new addition – a silver-gold emerald ring identical to the rings on her hand and Malfoys, apart from the colour. Harry turned to Ginny, and his gaze rested on her hand lying on the book, her thumb encircled with the gold and topazes.

"Would someone like to tell me what's going on?" he asked finally.

"Research for extra credit." Ginny answered with a grin. "You know what Hermione's like."

"You can all stop lying through your teeth, now." He said, dropping into a chair. "Malfoy I can accept. But you two…" he looked at the girls. "You've never lied to me before. Not like this. What's happening?"

"You might as well tell him." Draco commented. "I bet he's near enough guessed already."

"Guessed what?" Harry asked.

"Or not, I suppose." Draco amended.

"Don't be mean, Draco." Ginny chided. She sat down by Harry. "What's your take on what's going on?" she asked.

"Well, you've obviously been lying to me about the potions project." He began.

"Don't take it personally Potter. It was a matter of you or the world and the world won. Don't be sad."

"Draco!" Hermione hissed.

"So you three have been researching the founders, I'm guessing to try and find a way to kill Voldemort. Who, I might add, can only be killed by me."

"Don't be such a bloody arrogant berk, Harry." Hermione snapped, dropping into a chair. "Contrary to popular belief, you aren't the most important person on the planet, nor are you even the most important person in our plan to kill Voldemort."

"You have a plan then?" Harry challenged.

"The beginnings of one." Draco answered blithely. "Although we'd be more affective at planning if you'd piss off, if you get my drift."

"What makes you three so arse-over-head important? Those bloody rings you three wear?" Harry snapped. "Maybe I should get a ring too."

"Be my guest. Here. Try mine on for size." Draco said with a sneer as he dropped the silver and sapphire ring onto the table. It landed with a clunk and did not bounce. Harry stared at it with trepidation, his bravado gone.

"Harry…Draco…don't. Look, Draco, put your ring back on. It's not funny." Hermione said, taking his arm. She reached for the ring, but Draco caught her hand.

"If he thinks a ring is all it takes, let him wear a ring." Draco said, staring at Harry, who stared back.

"And soon, if its going to happen at all. Though we could just explain…" Ginny offered.

"No. I can wear a damn ring." Harry said darkly, and he picked it up.

There was a flash, a hiss, and then Harry's cry of pain. The ring fell back onto the table with the same clunk and no bounce. Harry reeled back from the table, and Draco calmly put the ring back on.

Ginny raced round the table and took Harry's hand, examining the small red blisters where he had touched the ring. "That was mean, Draco." She scolded.

"Hello? Slytherin. And if he was so damn sure it was a ring that made us important, he'd need to try on the ring." Draco shrugged.

"Explaining would have been less painful." Ginny sighed.

"But he didn't want us to explain." Hermione said, coming around the table to where Harry and Ginny stood. She faced him. "Have you had enough?" she held up her hands. "Want to try more rings on? I've got two." She waggled her thumbs at him.

"No." Ginny snapped. "Quit being a bitch, Hermione. We'll sit him down and explain, and he'll bloody well listen. Or I'll make him hold a ring." She pulled Harry over to the table, jerked out a chair, and pushed Harry down onto it.

"Now." Ginny began. "The reason you cant touch our rings is because they are Founder rings, i.e. they used to belong to the Founders."

"Even he could have worked that out." Draco muttered. He subsided under Ginny's glare.

"We can wear them because we are the reincarnations of the founders. You cant because you aren't, not to put too fine a point on it."

"Three people for four founders? How does that work?" Harry sneered.

"Amelie's a founder, too. So I get two rings, Slytherin's and Gryffindors." Hermione said with a shrug. "Draco's got one, and Ginny's got one. That's four."

"So who's Malfoy? Hufflepuff?" Harry smirked.

"Hey! Don't diss." Ginny snapped, swatting him on the shoulder. "I'm Helga, for your information. He's Ravenclaw."

"Nice gender change there." Harry taunted.

"Isnt it just. I'm finding being a guy most enlightening." Hermione put in smoothly. Harry stared at her. "Let's cut the chit-chat, shall we? We're designing a potion that will incapacitate Voldemort, not kill him. That is, as you know, up to you."

"Fail and we'll kick your ass." Draco commented with a shark's smile.

"Whatever. Fail and you're all dead anyway." Harry shrugged. Amelie took control.

"Actually, we're not. After all, Hermione's already dead, Draco's a double agent, and Ginny's my little pet, aren't you dear?"

"Of course, my lady." Ginny bowed slightly. Harry stared around them in surprise.

"You mean you're all traitors?"

"To one side or another, yep." Ginny answered. "I as good as got engaged with Chris Martin in Slytherin and I've got a lovely little tattoo on my shoulder. Oh, an incidentally, Amelie, your dad's pleased with the way you're converting students." She pushed her jumped off her shoulder, revealing the dark mark on the back of her shoulder.

"Of course." Amelie smiled.

Oh my holy fucking god! What the hell?

Tell me about it. Ginny and we need to have a small talk, I believe.

"You're a deatheater?" Harry exclaimed.

"Shut up!" Draco hissed, his eyes flat and cold as pebbles. "Yes she is, and we don't want the entire ruddy school knowing!"

"What about you?" Harry challenged. "Are you one as well? And Hermione?"

"I am." Draco shrugged. "Hermione, as far as Voldemort is concerned, is dead and buried in the woods near my house in Wiltshire. And Amelie is, of course, Voldemort's beloved daughter."

Draco's a deatheater too? But I've never seen the mark!

It's probably concealed, love. Amelie said with a shrug.

All my friends are deatheaters!

Only to help us end the whole shibang. I wouldn't worry about it if I were you.

But you're not me. Jesus, why don't they tell me when they're doing these things?

Possibly because they know you'll freak about it. And it's really none of your business what they get tattooed onto their skin.

You're missing my point entirely!

I'm not and you know it. I'm merely showing reason and being logical, two things you rarely are when you get frantic.

Now, that is not true! I just worry about them. All of them.

You're a good friend, sweetie. It's understandable. Now, you're being called.

Hermione focused back on reality and found Harry waving his hand in front of her face. "Hermione, are you alright?"

"Sorry, I was just talking to Amelie." Hermione smiled reassuringly.

"Told you so." Draco said smugly. Hermione rolled her eyes as Harry sat back, irritated.

"Do you talk to her a lot?" he asked, annoyed.

"Yep. We talk loads. We're practically best friends."

Practically? Amelie sniffed.

Don't be pathetic. Hermione retorted. You know I love you really.

I feel better now. Hermione sighed and rolled her eyes.

"I think you might be in trouble." Harry said. All three students looked at him.

"Why?" Hermione asked.

"She's corrupting you." Harry said simply.

"Oh please." Hermione sighed, and Draco snickered.

"I'm being serious, Hermione. You've changed since you had her…in you."

"You try body sharing!" Hermione snapped. "I appreciate the concern, Harry, but…well, Draco corrupts me more! It's not a big deal. I think your problem is that I'm changing, and not to your liking. Well, I'm sorry, but I'm not going to let you run my life."

"Have you not thought about this?" Harry demanded. "Her name is Amelie Voldemort! She's probably just using you!"

"Harry, I suggest you leave, right now." Hermione said softly, her eyes cold and hard as tiger's-eye gemstones. "Before I throw something at you. Like a book. Or a ring."

"I imagine the Slytherin ring will hurt quite a lot." Draco said, standing behind Hermione, his hand on her shoulder. "So leaving might be the best decision you could make right now."

"Is that how it's going to be then?" Harry asked coldly, rising. "You three against the world?"

"No." Ginny answered, coming forward in front of Hermione and Draco. "It's not how it is. But we're all friends, Harry. And you used to be in the group until you stopped accepting people-"

"Accepting people? You're one to fucking talk, Ginny! You're what, the whore of the school? I bet you have no problem accepting-" Slap. Harry stood stock still, his face still turned to the side with the force of Ginny's slap.

"How dare you." Ginny said conversationally. The words and the tone clashed. "Who I choose to sleep with or not is my business. And if the rumours are to be believed, and you're looking for the whore of the school, look in your own bed. You might want to check for STDs while you're at it."

Hermione repressed a smirk at Ginny's exclamation, although Draco wasn't half so subtle, choking with quashed laughter. She looked over her shoulder at him.

"Oh, why do you bother?" she asked. "He knows you're laughing at him." At this, Draco gave up and broke into laughter.

Harry rose quickly, his chair falling over behind him. "You can laugh all you want." He said coldly. "But you're going to need more than what you've got if you're planning on winning this. You might be able to kill Voldemort, but there's going to be more than just him."

"You're getting us confused, Potter." Draco said calmly. "You're going to kill Voldemort, we'll just help. And we'll deal with the deatheaters as well, making sure they don't kill you."

"Which would be a slight glitch in our plans." Hermione finished. "Bitchiness aside, Harry, we're only trying to win this war-"

"For who?" Harry snapped.

"For Dumbledore, so we can finish school, do NEWTs and move into the world, sans deatheaters." Hermioen continued as though Harry had not spoken. "I realise you don't approve of any of us, our methods, our seeming alliances or anything like that, but in the end, we're fighting on the same side."

"So grow up and get over it." Ginny said flatly. Harry glared at them all before spinning and storming from the library. There was a moments silence, and Hermione dropped into a chair, propped her elbows on the desk and hung her head in her hands.

"I think we can safely say that did not go well." Draco said with a sigh.

"No shit." Ginny opened her book in front of her, flicking through it. "We're meant to be on the same side but how the hell are we going to win if we're trying to stop ourselves from murdering him?"

"He's never going to trust us." Hermione said, looking up, her eyes bright with unshed tears. "And without him, there is no way we can pull this off."

"We'll pull it off." Draco said decisively. "But moping in the library wont help. So. Ginny, you said you found something. Let's hear it."

"Right." She said, nodding her head. "The remaining three founders used a potion to destroy Salazar Slytherin, which was made up from the blood of…"

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