Hatred's Aside

"Ron, Hermione, let's get back to the common room. I don't fancy telling you guys something in public," said Harry.

"Harry? Where are you?" asked Hermione.

"I'm under the invisibility cloak," said Harry.

'Why can't you just take off your cloak?" asked Ron.

"I can't. I'm hiding something. I'll show it to you later in the common room." And Harry left.

"Harry, we can go back together at least so that you can tell us what happened," said Hermione.

There was no response. And Hermione's temper rose. "I hate it when he does that. It's as if I'm mad, talking to myself."

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Harry was already in the common room by the time Ron and Hermione had reached there. "So what is it that you want to tell us?" asked Hermione impatiently.

"This," said Harry, showing them the Hufflepuff cup.

"What? Did you auctioned that thing from Borgin's Burkes or what," said Ron, not realizing that it was actually the Hufflepuff cup.

"Actually, I stole it. And if you did not realize, this is the Hufflepuff cup and one of Voldermort's hocrux."

"Are you serious? Hey, can you let me destroy it this time since I missed the action when you two destroyed the locket," asked Ron.

"Ron, honestly, it doesn't matter who destroy it. It's not as if your name will be written in history as the one destroying Voldermort's hocrux," said Hermione.

"Yeah Ron. And even if it's written in history, we shall do it together shall we?" said Harry.

"Yeah. We should," said Ron, looking a little disappointed.

"Alright then. At the count of three, cast the cerato spell on the cup. 1…2….3" said Hermione.

"Cerato," shouted the threesome. And something similar happened. The cup was splitting itself and there was a bright light shimmering out of it, just like it has when the locket has been destroyed.

"Bloody hell. What a great effect that was. Don't you think?" said Ron with an amazed look.

"It's not great when you've seen it twice," said Harry.

"Yeah. Anyway, are you going to tell us what happened inside Borgin's Burked just now?" asked Hermione.

Harry told them what had happened, how Snape had pointed to him the cup and cause a diversion for him to steal the it.

"How could it be Snape? I mean, how did Snape know about the hocrux?" asked Ron.

"Dumbledore must have told him," said Hermione.

"But how could Dumbledore have told Snape. Dumbledore didn't even tell Professor McGonagall. And she is obviously more trustworthy than Snape," said Harry.

"Harry, it's not about being trustworthy or not. Dumbledore probably just thought that even by telling Professor McGonagall, there was nothing she could do. Snape is more useful and by telling him, there was a higher chance of gaining the hocrux, just as it had proved so just now," said Hermione.

"But how could Dumbledore possibly know that Snape was helping him, and not trying to pull his leg?" asked Ron.

"How many times have you doubted Snape's allegiance and how many times have he proven you wrong?" Hermione demanded.

"It doesn't matter how many times he had shown that he is loyal to Dumbledore. It just take one action for him to turn his back on us. And it could prove very costly then," Ron retaliated.

"Hermione, are you actually on Snape's side?" said Harry.

"I'm obviously on your side Harry, and so does Snape. And that makes us on the same side."

"Snape is not on our side. He's a death eater. He's been branded with the dark mark. It was him who overheard Professor Trelwaney's prophecy about me and Voldermort. He was the reason my parents were dead. And he hated my dad, Sirius and Lupin. Isn't that enough to tell you he's not on our side," said Harry angrily.

"Yes and no. I know he hates us all just like we all hate him. But no matter what, he has proven time and time again that he is indeed on our side. And if we can't even co-operate with people on our side, defeating Lord Voldermort is out of the question, especially when their death eaters are more united than us," shouted Hermione and she stormed out of the room in anger.

"She might just have a point there you know," said Ron.