"Here, I worked all weekend," Luna said as she handed Harry a report about ishels.
"Yeah, sure," Harry snorted. "What about Neville? You seemed really cozy with him at the party."
"Okay, I didn't work all weekend," Luna admitted, blushing deeply.
"So are you two dating?" Harry asked.
"I don't know, are you and Raven together?" Luna asked mischievously.
"Hey," Harry smirked. "You can't be heard by anyone around here."
Luna grinned widely. "Oh my god, you are together!"
"We'll see what happens," Harry said. "It's nothing serious right now."
Raven entered the office and smiled at Luna. "Potter, we have to go to the Navitek's manor again," Raven said coldly. "And check out that wall."
"I don't think Luna should go," Harry said. "I mean, after what happened last time…"
"Okay, okay, I got the point," Luna chuckled and left the office, closing the door.
Harry walked over to Raven and smiled. "What's up with that cold attitude?"
"We have to be discreet," Raven said. "You promised, Potter. I don't want Witch Weekly meddling with my daily life."
Harry placed his forehead over hers and grinned. "I'm not that famous anymore."
"You're kidding, right?" Raven sighed. "I might change my mind about this, you are really stupid."
"Ha," Harry said before kissing her. Raven kissed him back and pulled him closer.
She drew away and frowned. "Don't get used to this."
"I don't promise anything," Harry smirked and Raven kissed him gently on the lips.
Harry pulled away as he heard someone knocking the door. He walked to the door and opened it.
"Since when do you knock my door?" Harry asked Hermione, who was determinedly avoiding his eyes.
"I didn't see a lot of you during the party," she said in a small voice.
"Oh." Harry felt his heart drop. Hermione seemed really upset.
"Potter, end this quickly," Raven said as she walked out of the office, pushing Harry aside. "We have to work."
Harry nodded and Raven left. He looked at Hermione and shrugged. "Wanna come in?"
"Yeah, sure," Hermione said softly.
They sat down and Harry sighed. "I can explain, I…"
"You left with her," Hermione said, sounding hurt.
"It's just that…" Harry felt miserable.
"You are my best friend. I expected more from you. But no! She is more important than me. You were at the party twenty minutes, twenty! It was important that you were there for me," Hermione said angrily.
"I couldn't be there, Hermione," Harry said truthfully. "I can't explain why, but…"
"Ginny told me that you broke up with her," Hermione interrupted. "And she suspected Raven. I couldn't believe it, so I wanted to look for you, so we could talk and… I saw you in the kitchen."
"It was you!" Harry gasped. "I thought it had been Ginny."
"Harry, I can't work in the case with you anymore," Hermione said, staring blankly at him.
"Is this because of Raven?" Harry snorted. "Aw, come on."
"No, it's not because of Raven," Hermione said. "It's because of you."
Hermione stood up and left the office, Harry sighed and buried his face in his hands, trying hard not to run after her and tell her that he loved her more than anything in the world.
Later, at the Navitek Manor
"Stephanie?"
Harry, Raven and Neville had been knocking for the past ten minutes with no answer. "Maybe he killed her," Raven said. "You know… the elf."
"Don't say that," Neville breathed. "She should be here… this is very weird."
"SHUT UP! NOW, RETURN TO YOUR ROOM!" Raven grasped Harry's arm in fear and Neville jumped at the sound of the voice.
"Oh! You are quite early…" Stephanie said as she opened the door.
Raven frowned as Stephanie greeted them. Neville entered the house, but Raven pulled Harry. "She greeted us like that last time," she whispered. "The exact same way."
Harry ignored Raven and stared at Stephanie. "Who yelled?"
"It was me," Stephanie smiled. "Ditty sometimes can get very difficult."
Harry blinked and shook his head. "Well… we have to check the wall."
"Oh, please feel free to," Stephanie said cheerfully.
Neville, Raven and Harry went upstairs and entered the bedroom. Stephanie stood in the doorway, her eyes narrowed. "What do you think is in there?"
"Well…We have a lot of wild theories," Raven said. "Maybe you should go away while we check it."
"Oh sure," Stephanie shrugged and closed the door as she left.
Harry pointed his wand at the wall. "REDUCTO!"
The wall fell apart and they gasped. Ishels were everywhere; they seemed to be glued to every piece of the wall.
"How on earth did a house elf do this?" Neville gasped.
The door opened and they jumped. Hermione stood in the doorway. "I thought you needed help," she said as she closed the door.
"I thought you…" Harry started.
"Yeah, well," Hermione shrugged. "I changed my mind."
Raven glared at her and then returned her attention to the ishels. "A wall of ishels…" Raven mused. "That wretched little…"
"Ditty couldn't have done this, he just couldn't have," Hermione pointed. Then she fell silent. "Do you hear that?" She breathed.
"HELP!HELP! HE'S GOING TO KILL ME!"
"Stephanie!" Harry gasped and ran to open the door. "HELP!OH PLEASE HELP!"
They tried to find the source of the voice, with no success. "Raven, Neville! Check the house! Me and Hermione will check the gardens," Harry said.
Harry and Hermione left the house and ran through the gardens. "STEPHANIE!" Harry bellowed.
"OH, HELP, PLEASE HELP!" Harry felt his stomach clench, they were close…
Harry and Hermione arrived to a small lake, and saw Stephanie floating in the middle of it.
"What the…" Harry gasped. Suddenly, Stephanie dropped into the lake and disappeared.
"Oh, my god!" Hermione yelled, terrified.
"Harry heard steps behind them and saw Ditty smirking at them. "Bye, bye!" He raised his hands and Harry and Hermione were blasted into the lake.
Harry opened his eyes. Water was swirling around him, he couldn't breathe at all. He looked everywhere, trying to look for Hermione.
He seemed to be rolling over and over again. He felt dizzy; water was getting into his lungs.
Then he saw her. Hermione wasn't swirling at all, she was floating. Harry felt his heart stop.
She was dead.
A/n: Hermione dead? Oh no! Just kidding. Read next chapter!