Chapter 3
As the sun was setting outside, its orange glow making the gold on the wall glisten, Hermione came down the stairs to the common room and waited. Harry then emerged from his dormitory, holding his invisibility cloak. "Let's go," he whispered as he draped the cloak over both of them.
The walked out of the common room together and silently made their way to the Room of Requirement. Harry mumbled what he needed and then led Hermione in by the arm.
Hermione glance around the room and saw a stone basin, a silvery light emitting from it. She felt the invisibility cloak slip off her body as she walked towards the bowl. She leaned over it in wonder. "The memories are already floating in there," Harry said, sticking his wand into the depths of the Pensieve, calling up the first memory. "All you do is lean over the Pensieve, almost as if you are going to stick your face in it. You will then find yourself in the memory and I will come right after you." Hermione nodded and swallowed her nervousness; she closed her eyes and dived into the Pensieve.
When she opened her brown eyes, Hermione found herself outside of a small cottage and daylight shining. "Strange isn't it?" Harry asked from behind her.
"Quite," Hermione said in response. Suddenly, a man dressed in Ministry robes rushed past them and into the cottage.
"Come on." Harry took her by the arm and pulled her after the Ministry man sliding through the door just in time. . Hermione looked around inside and saw two men and a very frail looking girl. One man looked wild and crazed and the pale girl sat curled in the corner. Hermione watched as the heated argument unfolded before her and took in every detail of the memory, a bit frightened of the two men, who were father and son.
"Let's go," Harry said and soon after they were back in the Room of Requirement. "Voldemort's relatives," Harry explained. "The girl in the corner was his mother."
"He must have inherited the crazy gene from his uncle," Hermione scoffed.
"The ring with the black stone is Slytherin's. Voldemort possessed it and made it a Horcrux. He liked possessions from the house founders. Don't worry about the ring, Hermione, Dumbledore took care of it. There was Hufflepuff's locket, we were searching for it the night of the attack. Some mystery person, R.A.B. has it. That is the real mystery here."
"We'll figure it out, Harry. I know we will," Hermione said assuring.
"I know," Harry said looking at her and he smiled. "With Ms. Hermione Granger, solver-of-all-mysteries-we've-ever-faced on the case, we're sure to figure it out." Hermione beamed and thought of her experiences at Hogwarts. "It's getting late," Harry said. "Let's go back to the tower, before our classmates get suspicious." Harry once more draped the invisibility cloak over them as they walked out of the room.
The hallways were beginning to darken as curfew neared. The two friends playfully pushed and giggled as they walked. The sleeping paintings awoke to look around confusedly at where the noises came from and Harry and Hermione laughed jovially.
The two emerged through the other side of the portrait, Hermione clutching her stomach in laughter and eyes shining. Harry began to calm down, taking deep breaths and a broad grin on his face. "You're smiling," Hermione said calming down herself. "It's been awhile," she added laying her hand on his cheek.
"Then you certainly are a powerful witch to have me smile again," Harry teased.
Hermione dropped her hand and heaved a heavy sigh. "It's been rough since our fourth year. With Voldemort back and our losses, it has been hard to deal." She walked over to the big armchair and sat down. She closed her eyes and leaned back in the chair until she felt Harry Potter squeeze into the space that was left. Hermione leaned her head on his broad shoulder as Harry's strong arm snaked around her waist. They sat staring at the bright fire, Hermione with a light smile on her face and Harry gently rubbing her side until sleep finally overcame the both of them.