Chapter Two: In Which Friends Are Betrayed

"What are we going to do with it?" Hermione asked.

"Keep it safe till we work out how to destroy it," Harry replied, and, little though he wanted to, he hung the chain around his neck, dropping the locket out of sight beneath his robes, where it rested against his chest beside the pouch Hagrid had given him.

"Are you seriously going to wear that?" Ron said suddenly. "That thing — it's evil. Don't — don't go around wearing that around your neck, mate."

"I don't want to lose it, alright?" said Harry defensively.

"There are better ways to store it, I suppose," said Hermione, shrugging.

"You too?" Harry said, feeling betrayed all of a sudden. "You are taking his side now? Is this going to be how it works?"

"Harry, you're behaving really strangely —"

"Don't you dare tell me what to do! You know what? I don't need you both. Useless, that's what you are," shouted Harry, storming off.

He slumped to the ground, unconscious. When he came to, he was lying on his bed.

"Hey guys," he said weakly.

"You were being pretty stupid there, mate," said Ron, sniggering. "Putting on a Horcrux? I thought second year taught us better than that."

"There's nothing funny, Ron," said Hermione sharply. "Harry's mind was being subtly influenced by the locket! There is nothing humorous about being mind-controlled!"

"I believe you," said Ron seriously. "But the way you Stunned him, though . . ."

He started sniggering again.

"Well. . . . It was necessary for his own safety. . . ." said Hermione sheepishly.

"Of course it was," said Harry, straight faced. He then started burst into laughter for no reason.

"Boys," Hermione said, turning her nose up disapprovingly. "Seriously, no more wearing Horcruxes from now on. The last thing we want is for someone to get possessed."

"Yes ma'am."

AN: Roses are red, Ron is hurt.

Horcruxes are bad, I like yogurt.

I have developed a weird liking for such poems (who knows why). Anyway, I've been reviewing some grammar things on the net and found out I've been using the three dots (. . .) and four dots (. . . .) incorrectly. Turns out four dots is actually a full stop and three dots after it and is supposed to be used when a sentence is complete but still needs the three dots for continuity or to signal trailing off. I use it frequently and so does JKR in the books. Just wanted to put that out it the open for all the writers on ff net.

PS: The three dots are collectively called 'ellipsis'.