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CHAPTER TWO

NAGINI'S REPLACEMENT

Hemione arrived the next morning carrying her luggage as everyone was having breakfast. What was surprising though was that she wasn't alone, for her parents were with her. Harry hastily slurped his porridge to go to her and tell her what he and Ron have deduced about the locket the night before.

"Honey," called Mrs. Granger. "I'll just put your luggage here, by the couch okay?"

"Okay, mom" answered Hermione. "Oh yeah, these are my friends, Harry, Ron, and the rest of the Weasleys."

Mrs. Granger and her husband looked at all of them and smiled, greeting them awkwardly. "Hello. Hermione have told us some much about all of you," said Mr. Granger.

"Well, you've got a smart girl you know," answered Mr. Weasley, who was apparently amazed at the sight of two muggles at his front door. "Say, won't you folks be staying here long?"

"Oh, no no," said Mr. Granger. "We just wanted to accompany Hermione here. But thanks for the offer."

"Well, too bad. But if I may insist, it would honor us to have you as guests for say, a couple of nights."

"What about room? It would be too much trouble in your part. We don't want to cause unwanted shuffling and other hassles."

"No problem, no problem. We have magic tents where you folks could sleep in." Of course, Mr. Weasley was referring to the tents they used in the Quidditch World Cup camp years ago.

"Tents?"

"Dad," said Hermione. "Their magical tents. The look small but they are actually quite spacious inside. So, what do you say? A few days here?"

Mr. Granger looked at the Weasleys for a moment and finally, smiled. "Okay" he said. "A few days it is."

"Good, good!" squealed Mr. Weasley. "So, if you don't mind me asking, do you dentists actually drill teeth?"

Hemione laughed at the question and went upstairs with Ron and Harry. They entered Ron's room and turned on the lamp.

"So" started Hermoine. "What is this about the locket?"

They spent the next few minutes telling Hermione what they think the locket was. It amazed and intrigued her, sure enough, and soon, she was making theories in her head on the origin of the locket.

"This could be it, Harry. It could be the Horcrux. We could destroy it now!" said Hermione.

"Well, if it is the Horcrux, then why would Regulus have it? I mean he was a death eater so why would he try and hide one of Voldemort's souls?" asked Harry. "I mean won't Voldemort be angry?"

"Things may not be as they seem, Harry," said Hermione. "I mean Regulus must have had like a change of heart of something? Or maybe he was good all along, only pretending to be on Voldemort's side to gain his trust and do some spying, like what Snape did to Dumbledore."

At the sound of Snapes name, Harry grew silent and still, staring in space. Pure hatred coursed through his nerves as the memory of Snape muttering the killing curse at Dumbledore. How could Snape do that? After all that Dumbledore has done for him?

"Harry, Harry? Are you with us?" asked Ron as he saw Harry looking out the window, staring at nothing.

"Yeah, yeah" answered Harry shakily. "Let's go down and see what's up"

They noisily went down the rickety stairs and into the living room with the Weasleys and the Grangers sitting on the couches. They walked passed them and went out of the door towards the outside lawn. The sunlight was refreshing as the sunshine hit their faces. They sat down the soft grass and stared at some birds flying above.

"Well…" said Ron. "If you ask me, I say we destroy that locket. I mean it's worth a try. If it's the real Horcrux, then horray for us because it's destroyed. If its not the real Horcrux, well, we lose nothing."

"You have a point there, Ron," said Hermione. "Harry, what do you say?"

"Well, I don't think it's gonna be easy to destroy a real Horcrux. Remember Dumbledore's hand? The black rotting one? He told me he got that from destroying Salazar's ring, the second Horcrux destroyed."

"Oh, right" said Hermione. "I guess we just have to research on how to destroy one. What about the other three remaining Horcruxes?"

"Well. Dumbledore thinks that Hufflepuff's cup, Nagini, and something from Ravenclaw or Gryffindor are the horcruxes."

"Wait, that can't be right," said Hermione. "I saw yesterday's copy of the Daily Prophet and it said that Nagini died. The Aurors found the snake dead."

"What? Then does that mean the soul of Voldemort died with her?"

I doubt it, Harry. I think maybe Voldemort transferred his soul to another Horcrux. He must have known that Nagini was dying so he retrieve his soul back, ready to put it into another thing and turn that thing into a Horcrux."

"Great!" interrupted Ron. "Just great. How are we gonna know what the new Horcrux is?"

That night, Hermione, Harry, and Ron went out to eat at a local Muggle restaurant to ease some stress. Ron was feeling a bit awkward about this as opposed to Hermione and Harry who were accustomed to eating the Muggle way. They sat at the table and got a hold of some menus. Ron tried his best to remain silent as to not say anything stupid to the muggle waiter as Harry and Hermione ordered.

"What will you be having ma'am" said the waiter to Hermione.

Hermione scanned the menu and finally decided on having baked lasagna and a diet coke. Harry went for a plate of fish n chips and a tall glass of lemonade. Ron though, still hasn't decided yet. He was too worried to speak since the waiter was a muggle.

"Sir, what will you be having?" asked the waiter to Ron for the second time.

"Umm" said Ron. "Uh, Harry, a little help?"

Harry sniggered a bit and finally told the waiter to give Ron Chinese wanton soup and a cup of tea.

The night went on great with the three friends munching some food. The restaurant TV then suddenly announced that a special announcement was to come. Harry and Hermione watched intently as Ron, unfamiliar to televisions, just gawked at it. The news lady soon came on, speaking of something important.

"Breaking news for everyone" said the news reporter on the TV. "Our beloved Minister has been reported to be murdered just now, at around seven thirty pm. The minister was last seen walking towards his office and closing his door. After that, people outside his office walking by his door saw a flash of green light emanate from the room inside. No one knows how the light is connected to the murder or what the light was. Upon closer inspection, the investigators found that one of the minister's eyes is missing, apparently his left one. The minister has just been in position for one year, after being put to office last year. This has been Maria Steinbeck for the news."

Harry and Hermione stared at each other while Ron slurped down his tea, apparently unaware of what was just announced.

"Harry, are you thinking what I am thinking?" said Hermoine.

"I think so. Voldemort killed the minister?" said Harry.

"Yeah. With Avade Kedavra since there was green light, right? Well it could only mean… well it does make sense. Harry, this could mean…"

"What? Hermione what?"

"I mean why would Voldemort kill someone important like the minister and get his eye? Why would he be collecting it? He might have some use for it. And the death of Nagini yesterday… This could only mean that…"

"He is going to use the minister's eye as the new Horcrux!" said Harry.

Ron just slurped his tea still, looking at the menu and wondering why the many pictures within it didn't move. Hermione and Harry though, together with all the people, remained in shock as their minister was now no more.

END OF CHAPTER TWO