Disclaimer: You know the drill!

A/N: You have no idea how absolutely sorry I am for how long this chapter has taken. I've been studying for two different AP English exams when I'm not at chiropractors, massage therapists, neurosurgeons, pain management associates, or physical/aquatic therapists. A warning… I was in a goofy mood when I wrote the end of the chapter. This is mostly a cute break from kidnapping and confusion. Enjoy…

Chapter 14

Heather was extremely confused. She had no idea where Andy or Castor were, and with every passing minute she kicked herself more and more for introducing her crush to the beautiful, sophisticated Emeline.

By sunset, she was utterly convinced that Em had done something to Andy… like a love potion. She found herself pining for her poor, abused almost-boyfriend and cursing 'that dratted Malfoy' for trying to steal him away.

'She'll regret stealing him from me…'

Heather began to formulate a plan.

Oooo

Harry knew the memory was almost over, as the edges around his daughter's bedroom began to blur slowly. Right before he fell back into Hermione's office, he looked over Darcie's shoulder to read what she was scribbling on the piece of parchment underneath the connection she made about the first gate.

There was only one word, embellished and underlined. 'TRUTH'.

Oooo

Ginny paced the room and wrung her hands. Was Harry o.k.? He'd been gone a long time, and she was worried. Darcie became irritated with her mother's fidgeting, and snapped, "It took longer than two seconds! Settle down!"

She immediately regretted her statement.

"MY HUSBAND, YOUR FATHER, IS STUCK IN YOUR HEAD! DON'T YOU DARE TELL ME TOO…"

OOF!

"Hey hun!" Harry said cheerily after landing on his fuming wife. He made no move to get up.

"Hun?"

"Dad, I think you're suffocating her."

"Oh, oops." He got to his knees carefully and looked into his wife's eyes. She was just, so beautiful… he forgot where he was, what he'd learned. Harry kissed Ginny until her she pushed him up so she could breathe.

Darcie was covering her eyes and repeating, "Ew, ew, ew…"

Draco, Emeline, Andy, and Castor all stood gaping in the doorframe. The latter, having inherited the subtlety of his father, said "Yuck! Get a room!"

Emeline stomped on his foot.

"What was that for?"

"Just to remind you that you're a prat." Said Emeline.

Draco swelled with pride. 'That's my girl…'

Oooo

"So when will this 'ultimate power' thing show up?" Emeline asked Dumbledore's portrait distractedly.

"Young lady, you are in dire need of a lemon drop! Haven't we already established that nobody knows what to look for let alone when? Mrs. Weasley, you know what to do…"

Hermione shot to her feet and practically ran over to the nearest tapestry. She smiled, mumbling "I finally get to try this out…"

It's amazing how seven simple words could ignite such fear in a roomful of friends and family. Maybe if they were "I'm going to annihilate you all today' or 'I've decided I'd rather be a man' the room's reaction could be considered normal. Oh well. Maybe another day, another story.

She pushed the heavy fabric away to reveal an opening in the stone wall, just under eye level. It was only a square, empty space a few feet deep into the wall. Grasping in the seemingly vacant air, her fingers closed, and she pulled out a silver instrument.

Nearly everyone in the room raised an eyebrow. Castor tried to, but the other kept rising with it. It was a talent that eluded him, like unwrapping Drooble's Best Blowing Gum with just his tongue or talking to a girl he liked without his ears going red. Emeline found his exaggerated forehead movements extremely amusing.

"What does it do?" Draco asked, a bit suspicious.

Hermione didn't answer, but instead tapped the tip of her wand to the instrument, muttered something, and set it on a spindly table. It began to whir, some of the parts spinning. Everyone watched, entranced, and Andy wondered vaguely why this one was more special than other ones that sat mosh-posh all around the office covered in dust.

A plopping noise brought them out of their respective trances, and they became fully aware of a golden egg rolling on the weathered wood from its momentum.

"What is it, Mum?" asked Castor.

She picked up the egg and cracked it on the table, revealing something yellow-looking. Still working, she replied "What do you think it is?"

"The ultimate power?" He said sheepishly.

Hermione laughed, and her smile climbed up to her brown eyes. "Not quite."

"What then, aunt 'Mione?" Andy was extremely curious. What would require such a hiding place?

"Lemon drops. Want one?"

Dumbledore's portrait chuckled at the thunderstruck faces surrounding him.

Harry and Ginny looked at each other, silently agreeing that that this was all the proof they needed. Dumbledore was certifiably insane, with Hermione following briskly in his footsteps. Phineas Nigellus Black rolled his eyes theatrically, and Emeline giggled in surprise.

Voldie had hidden Horcruxes, vitally important his survival. Dumbledore hid lemon drops, vitally important to…well, nothing.

Go figure.

A/N: Weeeelllll? Let me know what you think. Like lemon drops, this chappie is pretty much useless. Not completely, because of the first part, but... oh well. And just as a little fact... Castor's issues with eyebrows come from my father, who looks hilarious while trying raise his eyebrows. He's odder than I am. I will try to get the next chappie out faster... reviews might help... hint hint