Hermione received an offer to work at the Ministry of Magic in the Magical Antiquities Department immediately upon graduation from Hogwarts. Ginny received the same offer one year later. Hermione, of course, accepted the offer immediately. Knowing full well that she could use this position to help in the search for the horcruxes—for this department tracked, cataloged, and stored items of magical or historical significance. Ginny also accepted the position, for the simple fact that she would be able to work with Hermione. Ginny was still in the dark regarding the horcruxes, as were everyone except for Ron and Hermione.
"Miss Granger, Miss Weasley, my office now," came a wheezy, raspy voice from the open door.
Ginny looked over at Hermione and whispered, "What now?"
Hermione shrugged, and then said, "Coming Mr. Frankberg."
Hermione and Ginny went through the door into Mr. Frankberg's office. "Yes, Mr. Frankberg?" Ginny asked.
Mr. Frankberg stood up—which made little difference, for Duncan Frankberg was a short man who looked more bowtruckle than human. "Can either of you tell me," he rasped, "why I have so many inquiry replies regarding the gilded chalice of Helga Hufflepuff?"
Ginny, thoroughly confused, looked to Hermione for an answer.
"Well, sir," began Hermione, "we've had just so many inquiries ourselves, from Hogwarts alumni, particularly those from Hufflepuff house, why there isn't anything belonging to her on display in the Headmistresses office. I mean with the sword of Godric Gryffindor and all, they feel left out."
"Enough," Mr. Frankberg said waiving his hand in annoyance. "Miss Granger, you could ramble a man to death with your infinite knowledge of nothing at all. Anyway, take these replies and be off. And I don't want to hear anymore of Helga Hufflepuff's belongings, understood?"
"Yes, Mr. Frankberg," Ginny replied.
Mr. Frankberg nodded in acknowledgement of Ginny's reply and looked to Hermione. "Miss Granger, did you hear me?"
Hermione's head snapped up, for her attention had been on a piece of parchment that slipped out of the stack. "Oh, um, yes, Mr. Frankberg, no more."
"Very well." Mr. Frankberg took the stack of parchment from his desk and handed it to Hermione.
Hermione took the stack and bowed herself from the room, "Thank you, Mr. Frankberg."
Ginny followed her out. When the two were back at their desks Ginny asked, "What was that about? I haven't received any inquiries on anything relating to any of Hufflepuff's possessions."
"You haven't?" Hermione asked, surprised. "Well, I have, and I think I may have a lead on where we can find it. I saw it here a moment ago. Here, you take half and help me look." Hermione handed Ginny half the stack.
Ginny took it reluctantly. "What exactly am I looking for?"
"Anything regarding the location of the cup."
Ginny shrugged, and sighed, "Alright."
Ginny got two pages in before, "Uh, Hermione?"
"Hmm?"
"I found something, I'm not sure what you are looking for, but I found, something. There's a name at the top, but there's so much grime on it, I can't read it, then it says 'Stay out of the Dark Lord's business, if you want to live.'"
Hermione took the page from Ginny. "Let me see if I can make it any more legible." She pulled out her wand and waved it over the page. "Abstergrere inquinare." The page trembled as the magic washed over it. A layer of grime vanished from the page. "Regulus," Hermione whispered.
"Who?" Ginny asked.
Hermione looked at her. "Regulus. Regulus Black."
"I thougt he was a death eater."
"Maybe there's more to this mystery than we first thought."
"So is that what you were looking for?"
Hermione shook her head, "No, but keep looking, I know it's in here."
xxxXXXXXxxx
Harry and Ron, after passing all of their NEWTS, both became aurors. Recently they were going through the old files on the sightings of Lord Voldemort. They were trying to see where, if anywhere, he frequented most to get a clue to where he hid the other horcruxes. When Dumbledore died, it left Harry clueless as to how to look for them; this was the only thing he could figure to do.
"Mortlake. That's the fifth file today with a sighting in Mortlake. That makes twenty I've found this week." Ron looked at Harry, "It's worth a look."
Harry agreed, "We have some free days next week, we'll plan to look then."
Ron stood up and stretched. "Do you think this trip will be more profitable?"
"It depends."
"On what?"
"On whether or not Voldemort had any special connection with this place. I mean the locket was in a cave where he tortured children when he was just a child himself. The question is: does this town have in significance to him?"
Ron went back to his desk and picked up the file he was reading. "Well, it says here, that three muggle's were found beside a well, dead. The police found nothing to explain the deaths, which would make since if the Avada Cadaver curse was used. Anyway, when the families claimed the bodies for burial, each said that there was an item missing. They were all missing pocket watches. An odd thing to be missing, but if Voldemort does keep trinkets, then it may explain the missing watches."
Harry nodded in agreement. "This trip may be profitable after all. The well, did it say where it was? That may be the beginning of the path."
Ron flipped through the file again. "It just says west of Sheen Lane."
"Well, that's where we'll start. It's your turn to tell the girl's that were going away."
Ron looked at Harry disheartened, "Oh, come on. You know what Hermione did last time I told them."
"Yeah, I do. But we agreed we'd take turns."
Ron sighed. "Fine." He took out a quill and ink jar from his top drawer. He then grabbed a fresh piece of parchment from the top of his desk.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm writing a note asking the girl's to meet us for lunch. I'll tell them then." Ron scribbled the note quickly then folded the parchment into an airplane. He picked up his wand and muttered, "Advolare aerium planum."
The paper airplane's wings started flapping and zoomed out of the office door. It fluttered down the hall then went into the lift. At the desired floor it fluttered out and down another hall then finally into the Magical Antiquities Department where it landed softly on Hermione's desk. Hermione picked it up and read it. "Ginny, the boys want to meet for lunch."
"Olay," Ginny replied. "Hermione, what was on the page you were looking for?"
"I'm not sure what the whole thing said, but it was from a wizard saying that he had seen it, that's all."
"Well, I think I may have found it. It says:
Miss Granger,
I came along your correspondence by a friend of mine. He says that I have seen what you are looking for. I saw a man, for he was a man at the time, many, many years ago, in the town center with it. Later in life he became the most feared wizard. Anyway, several years after another man came looking for it. I'm not sure what his first name was, but his sur name be Black. He never found it though. Couldn't figure out where it was hidden. Once I learned that it was Lord Voldemort I saw with it, I had no inclination to find it. I hope my information has been helpful.
Sincerely,
Reginald Barlow"Is that all?" Hermione asked.
"Yes, but don't you find it interesting he mentioned, 'Black'?"
"Very. Where did that one come from anyway?"
"Mortlake."