A/N: Welcome back!
I hope you guys are enjoying the story! If you are please drop a review!
Draco had to study with Hermione, considering her potion was not up to mark today.
Blaise had vowed to stick to Draco no matter what, so he was there with him.
Harry and Ron were there because Hermione insisted they begin revising from day one for the NEWTs even thought the tests were a year away.
The truth however, was that the boys were there just to watch Draco Malfoy refuse to help Hermione Granger on the first day of school
"Tell me what I did wrong…" Hermione asked again
"No" Draco said with a smile
"Did I not prep the ingredients properly?" She asked
"Yes…" He said
"Which Ingredient?" She asked
"Not a yes or no question…" He said in a sing song voice
Blaise, Harry and Ron were snickering a little…
"Oh shut it! If you had any decency Harry, you'd tell me yourself…" She snapped
"I would have, but I'm deeply offended you went to ferret boy instead of coming to me, your oldest friend…" Harry said in a mock huff
Ron had to stuff his fist in mouth to stop himself from laughing. Blaise and Draco had their fists pressing against their pursed lips to stop themselves too
"I hate the lot of you…" Hermione said and then began to read the instructions again
Just then Fawks flew in from the window and landed in front of them. As soon as Harry untied the notes attached to his leg, he flew off. One note had Harry's name on it, the other had Hermione's
"What is it?" Ron asked
"Dumbledore wants to have private lessons with me every Wednesday…" Harry said softly and all the eyebrows at the table went up and they all turned to look at Hermione
"He want's to meet me on Saturday evening for a conversation…" She said looking up at Draco
Their eyes met and they wondered if they were in trouble
—
Draco and Blaise had put up a brave front but the truth was they had an impossible task set before them, and Snape knew it.
"They have to fix the vanishing cabinet…" Snape told McGonagall "Lucius associate, Mr. Burke from Borgin and Burk's told us that the pair is here in the room of lost things… The idea is to launch an invasion into the castle at the end of the year feast taking young soldiers and killing Dumbledore… the deed however will have to done by Draco…"
"I see… and?" McGonagall asked. Over the years she had learnt to read Snape, he had after all been her student before he'd been her colleague
"And? And nothing…"
"Come now, there is no way Narcissa let you off the hook with her sin facing an impossible task…"
"I…"
McGonagall waited patiently as Snape paced her office and finally took a seat
"I may have made an unbreakable oath to ensure I fulfil this task if Draco can't…" Snape said letting out a breath
"Why on earth would you do that!" McGonagall said not expecting this in the least
"Bellatrix… she wanted to test my loyalties to the Dark Lord and so she added it in as the bonder…"
They sat in silence for a while and finally it was McGongall who spoke "I suppose it's time I had frank conversation with Albus over tea this weekend…"
—
"What could he want to talk to me about?" Hermione asked frantically as Draco and she had dashed from the library to their room to talk freely. Ron and Harry wanted to follow but Blaise stopped them.
"I don't know… do you think he knows about us?" Draco asked calmly
"Maybe he wants me to help you, offer you asylum?" Hermione said reassuring herself more than him
"He knows that's not possible…" Draco said calmly
"Then what?! Do you think he knows you've taken the mark? Snape might have told him? Does he want to make you a prisoner? Or take you hostage? Or… I don't know, what if he want's to torture you for information?!" Hermione said gasping she was pacing like a freak lioness ready to attack anyone who dared to touch Draco
Draco on the other hand was simply sitting in a chair by a desk. Hands clasped, eyes low, running through all the possibilities in his head "He doesn't have to torture me 'Mione, we have veritaserum and legilimency…"
"How can you be so calm!" She asked
"I'm thinking… also there's no point stressing about something we don't know…" He said evenly, then stretched out his hand "Come here…" When she continued to pace he gave a small smile and called her again "Come here my lioness…"
She sighed and plonked on his lap "nobody is gonna take me away from you…" He said softly
"I won't let them…" She said resting her forehead against his
"Neither will I…" He whispered tightening his grip on her
—
Wednesday came around and Harry saw Bob Ogdens memory. As he got ready to leave, he asked "Sir, am I allowed to tell Ron and Hermione everything you've told me?"
Dumbledore considered him for a moment, then said, "Yes, I think Mr Weasley and Miss Granger have proved themselves trustworthy. But, Harry, I am going to ask you to ask them not to repeat any of this to anybody else. It would not be a good idea if word got around how much I know, or suspect, about Lord Voldemort's secrets."
Harry nodded and left 'He knows…' Harry thought 'he knows about Hermione and Draco…'
He walked up to the room of requirement where they had agreed to meet. The room had turned into a little cozy nook with some comfortable couches and fire. Harry told them about the memory he'd just seen and also of Dumbledore's warning.
"So we're sure it was the riddles from little halgington… who were the descendants of Slytherin…" Blaise confirmed as Hermione's face paled as she thought of her great grandfather and the fate that came to pass. Draco just held onto her as she curled further into him…
"They were speaking in parseltongue and you still understand it…" Ron said remembering their second year and shuddering a little
"Did he tell you what happened next? Besides evil Tom I mean, did he speak about the woman he was riding with?" Hermione asked softly looking into fire
"No… I'm so sorry 'Mione…" Harry said taking one of her hands "Also I think Dumbledore knows… about you and Draco… He mentioned that he didn't want word to get around about how much he knew…"
"S'not your fault…" She gave him a soft smile. "We had a feeling he might know…"
"Yea I mean it's Dumbledore after all…" Draco said softly
Suddenly as if a thought had struck her she sat up "Harry! Is it possible that you can only talk to Snakes cause you know, you might be a Horcrux?" She asked
"Dunno… why?" He replied
"But what if that's not true, I'm sure Salazar Slytherin had a bunch of descendants, what if you really are the heir of Slytherin too?" Blaise said and when everyone looked at him he said "I mean logically speaking it could be possible…"
"No you're right…" Hermione said "What if Harry is the heir of Slytherin, or related to him in some fashion, it would mean that he and Voldemort and I are related!" Hermione said excited
"And that would mean?" Draco asked confused as to where this was going
"I dunno yet, but maybe this whole thing is all about familial magic…" Hermione said
"I think it's time to smash that prophecy ball…" Blaise said seriously
—
Later that night as Harry narrated the memory and Hermione's theory to Sirius and Lupin, he could see they were more than just concerned. It was the same for Snape who heard it from Draco and Blaise.
"Here…" Snape said handing Blaise and Draco an old tome "This should help with the vanishing cabinet…"
"…You want me to do it?" Draco asked a little shocked, he'd hoped that Snape would present him with a solution no condemn his soul to be split
"You will have to fix the cabinet Draco… The plan will have to be executed…" Snape said flatly
"But…" Blaise started
"I know… I know better than the both of you the consequences of the plan, however I also know the repercussions if you fail… You focus on the task at hand… I on the other hand will focus on how to ensure the consequences and repercussions are nullified…" Snape said dismissing them with a wave of his hand
As the boys got up to leave Draco asked "My father?"
"Is recovering in Germany… You mother is with him, but she is here quite often as well…" Snape said with a gentleness that only Draco Malfoy knew his godfather had
Draco nodded and left
—
Narcissa arrived back at Malfoy Manor in Wiltshire and headed straight for her study thinking back to the conversation she had with Grindelwald
Flashback Begins
"Marvolo Gaunt… He was a fellow Hallow Hunter… he was actually considered an expert in them… He believed he was a direct Descendent of Cadmus Peverell and Salazar Slytherin… He could speak parseltongue of course, but back in the day it was not considered a dark art, in fact it was something many tried to acquire through study, charms and potions… I never met the man, but I'd heard a lot of him… However, everything I'd heard pointed to a man resting on his laurels. Not a man of action… Why?" Grindelwald asked
"The Dark Lord's name is actually Tom Marvolo Riddle… I couldn't think of any Riddles as wizards, so I wondered… Do you think his mother could have been a witch?"
"I'm not sure if Marvolo Gaunt had any children, but if he did and one of them married a muggle, he or she would be disinherited in a heartbeat. Marvolo Gaunt was a purist, he even thought of Veela as beasts…"
"Is see…" Narcissa said contemplating Voldemort
"Have you had any luck discovering the Obscurus?" Grindelwald asked
"Not yet…" She said curtly
"Lucius seems to be doing better… he joined me for tea yesterday…" Grindelwald said
"I am grateful you both have each other for company and chess…" Narcissa said getting up to leave
"Do call on me for anything Lady Malfoy, I am not unaware that I am her only so long as I'm useful…" Grindelwald said with a soft bow
Narcissa's eyes gleamed a little in approval as she took her leave to go see her husband.
Flashback ends
As she sat in the study, the floo roared to life and Snape head popped in it
"Please come through now…" Snape said disappearing
When Narcissa emerged, untouched by soot she found herself in Snape's private office with McGonagall already seated. "Evening Professors…." She said
"Mrs. Malfoy…" McGonagall greeted with a nod
"Yes, we're all here and it's evening… Do you remember we were pondering on the name Marvolo?" Snape said looking at Narcissa, diving right into the matter at hand
"No need to be so snippy Severus…" McGonagall admonished in used tones as Narcissa responded with "yes.. why?"
"Turns out he may be the maternal grandfather of the Dark Lord…" Snape said and dove into an explanation of the memory. He then went on to tell them of the theory of Hermione as well as her lineage. Once he finished there was a moment of silence in the room
"As it turns out, my sources tell also me that Marvolo Gaunt was a Hallow hunter who believed himself to be a descendent of the Cadmus Peverell…"
"The brother who is believed to have received the resurrection stone?" McGonagall asked
"Yes, the very same…" Narcissa said as Snape and McGonagall exchanged a look that didn't go unnoticed "What?" She asked
"Dumbledore was a hallow hunter…" McGonagll supplied "… and while he says he's given it up, I don't believe he has…"
"Is that how you think he came upon the Gaunt's memories?" Snape asked
"Yes, I do, it just so happened that they also coincided with those of the Dark Lord…" McGonagall said "… and while Ms. Granger may be on to something about the familial magic, I don't think that's what Dumbledore is thinking…"
"You think he wants potter to find the resurrection stone and die so that if he's a Horcrux he can be revived…" Snape finished understanding
"Would that even be possible? I mean, how would one control which soul returned? Even if the body was kept safe, we could end up reviving the Dark Lord for all we know…" Narcissa said horrified
"Since the existence of the hallows has never been proven, there are several theories on how they can be used… We would need an experienced Hallow hunter to know, if that's truly possible and the only one I can think of, believes in Nargles and Crumple-Horned Snorkacks…" McGonagall said sighing
"I might have a few sources I can reach out to…" Narcissa said getting up to leave "I really must go or Bellatrix will come looking for me… There is a revel tonight…" She said looking at Snape who merely gave a nod of understanding "… and Severus…"
"Don't worry Cissa… They have already started and McGonagall knows…" Snape said
"They will get all the help they need…" McGonagall said putting a hand on her shoulder
"I am grateful but do try to be inconspicuous about it…" Narcissa said throwing a handful of powder into the floo and disappearing in a burst of emerald green flames
—
The rest of the week passed by in a flash. The 6th years thought that they wouldn't have to worry about NEWTs till next year and yet every class started with a NEWTs speech and career prospects. By the time Saturday came around they had so much homework piled up, they couldn't even think of enjoying their free periods. It was obvious that Draco and Hermione hardly saw each other out of class especially since Draco was busy most nights with his own special mission - one he hadn't yet told Hermione.
Saturday was also the first ever Apparition lesson for the 6th years who had come of age or were going to come of age in August. Once that was done, with Destination, Determination, and Deliberation Hermione made her way to the headmaster's office but was pulled into an alcove by Draco
"Hey!" She said a little shocked then seeing who it was she went "Oh, hey… Where have you been all week? " She asked
"I know, I'm sorry… Are you going to meet Dumbledore?" Draco asked
"Yes, why?" Hermione responded noticing how he looked tired and his eyes looked a little bloodshot from sleep deprivation, they had been getting worse all week…
"I need you to ask Dumbledore for help. I need you to tell him to hide you and your parents… preferably abroad, not in Europe, maybe you could go to America to ilvermorny I'm sure they'd love to have you… you got great OWLs and then you'd be taking the HARE's there and you can be safe…"
Hermione was touched but also confused "Draco… What's wrong? You've been practically missing all week… even your prefect duties, you look exhausted and now this?" She asked
"Nothing, I just… I really think you should leave England until all this blows over and the Order or the Ministry can figure out how to overthrow the Dark Lord…" He said
"What are you not telling me?" She pressed on noticing that he'd gone back to calling Voldemort the Dark Lord
"I… 'mione, I can't… please… just trust me and please ask him for this okay… I have to go… I love you…" he kissed her deeply and left before she had a chance to ask him anything else
Before she knocked on the door, she took a deep breath and threw up her Occlumency shields. She ensured they were firmly in place as the door swung open and Dumbledore said
"Good evening Ms. Granger… I trust you had a good Apparition lesson…"
Next chapter coming tomorrow!
Please review!