A/N: As always, thanks to my beta, Jocelyn – love you bunches. And thanks to everyone who reviewed!

Chapter Six

Severus Snape – in Hogwarts, despite all the wards and protections that should have kept him out. Yet here he was. Hermione felt her heart beating so wildly that she was surprised the sound of it wasn't audible to Snape. She stopped struggling against him and stood still. He waited another long moment until her breathing had slowed down somewhat before finally releasing her.

"Are you well over your panic, Miss Granger?" He said, with a definite tone of sarcasm in his voice.

Hermione nodded. "Yes, sir." It was all she could manage, as her breathing was still not back to normal.

"That was incredibly stupid, even for you." Snape's expression made her cringe. "Running down the hall like a frightened first year. What did you think you were doing?"

"I...the hall was so dark...I heard a noise," Hermione stopped, realizing that her explanation sounded rather lame even to her.

"Have you learned nothing in your DADA classes about self-defense, then?" He snorted. "Not that I'd expect anything less, considering the quality of the teachers you've had. If you feel threatened, first you get your wand out, then you evaluate the situation. You don't run away blindly."

"No, sir," Hermione agreed, chagrined.

"Not exactly a shining example of Gryffindor courage, are you?" He smirked.

That remark was one too many. Embarrassed enough to have been caught this way, she had no intention of standing there while he admonished her any further. Facing him stiffly, she inquired, "Did you come here to give a defense lecture, Professor, or was there perhaps some other reason?"

He turned on his heel and began to walk across the deserted classroom. "Follow me." Hermione started after him, only to pause in astonishment when he simply walked on through the wall. It took her a moment to realize that this had to be the same procedure as that used at Platform 9 and 3/4s at King's Cross. Quickly, she darted through the wall after him, and found herself in a long stone passage. Snape was a ways ahead of her, and she picked up her pace, feeling rather like Alice racing after the White Rabbit. The thought amused her, and she wondered if he would suddenly pull a watch out of his coat and intone, "I'm late! I'm late!"

The corridor took a sharp turn that ended at a heavy wooden door. Snape had stopped in front of it, and taking out his wand, muttered a sequence of words, and the door swung open silently. He stood aside and let Hermione precede him into the room. It was a library, lined with floor to ceiling shelves, books of every subject and description stacked there. A large oaken table with four carved chairs was in the center of the room. The table was empty, save for an elaborate covered crystal case in the center. Snape motioned her towards one of the chairs, and took another one himself.

Hermione was staring around her, enraptured by the sight of so many books, when her attention was drawn back to Snape. He was watching her, and his expression could only be described as amused. "Before you even ask...no, Miss Granger, you may not look at the books. We have business to discuss that can hardly wait for the lifetime it would take to satisfy your curiosity in here."

"Where is here?" Hermione asked him. "Is this your library?"

He shook his head. "This was the personal library of Salazar Slytherin. As I am the only person able to access it, this makes it the perfect location for a secret meeting."

"Why are you the only person? How did you find it? How did you get into the castle without anyone knowing about you? How..."

"Miss Granger!" he barked. "Curb your infernal inquisitiveness for the time being."

Hermione subsided, but her mind was racing. Were there other libraries of this scale undiscovered in the castle? And other walls that Snape could just walk through to gain entrance to Hogwarts? Did the Headmistress know that this place existed?

"Dumbledore told you to expect to be contacted. I am aware that you are going into Grimmauld Place to search for the locket. When are you going?" Snape inquired.

Once again, faced with actually having to give information about Order activities, information that could be used against them, Hermione felt her stomach clench. Stalling for time, she asked, "Could you possibly create some kind of diversion to give us a chance to search the place?"

Snape arched an eyebrow, and she realized that she wasn't fooling him. Obviously, he realized that she was nervous about divulging Order information, especially to him. Expecting that he would react angrily, she was surprised when he responded calmly and persuasively. "I realize that I am not someone you would prefer to deal with on this. I am, however, the only person who can help you. Grimmauld Place was thoroughly searched after we took it. Nothing was found of any consequence. Since then, it has mostly been ignored, but if it becomes known that a large number of Aurors has suddenly show up and invaded the place, there will be an immediate response by Death Eaters." He paused to weigh her reaction to his statements. When she nodded, he continued. "I can keep attention focused elsewhere, and that would enable enough time for a search. So, I ask you again, when are you going?"

Hermione took a deep breath. "Just before dawn, tomorrow morning. We have Order backup and we plan to search the place and get out again, as quickly as possible."

"That would be wise. I will arrange the diversion."

"Thank you." Unable to resist, Hermione pleaded, "Now please, may I ask some questions?"

"Would it stop you if I refused?" Snape retorted. He gave a sigh of resignation. "Go ahead."

"How did you know about this library, and how are you getting in here?"

"I have been getting into the castle in the same way that I got in while I was acting as an agent for Albus. He arranged my access to this library. Beyond that, you do not need to know."

"Why don't the protective wards around Hogwarts recognize you as an enemy and keep you out?" she continued.

"The castle is somewhat of a sentient being in its own right. I don't know if its consciousness is still tied to Albus's in some way, but Hogwarts continues to perceive me as one of its own."

Hermione was silent while she mulled over this startling fact. The castle itself having a consciousness. That must be why... "Oh!"

Snape stared at her. "What is it?"

"The Gryffindor hourglass...that's why it continues to award me ten points...because you gave them to me." She laughed. "It's driving the Headmistress crazy trying to figure it out."

Snape's lips twitched in what Hermione could almost swear was a smile. "Well worth the effort then." He rose to his feet, and in a show of courtesy that she would never have expected, he moved to take hold of her chair and assist her to rise. "It would be best if you return to your quarters. Too long an absence would be marked."

"Of course." Hermione prepared to follow him out but paused as she noticed again the crystal case in the center of the table. "What a beautiful thing this is. What does it contain?"

Snape reached past her, and lifted the lid. Inside was a scroll, tied with a green ribbon, to which was attached an elaborate seal. It was a heavy thing, of beaten silver inscribed with intertwining snakes, so lifelike that they almost seemed to move.

She stared at it in awe. "What is it?"

"That, Miss Granger, is the scroll containing the original Slytherin directives by which we run our house. Inscribed by the hand of Salazar Slytherin himself and kept here in his library." He replaced the lid carefully. "Now, as I said, you should be gone from here."

He led her out another door, and through a maze of hallways, until Hermione was so confused that she knew she'd never be able to retrace her steps to the library. She suspected that to be his purpose in taking her this way. Finally, he stopped at an arched opening.

"Do not take any unnecessary chances tomorrow. You will be of little use to me if you are incapacitated." He did not meet her eyes as he motioned her through the opening.

"I'll be careful," she replied. "Thank you for showing me the library and the scroll." He nodded, and she stepped through the archway and into the main entrance hall of Hogwarts. Turning back in surprise, she found herself standing in front of a solid stone wall. Slowly, she reached out and ran her hand over the surface, but could find no sign of any opening. Stepping back away from the wall, she stared at it intently, but could see nothing that indicated a doorway. Shaking her head in astonishment, she turned to leave and caught a glimpse of the hourglasses out of the corner of her eye. With a smile, she observed that the Gryffindor glass still had the ten extra rubies in it. Satisfied, she headed off in the direction of her room.

In the early hours of the morning, Hermione joined the others assembling in the Headmistress's office. Remus and Tonks provided them with copies of the schedule – who would be searching which rooms. Everyone was quiet and attentive. There was a big risk with this undertaking, and they were all aware of it.

"At the first sign of trouble," Tonks explained to them, "everyone is to try for the Floo in the kitchen. If you can't get there, if you're blocked by anything or anyone, get out of the building. Use a door, window, or whatever, but get outside and Order backup will get you out of the area."

"And if anyone locates the locket," Remus said, "it will be turned over to me immediately, and we'll get out of there. Any questions?"

Hermione glanced at Harry and Ron. No one said anything. Headmistress McGonagall was waiting by the fireplace, and as the clock struck five, she performed the necessary spells to open the Floo and reconnect it with Grimmauld Place. Completing the incantation, she turned to Remus.

"It's open and will remain so until you have returned. I shall remain here in case of a problem, but will only close the Floo connection if it becomes necessary to prevent Death Eaters from gaining access to Hogwarts."

Remus nodded. "All right. I'll go through first, followed by Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Tonks will bring up the rear. Remember, keep voices down, and be as quiet as possible while working. We don't want to bring anyone's attention to the fact that we're in there."

He turned and stepped into the fireplace. Throwing down a handful of Floo powder and stating "Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place," he disappeared from view. In rapid succession, Harry and Ron followed him. Hermione closed her hand around the Floo powder and stepped inside nervously. With a dry throat, she croaked out her destination, and spun away in the slightly nauseating whirl of Floo travel. Within only seconds, she was stumbling forward into the basement kitchen. Ron reached out to catch her and keep her from falling. She gave him a grateful smile, and was relieved to receive a grin back. They both turned to catch Tonks as she fell out of the fireplace.

"Right!" she whispered. "Let's get to it."

Harry set off for the third floor, Ron for the second. Tonks was beginning her search of the kitchen, and Hermione went with Remus to look through the rooms on the main floor.

Grimmauld Place had been searched and thoroughly. The Death Eaters who had taken part had trashed everything in their attempt to find anything of import. Furniture had been slashed and the stuffing pulled out of it. Cabinet doors had been broken off their hinges; wallpaper peeled off in great hanging strands. Curtains hung shredded at the windows. Any books left behind had been destroyed and pieces of pages and covers littered the floors in every room.

Hermione stared aghast at the damage, and behind her, Remus swore softly, "Bastards!" He gave her a small nudge in the direction of the front parlor and indicated that he would be in the dining room. She nodded and set off to begin her search.

Determined to go over the room completely, Hermione started at the far end. She put her hand in the torn upholstery of the chairs, sifted carefully through the rubble on the floor, and ran her hands over the surfaces of the walls to check for any hidden cavities. She crawled along the floorboards looking for any cracks or crevices into which the locket might have fallen, but all she encountered was a myriad of dust bunnies and several spiders of an intimidating size. She shuddered, and wondered if Ron was experiencing the same thing on the second floor.

From the parlor, she went to the entrance hall and stairway. There, too, debris was scattered. Each step had a large hole midcenter, where the Death Eaters had doubtlessly been looking for hiding places. The banister had been broken off in several pieces. Once again, Hermione made a complete search of the area but found nothing.

Remus had finished the dining room and gone on to the large living room. She joined him there, and together they completely scoured the area. Still, when finished, they had nothing to show for it. Remus, speaking quietly, directed her to assist Ron on the second floor, while he joined Harry on the third.

Ron was working on the third bedroom of that floor, so Hermione searched the bathroom. The floor was covered with broken glass from the shattered mirror and light fixtures. Broken pipes protruded from the toilet and tub where they'd been smashed and a continuous rivulet of water ran across the tiles. Picking her way through the shards, she still came up with nothing but a nasty gash across her right hand that required a quick flick of her wand and a healing spell to stop the bleeding.

Tonks came up from the kitchen and shook her head. "No luck." She went on up the stairs to the third floor. Ron and Hermione headed down to the kitchen to wait for the others.

"They've made a fair mess of this place," Ron said, dispiritedly. "Course it wasn't much to begin with, but we had some good times here." He kicked aside a large piece of broken platter. "And it belongs to Harry."

"Not much left of his inheritance now," Hermione agreed.

"Nothing but a houseful of trash and a crazy house elf," Ron remarked.

"Poor Kreacher," Hermione added. "He'd be so upset if he saw the house this way. All he ever wanted was to serve his mistress and have his head hung on the wall after he died."

Ron shrugged. "Useless, filthy old bat."

"Ron!" Hermione protested. "He can't help the way he is. Serving the Black family all those years completely warped his mind. He was totally devoted to them. Remember how he fought us when we were trying to clean this place? He kept trying to squirrel things away."

"Yeah," Ron laughed. "It was a real challenge getting rid of anything when he was around."

"Remember when I gave him the blanket at Christmas? He lived under the boiler in that filthy nest of his, and he...he..." Hermione stammered, and stood frozen with shock as a thought occurred to her.

"Hermione? You okay?" Ron waved his hand in front of her face, trying to get her attention.

"Ron!" Hermione clutched his arm. "You've got to go upstairs and get Harry down here. Without letting the others know." She gave him a shove. "Hurry!"

"But what...?"

"GO!"

Ron took off at a run, and Hermione paced anxiously until he reappeared in the door, with Harry right behind him. Hermione pulled them both towards the pantry. "I think I know where it is. And I don't think the Death Eaters would have paid any attention."

Harry looked at her as if she were crazy. "What are you talking about?"

"Harry! Kreacher's nest! He put all sorts of things in there while we were cleaning. I remember when I put the blanket on the nest. I saw a glint – there was something metal down in his nest."

Harry dove for the small dingy door opposite the pantry. It was stuck, and it took Ron's help to pull it open. The big, old-fashioned boiler was still there, and in the small space underneath the pipes was what looked like a pile of old rags. Hermione held her breath as the two boys began to carefully pull them apart. After several seconds, they heard the distinct clink of metal falling on a concrete floor. Ron lifted the remnants of the quilt that Hermione had made for Kreacher, and which he had obviously taken great pleasure in reducing to a rag. Underneath it lay a dirty metal chain to which was attached...

"That's it!" Harry clutched it in his hand.

"Great!" Ron echoed. "Let's turn it over to Remus and get out of here."

The three of them headed up the stairs, but instead of continuing on to the other floors where Remus and Tonks were working, Harry made a detour into the parlor. They followed him inside the room.

"Harry, why are you coming in here? You have to give the locket to Remus." Hermione was extremely worried by the look on his face. "Harry?"

He turned and faced them. "I'm not giving it to Remus or anybody. I'm destroying it right here, right now."

Ron's face went white. "I don't think that's a good idea. Remember what happened to Dumbledore. You could really be hurt."

Harry's face was set. "I'll take my chances. If you don't want to be part of it, then Floo back now."

Ron shook his head. "I'm staying with you. Maybe I can shield you or something."

Hermione was shaking. "This is too dangerous. I'm going to call Remus." She turned towards the door, but Harry sprang forward and caught her arm.

"Don't! I mean it, Hermione. You can either leave and let me do this or stay and watch, but you're not going for Remus."

She'd never felt the power around Harry as she did right now. Thoroughly frightened, she knew that he'd stop her if she tried to go for Remus. Ron was watching them, and he looked as scared as she was. Harry was still gripping her arm and staring her in the face. "All right. I'll stay and help you."

He dropped her arm and raised his wand. Behind them, the door closed softly. She heard a sharp click as the lock slid into place. Harry stepped into the middle of the room and placed the locket in the center of the floor. Moving some distance away, he aimed his wand at it, then looked at them. "Raise a shield in front of us, and I'll hit it."

Both Ron and Hermione pulled their wands, and raised the shield to cover themselves and Harry. He raised his wand and pointed at the locket.

"Destructio!" A blast from the wand hit the locket, and the room around them shuddered. The locket lay in the center of the floor, totally untouched. Ron scratched his head, while Harry walked over and stared down at it.

Someone tried the door. "What the hell's going on? Open up in there!" Remus's voice. Almost negligently, Harry cast a Silencio! at the door and continued to stare down at the locket.

"Uh...don't you think we'd better let them in?" Ron suggested. Harry shot him a look that shut him up and made Hermione take a reflexive step backwards.

Stepping away from the locket, Harry stated, "I'm going to try it again."

"Wait," Hermione urged. "Maybe you need to try another spell."

"Like what?"

"Like maybe Demolirus or Annihilatus? You know, maybe you need to demolish or annihilate the Horcrux."

Harry thought about it for a second. "Or maybe all three. You two join me. I'll cast Destructio again, and the two of you cast the others at the same time."

"But...what about the shields?" Hermione protested weakly.

"We'll raise them at the same time." Harry said.

"All right, but if it doesn't work, will you turn it over to Remus?" Hermione pleaded.

Harry looked at her coldly. "Ask me after we try."

The three of them lined up so that they were at equal distance from each other and equal distance from the locket. Wands were readied and Ron and Hermione looked at Harry. "Okay, on my signal...raise shields, then cast your spell. Ready?"

They nodded.

"Raise shields! Now...!" Harry yelled.

"Destructio!"

"Demolirus!"

"Annihilatus!"

The three spells hit the locket, which seemed to leap off the floor, and then shattered into minute fragments that sprayed around the room. Simultaneously, an enormous green fireball exploded in the center of the room. The force of it threw Hermione into the wall, and, stunned, she slumped to the floor. It was several seconds before her mind cleared, and she realized with horror what was taking place around her.

Green flames were spreading throughout the room, burning greedily in the piles of debris scattered there. Noxious, greasy black smoke was pouring out of the flames, and a whiff of it caused her throat to seize up. Coughing, she frantically searched through the rapidly thickening haze for the others.

Crawling across the floor, she found Ron, lying dazed in a heap. She shook him, then slapped his face lightly.
"Wake up, Ron! Come on, we're going to die in here. Wake up!"

He opened his eyes and looked up at her. "What happened? Where's Harry?"

"He's in here somewhere. Come on! We've got to find him and get out of here."

Crawling towards the back of the room, they found Harry lying unconscious on the floor. Not taking the time to try and rouse him, they grabbed his legs and dragged him to the door. It hung off its hinges from the force of the explosion, and from their position crouched on the floor, they couldn't swing it open.

"Hang on," Ron said. He stood up and slammed full force into the door. It opened, and he fell to his hands and knees gasping and coughing. Hermione grabbed Harry's legs again and attempted to pull him through the door, but his weight was holding her back. It was getting harder and harder to breathe.

Voices...and hands...someone had Ron and was helping him away from the door. Someone else joined her on the floor and together they pulled Harry out. The smoke was blinding, filling the entryway, while eerie tongues of green flame licked across the ceiling and up the ruined staircase. The crackling of the fire was so loud now, that Hermione could scarcely hear the pop of Apparition as Ron and Harry were taken out.
She'd lost hold of the person who had helped her with Harry. The smoke was so thick that she couldn't see anything. She couldn't breathe. She didn't know where to crawl. Sinking down, Hermione realized that she was going to die...

Hands again...then nothing...

Someone was putting something cool on her face. She didn't want to wake up. Her chest burned with every breath she took, and her entire body ached. A moaning sound...and she realized she'd made it.

"Hermione. Wake up."

Unwillingly, she tried to open her eyes. The lids were swollen, which made it difficult, and she was barely able to make out someone standing over her. She closed her eyes and moaned again.

"Poppy, are you sure...?"

"Please, Remus. Try to relax. They're going to be fine."

Hermione made an effort. Slitting open her eyes again, she whispered, "Remus?"

"Right here."

She coughed, and gasped at the pain in her chest. Trying again... "Remus?"

"I'm here, Hermione."

"Harry..." It took a great effort to speak. "Ron."

"They're both here, and awake, and worried about you. You've been out for almost three days." Remus removed the cold cloth from her forehead and replaced it with another. It felt good.

"Remus...sorry...I..." Hermione felt that they'd let him down badly.

"Later, Hermione. We'll discuss it later. Just get well." Remus's voice was very gentle, and Hermione closed her eyes.

Several days passed, most of them uncomfortably, but finally Hermione could draw a breath without pain, and sit up for long periods of time. She was astonished to find that most of her hair was gone, singed off as she lay in the burning building. A number of burned areas on her back and legs were healing, thanks to a burn salve. The formula for it had been developed by Snape, Madam Pomfrey had informed her in an undertone, so that no one around them could hear her mention the name.

Both Harry and Ron spent most of their time by her bed. Ron was as attentive to her as he'd been before they had their argument, and Hermione was grateful to have his friendship again.

Harry was quietly miserable. Appalled by the results of his action, he was having a hard time dealing with the injuries of his friends. The fact that Hermione had stayed in spite of her better judgment, and then had nearly died in the building, was causing him sleepless nights. He'd apologized to Ron and to her, and while she knew he'd talked at length with Remus, it was going to take more than an apology to repair the rift there.

Hermione had also talked to Remus. She'd been honest with him, and told him that Harry's intensity had frightened her, and that she'd been afraid to leave him. While assuring her that he understood, there was still a depth of hurt in his eyes that didn't go away.

Tonks had been much more voluble. She ranted at the three of them, together and separately, and then she cried. And Hermione had cried. Once they all calmed down, Tonks filled them in on what happened after the explosion.

"Remus was pounding on the door, when all at once, we were thrown clear across the entrance hall. I cracked my head pretty good, and he Apparated me out of there. Then he rounded up the others, and Apparated back in to get the three of you. So, there we were – someone got Ron and took him out, Remus got Harry, and then we couldn't find you. Remus and some of the others went in again – seemed like forever, but they found you. You were in pretty bad shape. One of the Order members with us is an apprentice healer, and he was able to cast some spells to stabilize you so that we could get you out of there. In the meantime, the whole building went up in green flame. It was a sight, believe me."

She looked them over, and shook her head. "Remember what we said about not drawing attention to the fact that we were in Grimmauld Place. Well, burning the place down is a sure way to get attention!"

"I wish I'd been awake to watch the place burn down. Sirius hated it. I'm glad it's gone," Harry confided.

Tonks stood up to leave and gave Harry's shoulder a squeeze before walking away.

"Harry," Hermione asked softly. "Are things going to be all right between you and Remus?"

"Yeah, I think so," Harry responded, his face troubled. "I told him that it wasn't that I didn't trust him. I wanted to destroy the Horcrux myself, to hit back at Voldemort...for Dumbledore."

"How'd he take it?" said Ron.

Harry smiled wryly. "You know Remus. He listened, and then he chewed me up one side and down the other." He stared down at his hands for a moment, before he spoke again. "I'm still going after the other Horcruxes, but I understand if you don't want to... I mean, if you're not..."

"You're not leaving me out," Ron asserted.

The two of them looked at Hermione, and she smiled. "I'm not giving up on you, Harry. You're stuck with both of us."

A look of relief passed over his face, and Harry grinned. "Great. Where do we go next?"

"The Burrow," Ron replied. At their looks of puzzlement, he explained, "We've got a wedding to attend."

Coming Next: A break from suspense as the Weasleys pull out all the stops for a memorable wizard wedding!

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