Disclaimer: The same as the previous chapters.

Chapter 72

Harry Potter was eyeing the scabbard, the stationary portrait of Albus Dumbledore, and the Sort Hat warily. Beside him, Draco Malfoy too was busy noting down his observations in a notebook. When the Gryffindor man quirked an eye at the notebook, the Slytherin retorted in hushed whispers," Pottah, we better get our notes in place. We don't want to miss out on things and jeopardize Hermione's chance at getting better.``

"So you really...I mean," Harry tried to say it then grimaced.

"Yes, if you want me to spell it out, then I will, I just don't fancy her, it is not a 'love-at- thousand- million-sights'. I never knew when she started growing under my skin. I love Granger. Period. And I am going to do everything in my power to save her. Are we done here, or you got more silly questions to ask! We can't waste our time!" Malfoy hissed, glancing back at the Headmaster and the Deputy Headmistress deep in conversation on the couch right across their twin armchairs. Once he was done, scribbling in the small leatherbound, he shoved it into Harry's lap, muttering irritatedly," Just read it and see if we missed out anything."

Harry watched him approach the Headmaster's desk and study the scabbard intently. Malfoy was smart enough not to touch it. Blinking his eyes, he flipped through the hastily written notes made by the man. Yup, ferret's right, Snape would want to see these. Though even Malfoy is clueless about those collectibles in the cupboard. He eyed the man's small sketches with interest and mused,' at least his drawing is decent enough.'

Rereading the lines, where the blonde had mentioned about the family crests, Harry asked urgently," Malfoy?"

Draco didn't turn, but he said," What's it?"

"Uhm, why do you think Hermione will have Pureblood family Crests lined up at the back of the cupboard? I could make out the Black Crest, the other two…"

"The Lone Raven belongs to the Lestrange, the three Ravens, of course, is the Black one, And the Eagle's beak and claws one is the Nott. Don't get confused, these are older versions. Crests designed are retouched in every two generations. I don't expect you to know much about it. The old families are more orthodox. Before coming to Hogwarts, children of Pureblood families have a lot to learn about their family history. It is boring and tedious, trust me. Something no child ever looked forward to," Malfoy had obviously got a little carried away.

"Potter?" Malfoy had turned his head and was now looking at Harry over his shoulder.

"Yeah?"

"What was Hermione doing with Nott, Lestrange and Black Crest?"

"I am thinking about the same thing. More so, what could be the link between the three?"

Rubbing his finger over the tip of his wand, Malfoy pointed out," Potter, from the practical point of view, Granger did not show any interest in me. Our correspondence was strictly professional, as far as I was concerned. She asked about others, but she never asked much about me. The only thing that plants me into this investigation from her point of view are those elusive poetry lines."

Furrowing his brows the young auror insisted," Well, she saved your neck from Azkaban."

"She did it because she campaigns and knits woolen hats for the downtrodden. My state back then was sorrier than house elves."

"What hogwash! She saved you because you saved us. You didn't rat us out when we were captured and brought to your Manor."

"Like I said, the witch with a generous heart, who never wishes to remain indebted." Malfoy had smirked fondly. Harry caught that mischievous twinkle in his eyes and decided not to fall for his bait.

"Seriously, and?"

"Think practically Potter, I honestly don't fit in the picture. The ministry wants me in the investigation because I was a witness to her final breakdown in the archives. The goblins strongly maintained that I was roped in. They even got Shacklebolt, well we can't rule out the Ministry in that, to reduce my mother's tenure of house arrest and get her involved in the investigation. Don't you think the Malfoys are working as the third wheel here?"

"When you say it like that, it does make sense Malfoy, but you are forgetting one crucial thing?"

"I know what you are suggesting and that has baffled me the most. I am tailing Snape and you around because Granger insisted upon it. Not a single thing in her house will reveal itself unless we three are present or have permitted it. It's like we three are its secret keepers, and we weren't even aware of it. Other than that, there is only one thing that can tie this whole thing together. And I am not liking where my thoughts are leading me…"

Since the man had grown quiet, Harry thought of letting him be for a while. Love was a strange emotion. In this very room, there were two people present who had experienced the plight of unrequited or forbidden love.

Across the two young wizards, Severus had just concluded his tale about their eye-opening visit to the Granger' Residence. Harry noticed the man was reluctant to say much about the Slytherin Clubhouse in the dungeon and had just mentioned it with bare minimum facts. He noticed McGonagall's eyes grew tight until they were more like the eye of a pair of needles. He chuckled inwardly,' how apt, a cat is always a cat.'

The older witch didn't say anything until Snape had stopped. She looked about and made an approving sound when she spotted Harry holding the open notebook in his hand. Then her eyes watched Malfoy hovering over the scabbard. Her eyes travelled back to the centre table where Snape had placed all the contents they had retrieved so far.

She shook her head and mumbled softly," Unbelievable."

Snape was agitated yet he allowed his colleague to speak at her own pace," Miss Granger did all of this...even without stepping her foot inside this castle." She looked at the mute and unmoving portrait of her former colleague, Albus Dumbledore and wriggled her fingers. Picking up the picture of the Medieval Queen "Oh! Dear, there is a lot I wish to tell you. But I don't know how Miss Granger found so much about Godric Gryffindor. Of course, that should be the case because apart from it…" she sighed heavily and stared back at Dumbledore's portrait.

Draco ventured," Madam, do you know the lady in the Picture?"

"Why! Mr. Malfoy, every Head of the Gryffindor House knows her. She is Her Highness Queen Sorcha of the "Búir na mara". She was a witch as powerful as Morgana, yet she chose not to follow her footsteps. She was more interested in fighting for Magic and wanted to convince the muggles that magic was a power which we can harness and do great things, good things with it. Young and zealous, the princess had travelled from the Gaelic Shores to the Moor where the back then the predecessors of the crusaders were banding together. Resentments were growing among the Muggles who felt threatened by magical families."

Snape huffed," But this doesn't explain why is her ghost loitering in Hermione's bedroom of all the places?"

The witch snapped at him," Of course it is vital, Severus. No one knows what happened to her, no one knows where she is buried, and it is all related because it is fabled that the Knights, companions of Godric, the son of Griffey Duir guard her resting place. Her presence at the Granger's Residence is astonishing because it means Hermione has found out the resting place, she has been there. And there are more disturbing yet crucial facts."

All three men were barely managing to control their patience. In unison, they had exclaimed," What?"

Minerva blanched then whispered," Godric Gryfindor of the Moor was a half-blood. Born out of wedlock to young Princess Sorcha and a fine swordsman of the crusaders' band, Griffey Duir. The man never knew the existence of his son. Sorcha never mentioned her muggle lover. She fled back to her tribe. But surprisingly her people had welcomed her back to their fold. Albus had told me all this when it was my time to take up the post of House Head. He believed the "Búir na mara" tribe must have got hold of some prophecy which mentioned these scandalous occurrences and foretold the birth of a great wizard who was both a warrior and a torch bearer of his times."

"A scandal indeed," Snape murmured thoughtfully.

McGonagall nodded, her eyes locked on the picture of the long-dead Queen, "Scandalous absolutely, back then such follies were punishable by death. Whereas, Sorcha of "Búir na mara" not only gave birth to a healthy son, she had even supported him by sending him back to the Moor with his huge band of loyal friends and soldiers. Albus said, perhaps the mother wanted the son to learn about his true heritage. As a parting gift, she had commissioned smiths to make Godric's first sword. Within its core, she had placed his wand."

"And Why are you freely sharing this with the rest of us, now of all the times? Snape drawled.

Minerva looked at him squarely," Our oath to keep this aspect of the lore secret ends as soon as the first sword or a part of it makes its presence known in part or as whole."