Disclaimer: The same as the previous chapters.

Chapter 77

Harry noticed how tense Severus Snape was and he caught Malfoy's attention. The blonde glanced at his godfather and palmed his wand discreetly enough to suggest the other to do the same. He had just turned his head to continue watching the door with anticipation when he felt someone nudging at his mind. Draco too had looked up at both Snape and him at the same time.

'Harry, Draco I don't want anybody to know about that artifact we retrieved from the office. Stay behind me at all times. And apparate away if anything goes wrong. Both of you, under any circumstances, don't linger around. Go and protect Hermione at once.' Snape's hushed whispers left on room for argument. The two men gulped and cleared their throats. From behind them, the older wizard watched them nod their head. Seamus and Blaise stood right in front of the three of them oblivious to the silent exchange.

Remus and Flitwick were waiting with a reed-thin witch down in the Archives, Shacklebolt was along with them. Besides the three men, the witch was visibly trembling. She was thin and bony. Her wavy reading glasses propped over her long face made her look like a malnourished bumble bee. She squeaked as soon as her eyes landed on Snape marching towards the group.

While the others nodded or whispered greetings to each other, Snape looked around and felt the air still crackling with ominous magic. He stared back at the group and Lupin nodded curtly," I feel it too. It is not strong enough, but it is still there."

Shacklebolt cleared his throat and introduced the woman," Headmaster Snape, I hope you do remember…"

The former Potion master of Hogwarts cocked his head and drawled," Hufflepuff batch 88' pass out. A predecessor to Longbottom. So, Ms. Newtwit Schlair, fancy seeing you here of all the places."

"Good...Good Afternoon Prof..pardon me! Headmaster Snape!" she replied all too fast.

"I don't have the whole day, brief us with the situation, and please stick just to the books. Mind you, stick just to the books! Can I safely assume you are the clerical handler of the Archives?" Snape plowed on.

Malfoy arched his brow and smirked ever so slightly as he watched Ms. Schlair, stutter," Ah-hem, Headmaster Snape, yes- well, yes Sir. That is true Sir. I work down here Sir, I manage the Archives' business along with three more ministry officials, who work in my shift...there are four shifts…"

"Ms. Schlair!" Snape interrupted, his voice laced with warning.

"Just to the books! Yes, Sir, I did everything, we, we did everything to restore the shelves and the books. We were at it for nearly 48 hours. But things kept falling apart. Then like a miracle, something sizzled all through the archives and knocked us off our feet." Ms. Schlair paused to catch her breath and dabbed at her forehead.

Shacklebolt supplied," The fire and the smoke and the rubble were nothing but an illusion, it took a day to fade away. The rows 'Q', 'O', 'R', 'S', and 'T' were the only ones that got knocked off. And it was only today morning that the staff of the archives could rearrange the books."

"All but three." Ms. Schlair exclaimed.

"Three books?" Snape tilted his head and emphasized, from the corner of his eyes he saw Filius brooding, while Lupin met his eyes and replied," Yes, three books, and we tried everything to place them back to their original place, but they wouldn't budge."

"Ms. Schlair, could you please lead us…"

"Why of course Sir, please this way," the woman had literally dashed off. The younger men sniggered at her while Shacklebolt harrumphed and Flitwick tsked," Sprout still recalls her as the klutz of the burrow." But Draco noticed Snape's eyes were once again hard and watchful. He nudged Harry and waited for the rest to go first.

Trailing behind the group, the Slytherin muttered under his breath," I can tell, Severus smells a rat. That woman is too barmy if you ask me. Just let's keep our eyes open."

Blaise looked over his shoulder and nodded," Klutz, indeed. But I don't remember seeing her in the evening shift."

"Neither do I, She is mostly the one to patrol the place at night. that's what Smolders told me.' Draco shared.

Seamus supplied," Henry Smolders, the man who actually knows this whole place like the back of his hand, is on medical leave. He had foolishly tried to fix the rows but got hit by barreling books. Knocking him off. After an hour spent at , the healers sent him packing. We checked on him today. He lost a couple of front teeth when a book hit him on his face. Would need magical dentures, but otherwise, he might as well report back to work in two days' time."

Ms. Schlair had led the party to section "Q" and pointed her finger hesitantly at a tome with a red ribbon tied around it. She whispered," That one up there to the left of the fourth shelf.``

Snape drew his wand and walked closer. When he stood right next to the shelf and pointed his wand up at the book, it slipped forward a bit and kept vibrating in its place. He looked over his shoulders and blinked at Harry and Draco, next he nodded to Lupin. When the DADA professor stepped forward and stood behind his back, as Severus inched closer to the book and extended his hand out. Instantly it flew into his open hands. He studied the golden script over the cover and narrowed his brows," Obscurus through my eyes: a private tale by Porpentina Esther Goldstein"

Professor Flitwick had charmed his boots and was hovering over the other side of the tall Headmaster's shoulder. He informed the others," It is a draft of a book. This was not allowed to be published by the Magical Ministries of the world, citing the controversial topic it dealt with. The draft was confiscated and stored by the Ministry of Magic, United States. Until Dumbledore pulled some strings and got it transferred into the British archives of the Ministry of Magic".

The book nudged Snape and drew his hand out towards another direction.

Draco watched his eyebrows disappear into his hairline, while he just uttered," It is more like the red ribbon that is charmed with an advanced 'point me spell' doing this."

"And I suppose it is leading us to row 'S'," Harry pointed out, while Ms. Schlair grinned at him toothily and chirped," How observant! Mr. Potter. Well, why of course, there is a book out of place in this row as well."

The book of Goldstein forced Snape to stop in front of a bookshelf. Here again, another book flew from the upper levels into his hand and Snape read the title aloud for the benefit of the group," Spinx, formidable- the immortal guardians of treasures of the world- Aahmas Ahura Abdel, interesting."

Even this book nudged him again and led him to the section of "O". The others followed the tall man in batted breath and halted right behind him after a couple of minutes. Snape was looking up at yet another row of fat tomes of all sizes. He murmured knowingly," Here I suppose I will find the book that must have been in section "Q" to begin with." Gracefully he stretched his hand and waved it over the shelves. No one noticed the predatory look that passed over 's face, as she inched towards the back of the small group of gathered wizards. She was now right next to Harry, but the man was too preoccupied with the scene unfolding in front of him, that he failed to notice the woman beside him with the wand discreetly trained at Severus Snape. Instead of one, two books flew into the Headmaster's hand. He turned the front covers of both and read aloud," 'Queen Sorcha Lost Letters', and this one is 'Buir Na Mere- the magical army by Nathair Méchant Foi Griffey Duir Peverell ".

Before he could say anything else, Schlair growled and hurled," Ava Kadeva" and in a split second another, "accio". Harry had finally turned at her. In no time, both Remus and he were able to counter her spell as Draco threw a shield over Snape and Shacklebolt. Shacklebolt had tripped on his foot and miraculously escaped the killing curse. Snape's nonverbal spell had tied her up, but her hands were still free. The books flew in her extended hands. but the moment they touched her skin, she started burning up right in front of their eyes. Flitwick's aguamenti couldn't extinguish the blazing fire. Her screams echoed through the empty Archives and five swords out of thin air, pierced her from all directions.

The group had backed away and were now standing in the main walkway between the rows of books. The fire had extinguished on its own and Seamus gasped," She didn't really burn up! Look!"

As the books flew back into Snape's hands, the knights of the Undead turned to him and said leaving no room for argument, " Henceforth, Master of the Prince line, we go wherever you choose to go, Missy's wish is our command."

Blaise had inched forward and in the dim light of the chandelier right above them, he was able to recognize the slain woman. He muttered, his face twisted with disbelief," Ife Abdel, the Eygptian exchange scholar And what the Hell! Isn't that the same pendant we found on Davis? Seamus?"

The Irish man looked closer and turned to stare at Shacklebolt, "Sir, you better get a look as well, I don't quite like what I am seeing, either. Identical pendants…"

But Snape's mind was racing, he turned to Arwyn, the head of the five Knights and urged thoughtfully," Why is it that you all keep referring to orders given in the present tense? Can you hear Hermione? Is she talking to you, commanding you in some way even now?"

All five knights nodded in unison. He noticed it then, along with book as queer quill had landed into his waiting palms. There was only one person who had a penchant for Hideous acid greenish quick Quotes Quills.

A/N: Finally, the next chapter is going to give me much pleasure. Granger back to the scene!