After a few days had passed, it was evident that Druella Rosier was in trouble. The Slytherin girls shot me resentful looks even more often than usually, of course only when they thought I couldn't see it.

Belvina and Annis had tried to defend me and swore that they were together with me for the entire day, but nobody seemed to believe them.

We had Herbology with the Hufflepuffs and to do Annis a favor, I saved a seat for her. Right next to Martin Alderton.

Her face grew bright red when she sat down next to him and silence fell over our table for the next hour. Until Martin, clumsy as always, cut himself with his own shovel. That boy cut himself on a shovel, I was stunned that he had survived so far.

"Ouch, oh no, not again." Blood was dripping on the table and the Hufflepuff boy next to him looked like he would faint any minute. But Annis, compassionate like she was, stepped towards Martin.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Martin. Are you alright? Can I help you with anything?"

"Mr Alderton, you can go to the Hospital Wing. Mr Andrews will accompany you."

I cleared my throat.

"Professor Beery, I think Mr Andrews is not used to seeing blood. Miss Black on the other hand considers to become a healer, she could go with him." Telling straight out lies, I convinced the old Professor and Annis shot me a fearful look as they left.

Belvina's gaze met mine and both of us had a little smile on our faces.

We had a bit of time after lunch and I went for a walk. It was supposed to be safe now, after half a dozen Hit Wizards had put even more enchantments on Hogwarts' boarders.

It was now so cold, that a coat was necessary and I strolled towards the Quidditch Pitch in a thick black coat. Always glancing over my shoulder and at the forest, I couldn't help but feeling watched. All nonsense, paranoia never did any good, I thought.

As I made my way back, I saw a gleam out of the corner of my eye. It was gone within an instant. Of course, it came out of the direction of the forest, but not actually in the forest.

I stepped back and saw it again. Something reflected the sunlight, it was laying in the grass, only a few metres away. When I came closer, I could see that it was a necklace. So I picked it up and felt my heart stop.

The deathly hallows.

It all made sense now. The attack on me really was meant to end my life.

They saw me as a threat. But how did this necklace come here ? There was only one possibility, they were still close. Or others had come. I swallowed hard, even though I hadn't found anything before, I had to enter the forest again. I hoped for the slight chance of finding anything that could help me, a hint to where they were hiding.

I decided to do it tonight, after curfew. I just had to be careful.

After dinner, I prepared myself to sneak out as soon as most people were asleep (ghosts excluded).

It felt like ages before midnight struck. Fully dressed, I got out of bed and crossed the common room on my tiptoes. Trying not to make a sound, I figured that there might be obstacles on most entrances to prevent students from sneaking out. So I tried the windows, I couldn't detect any charms so far, that fitted my plans rather well.

Now, as I sat in the window, I decided that slowly climbing my way down was a good way of doing it. I had chosen a comparatively high window, considering that this was the Ground floor. But only two metres were managable. I swung one leg out of the window and felt a sudden push.

My face was pressed against the grass and it took a moment before I could recover from the impact.

"Graceful as always," an amused voice said. Tom Riddle's voice. Oh damn him.

I got up as fast I could and glared at him. His face looked angelical, only illuminated by the torches from inside the castle.

His wand in his hand, he didn't even try to surpress his sneer.

Of course, he'd given me the push. What an asshole.

"So, Crane, might I ask what you are doing outside after curfew ?" Why him ?

"What about you?" That was definetly not my sassiest answer, but I didn't know what to say.

"I'm a Prefect and a student is missing. Naturally the school wants us to patrol the castle and grounds."

That git. Taking deep breaths, an idea struck me. Druella was a Prefect as well and obviously in love with him. What if he was responsible for her disappearence? After all, his dislike of her was evident.

Her face changed and suddenly she looked like a child on christmas morning, besides the devilish gleam in her eyes.

This could not be good.

When she turned to me, she seemed slightly happier to see me. Her grin sent a shiver down my spine. But her gaze showed something

Cocking her head to one side, she began to stare into the distance.

"Would you now tell me what brought you here?"

Her eyes met mine and she stepped closer to me. It felt like my body was forced to stay where I was, an odd gravity seemingly drawing me towards her.

"No," she whispered and turned around, towards the grounds.

I filled my lungs with fresh air and followed her, annoyed yet again.

We walked in silence before she stopped.

Looking from the grass she was standing on into the direction of the forest. She seemed to make a decision, because she strode determined towards it.

"Do you have a death wish ?"

"No, not particularly. But I'll take that risk."A smile on her lips, she glanced at me out of the corners of her eyes.

"Crane, you've never been in the forest. And to enter it in the middle of the night is lunacy." I stopped to follow her and she gave me a look over her shoulder. The moon was bright tonight, so I could see her clearly.

Standing in front of me now, she spoke softly.

"I'm not alone, after all. And I bet you know the forest well."

"Why would I consider to help you?"

"I will, only if you help me, tell you why I'm here tonight. I have a good reason, I promise."

My eyes fixed on her's, I knew I had no other choice than to give in. The curiousity might eat me up if I wouldn't, I thought.

She had already sensed my decision and took something out of her pocket. A necklace, with an odd symbol.

"I found this today."

"So ?"

"This is the symbol of the three Deathly Hallows, Grindelwald's army wears these. And they must have attacked us, first me and then both of us. I've had some trouble with them before."

"Why would they attack me then ?" I sneered at her.

"Well, we stood very closely and from a distance it might have looked like we were...friends." Her face was blank, but I could almost hear her laughing.

"I understand. So you think they are still here and hide in the forbidden forest?"

She simply nodded and we walked towards the forest in silence.

Shortly after we entered it, I couldn't help myself but ask her what the necklace meant.

"Well, they represent the gifts from Death himself. The Invisibility Cloak, the Elder wand and the Resurrection stone. They are legends and told to children."

"Resurrection stone? So one doesn't have to die?" I tried to keep my voice as impassive as possible.

"No, it brings back the dead, but someone needs to use it. So you'd need someone else to bring you back. And as I said, it's only a legend. Immortality is tricky, my ancestor Herpo the foul tried to challenge death and lost, just like everybody else."

"What do you mean?"

"He found a way to split his soul."

I grabbed her arm and she turned to look at me.

"A Horcrux? How?" My heart was pumping wildly in my chest.

"He was the first to achieve this, but this is very dark magic, Tom. And it has consequences. He was killed in the end, by his own wife."

"Would you care to explain the consequences ?" I asked annoyed.

"Since you seem so eager, yes." She sighed heavily.

"You become a monster, losing control over yourself and not able to think as clearly. It's not worth it. I read his wife's journals, we have them in our library at home. You don't want to know what he did to her after becoming less than a human."

I let go of her arm and looked down. She was right, the consequences wouldn't be worth it. Such a shame, I had hoped to have a solution, finally.

"Don't look so disappointed, Tommy." Her voice dripped of sarcasm.

"Don't call me that."

"Touchy, aren't you? Don't say Tommy, don't talk about my heritage and don't question Pureblood supremacy. Merlin, you are not easy."

"I hate that name, it was my father's. Except for the middle name, that was my maternal grandfather's."

"Go on, I'm curious now."

This girl would not survive this night, if she went on like this.

"Marvolo, satisfied?"

But she didn't look like it. Her eyes widened and her smile slid off her face.

She struggled to regain her composure, trying to act like everything was normal. She continued to go deeper into the forest, now more than curious, I followed her.

"You know something. Don't try to run away from me, Crane." She was literally almost running, but then she stopped dead in her tracks.

"Are you going to tell me..." She suddenly laid a hand over my mouth and looked alarmed. I could hear a noise that sounded like...hoofs. Oh no, I thought, not now.