Chapter 12 – Hermione's Quest
Hermione woke in the simple, undecorated bedroom in Harry's house. It felt odd to think about this house as belonging to Harry. Dumbledore's gift was a wonderful surprise for Harry. When they set out for Godric's Hollow yesterday, Hermione expected a day of sadness for Harry. Instead it was about the happiest Hermione had ever seen her best friend.
Even with the surprise of discovering Godric's Hollow, a black cloud settled on Harry yesterday morning. The cloud disappeared at his parents' graves. When Harry first knelt down the waves of negative emotions wafted off him. Tears tracked unnoticed down Harry's face. Hermione and Ginny held each other's hand to keep from running to Harry's side. Ron (in an unusual display of consideration, maybe there was hope for him.) held them back from interfering.
Harry had stiffened up and the emotional cloud dissipated. Harry's posture changed as if a giant weight had been lifted from his shoulders. A sense of peace and contentment Hermione had never known from Harry replaced the black emotions from minutes ago.
Harry's day had begun as high as the beginning had been low, literally. The local village welcomed Harry to their Quidditch match like a long lost son. Everyone welcomed Harry and his friends. Although no one from her year was there, Hermione saw several younger Hogwarts students in the crowd. Orla Quirke, a fifth year Ravenclaw and Laura Madley, a fourth year Hufflepuff, were the oldest of the students Hermione recognized. The rest were younger students.
The exhibition match eventually turned into a training session with Ron, Ginny and Harry working the young players through various drills. The children were thrilled to receive training from the three Gryffindor players. Finally, they returned to Harry's house with the three of them happy, but exhausted. Dobby helped in getting them to bed.
Hermione rose and pulled on a dressing robe. After a quick brushing of her bushy, brown hair, Hermione walked quietly into the upstairs hall. The other bedroom doors remained shut. Although it was well past 8:30, Hermione did not expect the three to rise until much closer to noon. Deciding to put her time to proper use, Hermione entered the Hogwart's library via the Room of Requirement.
Hermione wished she had known of the Room of Requirement since her first year. All of their time spent sneaking into the Restricted Section or Myrtle's bathroom could have been simplified by using the Room. All the additional research she could have completed made her mind tingle.
Hermione never discussed her life before Hogwarts. Hermione's parents were wonderful, loving people, but they never understood their odd daughter. Physically, Hermione resembled her mother very strongly. Mentally, she seemed on another dimension. Hermione always achieved highest marks in school but never fit in with the other children.
She was always … out of synch with the other girls in her school. Boys like Harry's cousin Dudley could be brutal bullies, but they really had nothing on the girls. The young ladies could slice one deeper then Sectumsempra. Hermione found herself the target of every malicious rumor and gossip in the school. In defense, Hermione blockaded herself behind a wall of books. Books were her only friends.
Receiving her letter from Hogwart's was possibly the greatest day in Hermione's life until that point. It was as though a key opened a door in her mind, all the oddities explained. A very nice Ministry witch explained the wizarding world to the Grangers the next day. Although her parents had been reluctant, they knew the difficulties Hermione had faced in her regular school.
The witch, named Rebecca Nurse, guided them on their first trip to Diagon Alley the very same day. Hermione would have gladly bought out Flourish and Blotts entire stock of magical books. Aside from buying her wand, schoolbooks and other supplies, Hermione bought fifteen additional books on the magical community, history and basic magical theory. Her time until that first trip to Platform 9 ¾ was spent in excited study and preparation.
At first Hermione's time at Hogwarts seemed a repeat of her Muggle school. Hermione overcompensated for her Muggle heritage by trying to prove she belonged at Hogwarts. This led to her "know-it-all" reputation. Even the other Gryffindors thought the first year to be a bit obnoxious in her attitude. Ron made things worse with his thoughtless comments. Hermione loved Ron but sometimes he was insensitive even for a guy.
One of Ron's comments had sent Hermione crying to Myrtle's bathroom. The troll set loose by Professor Quirrell trapped Hermione is the bathroom, where Ron and Harry had saved her. Ron and Harry had become her closest friends ever after the troll. Although Hermione did loosen up under Ron and Harry's influence, the drive to learn and master magic to prove her right to be a witch remained strong.
Hermione smiled thinking of her first year self. Ron's comment hurt so much because she had a crush on him almost as soon as she watched him try to use a spell on his rat, Scabbers. Hermione did not understand why then. Harry was much nicer, more considerate and smarter. However, even when she was scolding Ron, inside he made her laugh. At least he made her laugh when he wasn't making her want to scream.
Hermione had been waiting for Ron to ask her out since their third year. However he seemed to just see her as a friend or an attachment to Harry. It was not until Victor Krum expressed an interest in the fourth year Hermione that Ron started showing he had any personal feelings for her. Unfortunately, Ron being Ron was only able to show those feelings in the most immature way possible. Hermione often thought she would go mad waiting for him to grow up enough to ask her out himself. When Harry and Ginny started dating Hermione thought she saw glimmers of hope in Ron. It had ultimately taken the battle with the Death Eaters in Hogwarts to break through Ron's emotional wall. After that night, Hermione knew it was simply a matter of time.
Hermione started pulling books from the shelves that discussed wizarding genealogies. Seeing a large number of books, Hermione considered the problem. Using the Room, she conjured a blackboard. Pointing her wand at the books, Hermione used a charm Professor Flitwick showed her last term. He called it the Searching Charm. The spell allowed Hermione to pull information from any source and search it. Hermione reproduced the names of all of the wizards from the books onto the board.
First Hermione used the charm to remove all of the British wizards without the initials RAB. Twenty names were left on the board. Hermione removed all of the wizards born after 1967. Hermione reasoned that the Horcrux was stolen before Voldemort's disappearance in 1982. Then she assumed the wizard must have been at least fifteen years old. This left five names:
Richard Andrew Benton
Rudolphus Anthony Barbosa
Regulus Acturus Black
Richenda Amoroso Bichontop
Rabbah Ammon Bectonridge
Hermione eliminated the first one as an obvious Muggle-born. Writing the others down on a scroll, Hermione paused while writing the third name down. Of course! How could she have been so blind! It made sense! Voldemort killed Sirius's brother when he tried leaving the Death Eaters. Could he have taken the Horcrux with him when he left?
Hermione cleared the board. She pulled the books associated with the first war. Using the Searching Charm, Hermione pulled up all of the names of wizards killed starting with Tom Riddle's sixth year until just before his final fall. The list was dauntingly long. First, she highlighted anyone who died from unexplained or unusual causes. Then she added known antique collectors. The list was still over one hundred names.
Realizing this line of research needed more information; Hermione copied the list and set it aside. Diving into another set of books, Hermione started researching the known artifacts of the Four Founders. Not much was known about the items they had left behind. Of the known items, most of them sat in the wizard museum in London. The British National Magical Museum had never reported a successful robbery attempt. The Ministry had insured the items with Gringotts. The goblins insisted in adding their own security to the building.
According to Harry, all of the Horcruxes used to date came from family collections, not known sources. Suddenly Hermione remembered Harry's story about how Riddle got Hufflepuff's tea cup. Could he have located additional items through his first job with Borgin and Burkes? Hermione wanted to discuss this again with Harry. Maybe they needed to take a trip to Knockturn Alley
Hermione left the Room with her first list and walked down to the kitchen. A fresh pot of tea brewed on the counter. From the smell, it must have been Dobby since neither Ron nor Harry could make their tea nearly as well as the house-elf. Pouring herself a cup, Hermione glanced out the window to see Harry going through his morning exercises.
Harry had changed since returning from school. When Sirius died, Harry was angry and out of control. No one had said anything yet but now he had a sharp focus and balance. His training with Mike gave Harry an outlet for his blacker emotions. In many ways, the "new" Harry scared her a bit.
Finishing her tea, Hermione wrote a quick note and left it on the table. Slipping out the front door, Hermione started for the edge of town. An anti-Apparition shield covered the village. Hermione needed to reach the edge of the village before she could start on her self-imposed mission. Before she could tell Harry about Sirius's brother, she had to be sure. Hermione could think of only one person who could possibly give her the additional information she needed, Draco Malfoy.
Hermione Apparated to Hogsmeade near the Shrieking Shack. From the information Professor McGonagall had given her earlier, the Ministry was holding Malfoy until classes started in September. Hermione would need assistance from the new Head Mistress to speak to Malfoy alone.
Walking to the castle struck Hermione as unusually quiet. Without the students, the castle seemed to be waiting. Hermione reached the closed front gates. As she approached one of the winded boar statues turned to look at Hermione.
"You are too early for school. Come back in a month," Hermione heard coming from the statue.
"I need to speak with Professor McGonagall," Hermione replied. "Is she here?"
The statue was silent for a minute. Then it answered, "The Head Mistress says you may enter. Go straight to here office."
"Thank you."
The walk to the castle seemed unnerving. The birds sang in the trees on the cool Scottish morning. The Quidditch pitch stood alone with no one around. Normally students could always be found practicing the game or simply flying on their brooms for fun. Walking by Hagrid's hut and the Whomping Willow, Hermione reached the main entrance.
Hermione made her way to the gargoyle that guarded the entrance to the Head Mistress's office. Professor McGonagall stood outside the entrance with her usually severe expression. Her lips compressed in a disapproving expression.
"Ms. Granger, if you need to speak with me you should have sent an owl. It is most unusual for a student to be here before the start of term."
"I am sorry Professor. I needed to speak with you without anyone else listening. An owl could be intercepted." Hermione glanced around. "Could we please go into your office?"
With an abrupt node, Professor McGonagall led the way into the office. Entering the office, differences from Professor Dumbledore's office struck Hermione. Although the pictures of the former Head remained, the various ornaments and instruments were gone leaving the room looking somewhat austere. The furniture also changed. Now a delicate desk sat where formerly a great oak desk stood. The chairs around the room also had a delicate and expensive feel to them.
"Now what is this about Ms. Granger?" Professor McGonagall gestured to one of the chairs.
"I am helping Harry and I need to talk to Draco Malfoy."
"What is this about?" the professor asked.
Hermione squirmed slightly in her chair. "I am sorry. I can't tell you. You will have to ask Harry. It is his secret to tell. But I just need to ask Draco a couple of questions."
"I can assure you Ms. Granger that the Ministry has asked Mr. Malfoy every question possible already. What do you need?"
Hermione considered for a moment. "It would seem trivial to anyone. I need to know if his parents told him any stories about the first war, specifically a family member's participation."
Professor McGonagall sat silently for a moment. "Professor Dumbledore entrusted a great deal of information to Mr. Potter. I am going to trust he knew what he was doing." Rising from her desk, the professor picked up a small coin.
"Take my hand. This portkey will take up to where we have Mr. Malfoy hidden until classes start. It is a secure Ministry holding center. I must warn you. Mr. Malfoy has changed in some ways but continues to present the same personality."
Taking the professor's hand, Hermione soon found herself standing in a small room. Two Aurors stood guard next to a door. Glancing at the professor, one knocked on the door, waited a moment, then opened the door and stepped aside. Hermione followed the older witch into a larger room with a table, a couple of chairs and a small cot.
A slightly scruffy Draco sat on the cot. Dressing in the simplest of wizard robes, Draco maintained a lofty expression as he gazed at his new visitors. "Oh good. My day is complete. The mudblood has come to visit me."
"Mr. Malfoy, Ms. Granger has some questions for you. Please answer them for her."
Draco rolled his eyes. "What other questions could you people ask? I've told you everything I saw or heard during my time as the Dark Lord's "guest"."
Hermione turned a chair to face Draco. Sitting down she said, "I don't want to know about that. This is something different." Turning to the professor, Hermione asked, "Professor, could we please have a moment?"
"I think you and Mr. Potter will be visiting my office very early in the term to discuss these secrets of yours. Very well, I will wait outside in the entry area."
Once the professor left and the door closed, Hermione turned to the young Pureblood. "What can you tell me about your mother's cousin, Regulus Black?"
Draco leaned back against the wall. "My mother used to tell stories about how weak he was. He could not handle what the Dark Lord demanded of his followers." Draco stopped talking for a moment. In a quiet voice he continued, "I guess some things do follow in families. Why do you want to know?"
"I can't tell you right now. But this is important. Did you ever hear anything about why he left?"
"My father once told me he and Regulus were assigned to gather a large number of Muggle bodies for use as Inferi. Regulus was upset at the grave robbing. The Dark Lord took Regulus into where he created the Inferi. That was the last my father saw him. He disappeared the next night. My aunt Bellatrix hunted him down. He tried to hide at my great-aunt's house but she gave him over. He also tried to turn to Potter's late godfather but was turned away."
Draco sneered, "I guess family forgiveness is not a Black family trait."
Hermione considered what Draco just told her. Could the locket be hidden at the Black estate? A sudden chill went through Hermione. What if it had been thrown out during their cleanup last summer? One of the most valuable and important magical artifacts sitting in a Muggle dump.
"Is that what you were looking for?" Draco asked with a smug expression.
"Yes, thank you," Hermione considered the blond boy for a minute. "Why did you do it?"
Draco's smug look disappeared. "My father expected it of me. I was raised to believe in the Dark Lord's mission. I wanted my father to be proud of me." Draco lowered his head. "My parents died because of my weakness. I just couldn't do it."
Hermione felt moved at Draco's obvious sorrow at the loss of his parents. Seeking to change the subject, Hermione asked, "Did they tell you what their plans were for the school year?"
Still looking down, Draco shook his head in the negative.
"You are going to be living in the Head's dorms."
"They made me Head Boy?" Draco asked in a sarcastic voice.
"No, Harry and I are the Head Boy and Girl this year. You will be living with us."
Draco's head shot up with his face white. "I am living with you and Saint Potter?"
"Draco, you better think about your attitude. Harry could be the person that your life eventually depends on. He is not any happier about the arrangements then you are. He was ready to explode."
"Why didn't he?"
"Professor McGonagall told him who asked for this arrangement. Professor Dumbledore felt you had potential. He provided for these arrangements." To her surprise, Hermione looked up to see tears rolling down Draco's cheeks.
The door opened again several minutes later. No words had been spoken in the intervening time. Professor McGonagall walked into the room. Seeing her two students sitting silently she said, "Ms. Granger, it is time to leave."
Hermione said good-bye to Draco, who did not respond. After stepping into the other room the Hermione and Professor McGonagall returned to the Hogwart's Head Mistress's office. Hermione thanked the professor for her time and patience.
"I will remember to hold that conversation with you when you and Mr. Potter return, Ms. Granger. I think I will also add my two remaining Weasleys also."
With a nervous smile, Hermione thanked the professor again and made her way quickly out of Hogwarts. Once clear of the gates, Hermione Apparated back to just outside of Godric's Hollow.
Hermione walked into Harry's house and received a chorus, "Where were you?" from all directions.
"I went to talk to Malfoy. I had some questions for him." Quickly she told them about her morning research and the revelation of Regulus's middle name. "I should have remembered it since Sirus mentioned once it was a family name."
Harry started pacing the floor of his living room. Hermione watched him as he struggled with the issues involved. Suddenly he stopped. "It could not be that simple," he murmured. "Kreacher!"
Suddenly an aged and nasty looking house elf appeared in the living room.
"The horrible brat that my glorious mistress's traitorous son gave me to called me. Now I have to listen to him. What does the master want? He called me to a room filled with blood traitors and a mudblood too."
"Shut up, Kreacher. Do you see a locket like this?" Harry held out the fake Horcrux. "Did your mistress's other son, Regulus, ever bring a locket like this to the manner?"
Kreacher glared at the dangling locket. "Maybe" he grumped.
"Kreacher, go get the locket and bring it straight back here. Do not talk or communicate in anyway with anyone else until you return to me."
"Yes, master … who thinks he is so clever." The last was said in a murmur just loud enough to hear.
Ten minutes later, Kreacher returned with a locket in his hand. He held it out to Harry. Just before Harry took the locket, he felt the negative energy pouring out. Pulling out a handkerchief, Harry had Kreacher place the locket in the cloth.
"Kreacher, go back to Hogwarts and stay in the kitchen."
After the elf left, Harry looked around at his friends in triumph. "Hermione, you did it!"
Everyone started to celebrate as Hermione felt a trill of victory roll up her spine. This was better then earning a hundred house points!
A pecking at the window made Hermione turn to see Pig sitting on the windowsill. Opening the window Hermione took the letter from Ron's hyperactive little owl. After quickly reading the letter, Hermione shouted for everyone to stop.
After everyone was looking at her she said, "Pig just brought a letter from Molly. It says that the Death Eaters attacked again in London. A group from the Order tried to stop them. Charlie is dead and Tonks is in St. Mungo's. We have to go back."
The two Weasley's looked struck at this news of their second oldest brother. Ron collapsed on the couch and Ginny started sobbing on Harry's shoulder. The victory of a few minutes ago utterly forgotten.
A/N: This chapter is dedicated to my daughter Rebecca. Rebecca Nurse, the witch who guided Hermione in her transition to the wizarding community is the real name of one of the accused and executed "witches" of the Salem Witch Trials in the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1692. Through my ex-wife, my daughter is a descendant of the same Nurse family. (I will not make any jokes if you don't.) So naming my witch Rebecca is a sort of pun on family history.
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