Chapter 21
Eloquence
"So what's this?" Ron extracted up a ring, gold with a green skull on it, from Hermione's jacket pocket. They were alone in Ron and Harry's room. Hermione was supposed to be helping Ron pack, as they left the Leaky Cauldron to go back on the hunt tomorrow, but they had ended up kissing instead. Ron had stuffed his hands in her jacket pocket in an attempt to get closer.
Hermione stared at the ring; surprised she had forgotten finding it at Godric's Hollow. She had remembered it for a few days after keeping it, knowing she should show it to Harry and Ron, but unable to find the right moment to say, "By the way, Harry, I found this ring in your parents basement. It looks a little Death Eater-ish, but I'm sure it's, er, not." Then they had raided Borgin and Burkes and she had forgotten…she explained this to Ron. "Think we should tell Harry?"
"Eh, okay. HARRY!" Ron yelled really loudly.
"WHAT?"
"HERMIONE FOUND A RING AT YOUR PARENTS HOUSE AND FORGOT ABOUT IT! SHE SAYS IT LOOKS WEIRD! AND IT DOES!"
"LET ME SEE IT!"
Ron got up and went out of the room to give the ring to Harry. Hermione was too in shock by the sudden outburst to follow him and by the time she had gotten herself back together, Ron had re-entered the room. "He said we can ask the Order about it when we go to Hogwarts t' see if we can find a Horcrux there."
"…okay…sounds…good…"
"You worry too much," Ron leaned back in to kiss her.
"…We really should be packing…"
"See my point?" Ron asked, and promptly continued to kiss her.
When they Apparated to Hogsmeade, all three of them were nervous. It was the New Year, and they had no idea what the reopened Hogwarts looked like. They couldn't imagine a Hogwarts without Dumbledore. But they trudged on nonetheless, until they exited the cold barren Hogsmeade and came up to the locked gates of Hogwarts. The castle stood familiar yet unfamiliar in the early morning, looking strangely imposing, yet reminiscent of what had been their home for the past six years. Harry sent his stag shaped Patronus up to the castle and after a few minutes, they saw a shape approaching, and recognized it's broad form immediately.
"Hagrid!" Ron and Hermione cried, while Harry grinned as Hagrid came to unlatch the gate. As soon as it was open, Hagrid swept them into a bone crushing bear hug.
"I can' b'lieve it's you three again! Now what'd yer thing you were doin', runnin' off like that an' not comin' t' see me?" Hagrid shook them around so they felt horribly dizzy as well as suffocated. "I missed yer so much!"
He let them go, and they all stumbled into each other, gasping.
"We…missed you too, Hagrid," Harry choked out.
"You got our letters, right?" Hermione asked.
"Aye, I did. Very mysterious, too. But I won't press yer just now. Come inside."
"Thanks," Ron said, and they went in after Hagrid.
The halls of Hogwarts, even Dumbledoreless, were warm and comforting. However, as soon as they got to the entrance to the Great Hall, the three of them found themselves standing there awkwardly.
"Well, go'n in! It's breakfast time and I migh' even sit with ya, I want ter know what's bin going on…"
The three looked at each other, then hesitantly, slowly, shoved open the door.
The room fell silent as soon as they entered. Everyone turned to stare at them. Hermione felt her face grow hot and resisted her overpowering urge to shove Harry and Ron in front of her. She followed Harry's lead and marched straight up to the Gryffindor table, with Hagrid yammering after them. Seamus and Dean were in the now mostly empty table and were staring at them with egg falling out of their mouths. They sat down across from the two, and began reaching for food. As soon as they did this, the hall erupted in buzzing,
"So, er. Hi," Ron said.
"Where have you guys BEEN?" Dean asked. "It's been ages."
"Off…doing stuff…" Harry shrugged. "Uh, we kind of dropped out, so…"
"I can't believe YOU dropped out," Seamus pointed his fork sternly at Hermione, who shrugged. "Were you doing saving the world stuff?"
"Yeah…what are you doing here anyway, Seamus? I thought your mother-"
"Ha!" Seamus pointed his fork in the air. "I'm of age now! She can't order me around anymore! HA!" he added again for dramatic effect.
"So, how are you going to do classes, coming in so late?" Dean asked.
Harry shook his head. "We're not doing classes. We're looking for…something."
"Looking for…?"
"Yeah, we-"
"HARRY! RON! HERMIONE!" A voice cried in astonishment.
The trio spun around to see Neville Longbottom running toward them. "You're back! Ginny said you were off doing fighting evil stuff! Wow! I've missed you guys! You're back!"
"Hi Neville!" Hermione got up to hug him and Harry and Ron greeted him.
"You're back!" He babbled again.
"For now," Hermione said. "Did you get our letters?"
"Yes! Thanks, you wrote a lot. Luna'll be glad to see you…and Ginny, she missed you…here they come!"
Indeed, Luna and Ginny had just come through the door, touslehaired and chatting to each other. When they spotted the newly arrived Trio, they ran over. Ginny hugged them all. "You came! I can't believe it."
"I told you we would," Harry said. "Eventually."
"I hope you have successfully eradicated all of the heliopaths," Luna said, her wide eyes boring into them.
"What?"
"I assumed that's what Ginny meant when she said you were fighting the forces of evil."
"Heliopaths don't-" Hermione began then stopped. "Ugh, never mind. Hi Luna."
"Hello," she said cheerily.
"How's Hogwarts doing?" Harry asked Ginny.
"It's depressing around here with the war…a lot fewer people coming. But McGonagall's doing pretty well as a headmistress, and I restarted the DA…"
"That's nice," Harry said formally.
"I think we need to paint the walls fuchsia or something," Luna said randomly. "It always makes me feel better."
"What, fuchsia or painting?
"Walls."
"Okay…"
Hermione looked around and spotted McGonagall heading towards them. "Um, Harry…"
"I don't like fuchsia, actually," Harry was deep in conversation with Luna.
"Harry…"
"What?"
"McGonagall…"
"Oh no," he and Ron said together.
"My father once published a story about the little known background of the color fuchsia…it was very gory."
"I see we have three new guests," Professor McGonagall had now approached the group, and was raising an eyebrow at them.
"Oh, er, hi…Prof- Headmistress…er…Mc...we…you look well!" Ron babbled.
"It's good to see you again, Professor," Hermione chimed in.
"Yes, you as well, Miss Granger. Nice of you to arrive…without any notice whatsoever…"
"Oh, sorry. We…we're looking for something."
"Something?"
"We don't know exactly what…it…is…" Ron said.
"That should make the task considerably difficult."
"Actually, we do know what it is," Harry said swiftly. "Pretty much, anyway."
"And why do you expect to find it here?"
"We deduced as much," Hermione said.
"And what exactly is this something and why must you find it?"
"Professor…Dumbledore…he…before he…told us to find it…" Harry mumbled. "We…can't tell you what it is…we just…really need to find it…if you'd let us…look."
"Please," Hermione said softly.
Professor McGonagall stared at them for a long time. Hermione tried to read her expression, but found she couldn't. Finally she spoke.
"Very well. You may stay in the seventh year dormitories. With the…absenses, there are plenty of extra beds. But please, don't make trouble."
Ginny snorted, then blushed as McGonagall glared at her.
"Thank you, Professor," Hermione said quickly.
Professor McGonagall nodded and walked off.
"What are you guys looking for?" Neville asked, confused.
"We'll tell you later," Harry said, as the bell rang. Their three companions stood there, looking hesitant.
"Er, you guys kind of have to go to class…"
"Oh…right!" They slowly gathered their things.
"Er, see you later…" Neville said.
"Yeah, we can help you look…" Ginny said.
"Yes!" Luna said happily, and the three headed for class. Hermione could hear Luna start to list a number of fantastic things they could be looking for. Hermione and Ron looked at Harry.
"So…" Ron said. "Where should we start?"
"Oh, I have a pretty good idea…" Harry began…
"Well, gotta go thwart the forces of evil and watch TV and stuff- Spoiler