Selena appeared from thin air in front an old couple who just exited their apartment block. "Good morning, Sir, Miss." She said without missing a beat and strolled down the road like she did it every day. Neither the old man nor his mousy little wife realized that her hair changed from chestnut brown to honey gold or that she dropped a few inches. They both just looked at her confused as she continued on her apparent merry way. Selena wasn't merry at all. Her heart was hammering and her hair was shifting color quickly but thankfully fluently too. She resisted the urge to glance about or to apparate immediately. Taking a few deep breaths, she turned into a clothing store and strode straight into the changing rooms. Without locking it, she apparated.
Draco however had the best luck. He apparated into the male cubicles of a very popular pizzeria. Without waiting he apparated again and appeared just outside Hyde Park. Swiftly he entered and headed for the first clump of trees he spotted.
Hermione appeared by Convent Garden. She was terrified and looked around suspiciously. Immediately she hurried into the first restaurant and shaking like a leaf she sat down. Hermione tried to shallow a few calming breathes but imagines of racing through the caves at Gringotts caused her heart to race once more. It took Hermione some time to calm down and then apparate to the grand arch.
Severus had an easier time with his process. He apparate to peddle hill then to Grand Arch when selena herself apparated in. On reflexes they both pointed their wands at each other at the same time each with a binding spell on the tip of their tongues. "Strange, we had the same idea." selena rasped as she wiggled over to her wand. First was casting the counter spell on Severus who then released her and helped her up. Hermione apparate just in time to see both of them dissolve into rib cracking laughter.
"Professor?" she said cautiously, "selena?" Severus was the first to calm down.
"Now we wait for Draco," Severus pronounced. Selena nodded and took one of the benches nearby.
"What was that about?" Hermione whispered sitting with her.
"We hexed each other at the same time." she replied stifling further giggles. "Using the same curse."
It wasn't long before Draco joined them and they all returned to the tent. Selena was curious about the look of absolute relief she spotted in Hermione's face but decided to let it go. The bronze cup was wrapped in newspaper and hidden in Hermione's extended purse until they found out how to destroy it.
The following day, selena disguised as an old man with a long silver beard in memory of Professor Dumbledore apparate to Charring Cross Road and picked up a Prophet and a Quibbler. Draco had helped himself to some of his aunt's galleons. Selena returned and as everyone predicted Harry and Albus's death's where on the front page and full of slander. "There's no information on where the bodies are!" Hermione angry cry came as she spanned the paper for the fifth time. "There are only lies and more lies."
Severus finally became impatient and pried the papers out of her hands to sit and read.
Selena listened as Draco and Hermione fought over ideas on what to do about the cup, about Harry, and about finding the rest of the horcruxes. Silently she got up and joined Severus in the kitchen. It was surprising to see how well he cooked. Just like how well he brewed potions. Draco also had some hidden talent with cooking but selena possessed the best ability in gaining low cost food while Hermione's was sneaking into libraries.
"Is that why you looked like you never slept?" Draco asked as she returned from a successful trip.
"What do you mean?"
"In Hogwarts you looked tired but didn't have any bags under your eyes!" he responded as she blushed furiously.
Selena snickered lightly as she exited the tent to take watch. Surprised but happy to find Severus had followed her, she turned to him.
"Are you familiar with the theory of time travel?" he asked in his sweet baritone voice.
"There are many, I prefer the idea that time flows like a river. If there's a change, then it will change course." selena replied not meeting his eyes but instead staring past his ears.
"It seems to be best when one uses a time turner for short periods but what about for long?"
"I hope it's the same or at any moment..." selena stopped as she didn't want to speak the words as it may make it a reality.
"I did the calculations and it seems you're not familiar with this future at all." Severus said taking advantage of the silence. "What came before?"
Selena's gaze focused immediately on his face and even occulmacy could hide her concern and fear. "It's not pretty," she stated shifting slightly. Severus stared at this woman who looked so tough facing Bellatrix yet not like she wanted to curl up and cry. Suddenly he felt like he had to comfort her but he resisted as she spoke again, "I'll tell you another time, if you still want to hear," reluctantly he nodded as he allowed her to have her way.
"I will hold you to that promise," he replied smoothly.
"And you won't like it," selena sighed. He was a spy after all so gathering information was part f his credentials so she expected it. Behind her eyes she allowed a door to open briefly and spanned the contents then slammed it shut. No, she didn't want to stay there too long.
Hermione and Draco were pouring over Hogwarts, A History together. Severus peeked in but decided not to interrupt them. After all, there was no need. "Do you really think so?" Draco whispered.
"It makes sense," Hermione pointed out, "the office is full of them. Plus, he was still in charge."
"Hermione, they already placed a new headmaster," Draco replied sounding a bit worried.
"They're planning?" Severus asked unsure.
"Well, it's not strange." Selena stated with a shrug.
"True, we did plan out our route before we took it." Severus replied as he stepped further away from the tent flap.
"They'll tell us eventually." Selena told him. Together they edged away from the tent.
"Where else could a horcrux be?"
"There's the snake,"
"Also the one Dumbledore has,"
"There are seven including the madman himself."
"We have a long way to go," Severus said as he sat down on the grassy floor. "There are the ones we don't know about." Standing in silence the pair compiled a list of what they did know. There's the diary, the snake, the ring and the cup. "So what is our plan?" he asked, "Bella will check to see what's missing and will realize what we're doing."
"There are two more including the madman himself." Selena pointed out. "Plus, he won't worry since we took other things from the vault too."
"Why do you say that?" Severus asked looking at her curiously.
"In the future, he usually doesn't worry even when he allows his most active resistance to roam freely." She replied turning to the reddening sky. "Then again these are his ties to immortibilty."
It was almost dinner time when selena reentered the tent to prepare dinner. Of course Severus was the best cook available in the camp, mostly due to living on his own but selena wasn't so badly off that she couldn't cook. Easily she opened a pack of spaghetti and emptied it into a pot of boiling water with a pinch of salt. Setting some knives to chop up tomatoes and onions, she placed a second pot on the stove with a little water. Into the few drops of water went the tomatoes and onions finely diced and a few herbs from the potion stores. Selena and Draco had placed every single thing they got their hands on into Hermione's purse so they were pretty much stocked in every department but food.
The pasta came along nicely and together they ate it in the 'living room'. The tent was round so there were no rooms per se but the area was divided up. In the 'living room was a green sofa and a few body pillows; transfigured from the original cushions on the other chairs they didn't bring. Draco did do the decorating and it was mostly impressive. Severus and Hermione sat on the sofa while selena confiscated the silver body pillow and Draco got the blue bean bag. To be honest, Draco didn't like the bean bag but the two females forced him to leave it like it was so he had no choice. Poor guy.
"Draco and I were talking and we've decided that we knew who will know where the next horcrux is." Hermione piped up finally. She waited bubbling with impatience for a hint to moving on.
"Who?" selena replied deciding to act it out.
"Professor Dumbledore," she exclaimed "harry said that Dumbledore was carrying him to hunt, so it must have been for horcruxes. So we ask Dumbledore,"
"But..." selena edged as she stopped. Severus rolled his eyes annoyed noting that Gryffindors do not tell good tales.
"But he has a portrait in Hogwarts! It's here in Hogwarts, A History." on cue Draco slipped the book out from under the sofa and handed it to her on the correct page. "All headmasters are bound to Hogwarts and will appear as a portrait in the Headmaster's office when they die." she stopped looking around.
"As interesting as it Hermione, we cannot simply walk into Hogwarts and up to the headmasters study." Severus pointed out.
"Yes, but there are more than one headmasters in the office, we could ask Phineas Black." Hermione said looking at Draco, "there's a portrait of him back at the Headquarters. We could go there get it and leave."
"Where's the headquarters?" Selena asked curiously.
"It's under a fidelius charm, so there is no point in you or Draco going." Severus pointed out then turned to address Hermione, "but why do you think Phineas won't tell the new headmaster?" Hermione looked blown but Severus wasn't finish, "the new headmaster would know where Dumbledore body is."
"So we ask the headmaster?" Draco piped in sarcastically.
"Good plan, walk into a deadly school and say 'hello old friend, don't mind us wanted traitors but where's Professor Dumbledore's body?' sure!" Selena added in.
"Obviously not," Severus replied his voice silky and oozing venom.
"We kidnap him?" Draco pitched in sarcastically.
"Exactly,"
"And who is the new headmaster, anyway?" Hermione asked finally placing her two cents.
"That's the problem, we don't know," Draco piped in.
"Well, it's a good start but we're lacking information!" selena confirmed flicking her wand and sending the utensils and dishes to wash.
"We could break into the Daily Prophet." Draco pointed out "or we could as a wizard or we could charge in blind."
"Where is the madman's hideout?" selena asked her mind racing "he won't use Hogwarts would he?"
"Maybe not, if he's still at the Manor," Draco added.
"Then we could bust in!" Hermione replied happily "we still have our school robes." Selena couldn't help but burst out in good humored laughter at this.
"He wouldn't use Hogwarts as his hideout; the place is too precious to him for that." She pointed out. "However it is a good idea to ask Phineas Black for information, if you could get any out of him in the first place."