Lavender would not forgive Ron. For days she sniffed and sobbed about what a tosser he was in the common room. To her credit, Ron didn't exactly apologize to her. A few days later he confided in Harry that he had been wanting to break it off for ages but hadn't had the courage to say anything to her. Hermione had warmed up to him considerably after hearing the full story.

The Gryffindor-Hufflepuff Quidditch game was spectacular. Gryffindor won 360 to 80, nearly ensuring that they would win that year's Quidditch cup. Harry found himself so distracted that he forgot about retrieving Slughorn's memory entirely.

Until his next meeting with Dumbledore, that is.

"Dumbledore thinks that Voldemort wanted the cup and the locket?" Hermione asked. This time she was sitting next to Ron at a table in the back of the library. Draco was sitting next to Harry, his face twisted in contemplation.

"What would he have wanted them for?" Ron asked. "I know you said he likes to collect stuff but why?"

"That's not all," Harry said. He recounted Dumbledore's memory of Tom Riddle returning to Hogwarts to ask for the Defence Against the Dark Arts job. "Ever since then it's been cursed. No one has been able to keep it for more than a year."

"I wonder why Snape has it now," Hermione mused. "If the position's been cursed for 40 years why would Dumbledore let him take it if he really trusts him?"

"The cup," Draco interrupted. "Exactly what did it look like?"

"It was small and gold, with two handles and a badger on the side. Why?"

Draco sighed. "I know where it is."

"What?" Ron shouted. Madam Pince gave him a disapproving glare. "Where is it?"

"In my aunt Bellatrix's vault at Gringott's." Draco winced. "My mother was authorised to go in, and she took me with her a couple times. I always thought it was weird that my aunt kept a cup with a badger on it."

"Why would Voldemort give the cup to Bellatrix?" Hermione asked. Ron winced and Draco shuddered at the name.

"Who knows? She's crazy. I think she's in love with Him. She would do literally anything He asked."

"Well, we have to tell Dumbledore!" Hermione declared.

Harry shook his head. "We can't, he's not here. And I don't think that's something we should write in a letter. We'll just have to wait until he gets back."

The Apparition test was scheduled during Potions class. Harry and Draco, both only 16, were incredibly jealous of Ron and Hermione who were old enough to take the test. They would have to wait until the end of summer for theirs.

The morning of the test Hedwig flew into the Great Hall with a note from Hagrid. Aragog, the giant spider who had tried to eat Harry years before, had died. Hagrid wanted them to come to his funeral that night.

"Good riddance!" Ron exclaimed. "We're better off with that thing gone. He tried to eat me!"

Harry silently agreed. Though he cared a good deal about the gamekeeper, he had never understood his fascination with dangerous creatures. And sneaking three people out after curfew under the Invisibility Cloak was not so easy as it had been when they were smaller. "I'll send him some sort of note to say that we can't make it."

After breakfast Ron and Hermione left for Hogsmeade and their test. Harry and Draco gathered up their things and headed to the Potions classroom.

There was only one other student in Potions class; Ernie MacMillan, a Hufflepuff. Professor Slughorn gazed out at the small group of boys.

"Since there are so few of us here today I don't see any purpose in assigning something. Instead, I would like each of you to brew me something amusing or unique."

Harry turned through the pages of the Half-Blood Prince's book, searching for something that would satisfy Slughorn. He paused on the page for Hiccoughing Solution.

"Look at this," he whispered to Draco, pointing to a word scribbled in the corner. "Sectumsempra. For Enemies. Wonder what it does?"

Draco looked closely at the inscription. "I know sectum is 'cut'. Let's try it later. Let me copy down the notes for that potion quick."

Harry flipped through the pages of his book until he found a potion for Inducing Euphoria. Perhaps, if he could get Slughorn to try it, he could convince him to give up the memory! He whispered his idea to Draco, who smiled.

"Now you're thinking like a Slytherin!"

But even though Harry brewed a perfect Euphoria potion, Professor Slughorn refused to try it, and escaped the classroom quickly once the period was over. Harry and Draco went to the Gryffindor common room to wait for Ron and Hermione.

Ron was sulky when they finally returned late in the afternoon. "He failed his test," Hermione confided in them. "It really wasn't fair, all he left behind was an eyebrow. He didn't even notice at first."

Harry told them what had happened in Potions class.

"I told you not to try talking to him about it," Draco drawled. "You put him on his guard, just like I said you would."

"I tried to be clever about it!" Harry protested. "He was drinking and everything! I was so close!"

"Why don't you just take some of that luck potion?" Ron snarled.

Harry looked at him. "Ron, that's genius!" He dashed up the stairs to the boy's dormitory, the others trailing behind him. He rooted through his trunk until he found the sock that he had shoved the vial into.

"I don't need all of it," he said, looking at the potion. "Slughorn said it would be enough for twelve hours. I think half of it should be plenty. He raised it to his lips and took a small gulp.

Hermione, Ron, and Draco watched closely as Harry lowered the vial from his lips. "How do you feel?" Hermione demanded.

Harry thought about the question for a second. "Great," he answered. "I feel great! And exceptionally lucky." He reached into the trunk for his Invisibility Cloak. "I'm going to Hagrid's."

Draco started. "What? Why would you go there?"

Harry pulled on a sweater. "His acromantula died. I'm going to the funeral."

"But Harry!" Hermione protested. "You're supposed to be getting the memory from Slughorn!"

Harry paused to look at his friends. "Don't worry," he said with a smile. "I know this is the right thing to do. I'll get the memory and I'll be back before you know it!" He swung the cloak over himself and disappeared.

He didn't return until well after curfew. Draco had returned to Ravenclaw Tower and Hermione was in her dorm. Ron was fast asleep as Harry crept into his room and slid into bed.