A/N: Just wanted to address something real quick: This isn't going to be a full-fledged novel. This is a short story told in snippets. Hopefully they form a pleasing picture for all of your imaginations! Please enjoy :)
The Fifth Note
The cup had been surprisingly easy to find-Hermione was certain that Draco had put a spell on it that would draw them specifically to its location, and Harry and Ron desperately hoped he would make an appearance so she could ask him, because she had been endlessly speculating on all the various ways to invent such a spell, and all the factors one would have to consider while doing so.
Hermione had a turn at destroying a Horcrux, this time, but unfortunately, they hadn't realized there was another note affixed to the bottom of the cup until after she'd plunged the sword straight through the bottom of the cup. The resulting explosion had rendered the note barely readable.
Ron had been the first to notice the singed pieces of paper on the forest floor. They scrambled to find as many as they could, and attempted to put them in some kind of order.
"Potter-"
"That's only the most useless part, of course it didn't explode," Ron said angrily.
"…of Ravenclaw… of some... It's… Hogwarts so-… snake… with a modicum of finesse…"
"Hmmm," said Hermione, "that bit was probably meant to be insulting, but it's so nicely phrased… 'modicum of finesse'… I think I might use that, myself."
Harry and Ron looked at her in confusion, shrugged, and went back to the paper scraps.
"passage into… Hogsmeade… Death Eaters… school myself… excuse.
-DLM"
"So, it's at Hogwarts, then," Harry said, relieved they at least got that from the note. "Hermione, do you know what thing of Ravenclaw's he might be talking about?"
"No idea," Hermione shook her head.
"Well, I suppose there's nothing else for it, then," Ron said. "We're going back to Hogwarts."
