Chapter 3

Hermione POV

Staring at the shadows made by the fire as they played along the walls, I couldn't help but make a list of the missing Death Eaters: so far I knew of the Carrow twins, Yaxley, Macnair, and Rowle, but there were at least twenty-one Death Eaters imprisoned at the end of the war, so there must be a total of fifteen Death Eaters have escaped and only six remain in Azkaban. I can only thank Molly Weasley for killing Bellatrix during the Battle of Hogwarts, otherwise we'd all be in deep shit.

I felt a hand descend on my shoulder and I whipped around reaching for my wand with a curse on my lips. Sighing with relief "Harry you really can't surprise me like that!" "Well I did try calling your name, for the past three minutes or so." Looking at the clock hanging on the wall beside the entrance I realized I'd missed dinner. . . again. Longingly contemplating the food I could have had I heard my stomach grumble and I looked apologetically up at Harry.

"Don't worry, I know you too well. I brought you some food from the kitchens" Handing me a plate with meat pie, steamed vegetables, and mashed potatoes. Nearly moaning at the first bite, I scarfed down the entire plate in record timing. Immediately began yawning and leaned down to rest my head against Harry's shoulder, this had become something of just ours that we would do: every night we'd sit in our common room and tell each other about our days, some days we'd just sit and watch as the fire got smaller and smaller.

I told him all my thoughts on the Death Eater disappearances, "I wanted to tell you while we were in Azkaban, but each cell that housed a disappeared Death Eater had this carving, sketch above the head of each bed. It was weird too because it looked like a snake choking a phoenix in flight" "That's odd, I saw those too, but I didn't want to say anything 'cause I thought I was going crazy."

"You know Hermione, this isn't the first time I've seen this sketch, I was up in Dumbledore's office the other day for course questions, I wanted to drop Divination. This exact sketch was on the cover of a leather bound journal sitting on Dumbledore's desk, but as soon as he noticed I had seen it he put in his desk, I'd forgotten all about that." Shaking his head Harry looked back at me with a raised brow, "So what are you going to do about it?"

Smirking back "Well, you'll just have to find out in the morning won't you? It's way past curfew." As I began making my way to my Head's dorm I turned to look back over my shoulder "Goodnight Harry."

Harry POV

Thinking back on last night I couldn't help but wonder where Hermione's new attitude and wit came from. Seeing it was only five in the morning and knowing I couldn't get back to sleep again, I got out of bed to get ready for the day. Some days being Head Boy was a blessing with my own bathroom. . . . well I guess I do share it with Hermione and that has caused some awkward moments that made me definitely appreciate that amount of books Hermione carries up and down the stairs every day.

I'd told Hermione I'd met her in our common room, and as it was a Sunday there were no classes so we could spend our day to research and trying to figure out this mystery that 'Mione has sunk her teeth into.

Glancing up at the clock I saw that it had only been an hour since I'd woken up and I still hadn't heard from Hermione knowing that she was just as much of an early riser as I am, I was curious as to where she is. And speak of the devil I turned my head to see a stack of books with legs make it's way through the portrait, realising it was 'Mione I rushed over before the stack fell.

"Think you have enough books there 'Mione?" Rolling her eyes as she set the books on the coffee table "These are for us so we can research that drawing we saw, as well as the Death Eater disappearances."

Laughing I sat down next her on the couch, "So what's first?" Handing me five huge texts Hermione smiled "Well, you take these books and try to find any history or meaning behind that phoenix and snake sketch. There must be some mention of this or even something similar." Picking up five other encyclopedia sized books she settled herself down and propped her feet up on my lap. We both got settled and we got down to researching.

Time Skip - 2 and half hours

I was startled out of my concentration by a loud growling sound, looking down at my stomach I silently berated it for betraying me. Blushing, I looked over at Hermione to see her smiling at me, she said. "Well I guess we never did have breakfast and you know nine thirty is as good a time as any."

I stood and walked to our little kitchenette ready to make Hermione and myself some omelettes when I felt a hand on my arm, "Harry, we can just call Dobby to grab us some food from the kitchens, you don't need to make anything." I tried to protest, but Hermione came back with "If we ask Dobby to get us food we can keep working. . . . please?" "Alright, let's get back to it then."

Hermione POV

After eating some toast and fruit from Dobby, we'd worked for another hour until Harry found something. "Hey 'Mione, come look at this, about eighty years ago there were a bunch of similar disappearances when Grindelwald was recruiting, he would visit high profile murderers and would leave them a portkey that took them to him: and when they left there was a sketch left in the same spot as these ones except that it was the deathly hallows symbol." "That sounds very similar to these, but no regular portkey would work in Azkaban nowadays. Who figured that out?"

"It was Dumbledore, because he figured how Grindelwald was recruiting he was finally able to defeat him." "That makes sense. Harry, was there anything else in there? I found another reference to Dumbledore in History of Runes and Symbols, he apparently created his own runic symbol while he was studying with Nicholas Flamel, it was what caused Flamel to essentially kick him out and refused to teach him. There's a sketch of it here."

I propped up the book so we could examine it. The drawing looked like a bunch of runes randomly placed, but the whole picture looked like a snake strangling a flying phoenix. "It looks like Dumbledore made that sketch, I wonder who else found it?" "I don't know about that, but I do know that it is dinner time. Come on, we'll revisit this tomorrow."