AN: last chapter I forgot to edit...sorry about that! I think mostly I wanted to add a few things here and there, but...oh, well. Here is the next chapter, and chapter eight is well on the way finished. Just please review! Thanks to everyone that already has...keep it up :) And check out the lovely story Forget Me Not...another great memory loss R/Hr story!


Chapter 7: An Accidental Discovery

Snape paced his quarters. Three bloody weeks had now gone by since his private meeting with one of the head Deatheaters. He had been given an impossible task. Well, not so much impossible but unwanted task. He was told to convince a certain student to become a Deatheater. And the boy was to be delivered – and marked - the night of an annual Deatheater's ritual.

Snape picked up a bottle of firewhiskey and was about to pour himself a drink. He paused. Instead he drank from the bottle straight. The job of being a spy for the Order was going straight to hell.

The locket – he knew it was charmed with ancient magic. It had been passed down the boy's family for generations. He had seen it dozens of times, but never figured that it would hold any interest to the Dark Lord. But somehow the psycho lord who kept wanting – or perhaps needing - more power had figured out a way for the locket to be much more.

The professor sighed as he slumped into his chair. Had he done the right thing? He knew the brat-who-lived and his sidekick had gone to Hogsmead, and had meant for them to follow him. When he had seen that they were not alone and were, in fact, with Hermione Granger, a new plan began to develop. She was smart. No, she was brilliant. And she wasn't a clumsy fool like the other two were. He congratulated himself with another swig.

He wasn't stupid, no, Severus was far from that. He knew Dumbledore had been up to something all these years, since the summer before Potter arrived, and when the transfer student had been given the job as Head Girl he figured she was a part of it. And then he, too, had seen her visit the Albus in the middle of the night. He was even too surprised to catch the person under the invisibility cloak, likely Potter.

Yes, the crafty Headmaster was indeed up to something. Was there more involved to that silly pen-pal via owls?

And so he had decided to let Hermione see and follow him. Just as he suspected, her movements went undetected in the abandoned building. He had raised his voice just slightly and sure enough, his fellow Deatheater spoke more loudly, too. Just enough for her to hear, he mused. Of course he had made the right decision. Another swig.

Once their meeting was over, instead of apparating, Severus left through the door. Making sure the girl saw him. He was surprised to notice her two new sidekicks nearby, but apparated just as they saw his cloaked figure. No face, but he imagined that the girl told them who it was.

To his delight he saw the girl pour through book after book during the next few weeks, finally finding the book he left for her to discover the same night young Mr. Weasley joined her. He rolled his eyes at the thought. The boy had come to grovel and give an apology for something he could care less about. Maybe Dumbledore knew something about that, too, he thought. Taking a swig from a now half-empty bottle he smirked as he got up and went to make some late-night rounds. Just in case.

The next week…

Dear Ron,

First I would like to apologize for not writing sooner, but some unexpected issues at school have occurred that needed my immediate attention.

I hope you know that I want nothing more than to introduce myself as yours and Harry's writing friend. However, I must abide by the rules give to me until further notice.

I want to congratulate you on helping the new student. I have no doubt your help is greatly appreciated despite your frustrations with her. It is good that you and Harry took her to Hogsmead. Being new is difficult enough, and you say she is Head Girl? That is even more of a challenge – being new and a figure of authority.

As to your comment about uniting as three – you and Harry must consider this very carefully as to who this third person is. He or she may be with you already.

Yours truly,

Maria

Hermione also had a letter for Harry, who had asked her in a recent letter if she knew anything about people being connected to an object. He had also written about her involvement in the matter, her as in "Hermione".

Dear Harry,

I have searched and searched for you, but haven't found anything of significance. I did find reference to a book that may help, but the library at Durstrang does not have it (that she had found to be a fact, so she wasn't really lying). Could you possibly see if it is in your library? Its title is Charmed objects and people: An introduction to forceful magic. You mentioned that the Head Girl is helping you, perhaps she has already found it.

Be careful, Harry, asking the wrong person could lead to danger. I care about you and Ron, so please don't go and do anything foolish as I know you tend to. At least, let those you trust know what's going on and listen to them. Perhaps it is time to tell your Headmaster, if you haven't already. You've told me how much he has before, and I am sure he needs to know.

Yours truly,

Maria

Hermione rolled up her parchments and sent them with Hedwig. She had woken up extra early in order to go find the bird up in the school Owlery (sp?), knowing that most of the students would still be asleep. Especially Harry and Ron. Thank Ginny for telling me that, she thought.

When she entered the Great Hall, she found quite a buzz going on at the Gryffindor table. Even some of the other students looked over in curiosity to their table, and as she focused her attention there she noticed two extra heads with familiar red hair.

"Hermione!" Ron shouted enthusiastically at her. "Come and meet Fred and George!"

Hermione looked at the group skeptically, then marched forward ready to expect…well, anything really.

The group of students circled around the boys, mostly sixth and seventh year boys, listened as the twins were telling stories about their new line of products, and how they were being used.

"You missed it, Ron, Angelina's friend was outraged!" Fred said.

"Her hair first turned yellow," George continued,

"Then orange,"

"And finally blue! Each color lasts about fifteen minutes to an hour."

"And it's one of the cheaper new charms."

"Only 10 sickles!"

Hermione nearly got dizzy listening to the two twins talk back and forth, continuing each others sentence. By the time Hermione was finished dishing her plate, the talk had died down and the twins were pretty much just talking to Harry, Ron, and Ginny. Hermione had noticed that her tea was already poured, so when someone from down the table shouted out another question to the twins she cast a quick spell.

A few minutes later Ron seemed to remember that she was sitting next to him, with Fred on her other side. Across from them was George, who sat between Harry and Ginny.

"So you must be Hermione. I'm George." "And I'm Fred." The twins said.

"Lovely to meet you both. Ron mentioned you two the other day."

"Oh, he did now…" George started.

"None of its true, of course." Fred finished.

Hermione raised a brow at them.

"Well, maybe all of it." Fred laughed.

"So you're Head Girl?" George asked.

"Two of our older brothers were Head Boy."

"One of them doesn't count." Ron interjected.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Mum still considers Percy family, you know."

"Doesn't mean we have to." Fred said.

"Or ever did." George added. "Say, you going to drink that tea of yours? Looks like its getting cold." He added, taking a sip of his own coffee.

"Of course." Hermione said, then picked the cup up and drank a few sips from it.

Ron snickered, to which George sent him a subtle glare. Hermione ignored them and went back to finishing her breakfast.

Suddenly George hiccupped and a bubble began to blow out of his mouth. As other students started to notice and turned to watch, the bubble grew large and then floated over his head. It burst and large amount of water spilled over George's head.

The students laughed, and a minute later another bubble followed. Even the professors seemed amused; except Professor Snape, who was watching Hermione carefully. He had seen her case the spell. George suddenly got up and ran out of the room as the entire room was all laughing at him.

"Right on, Hermione! You're one of us, all right." Fred told her with a smile. "How did you know?"

"It was simple." Hermione answered. "I noticed that my tea had already been poured, and knowing that you two are infamous pranksters, I cast a quick spell to switch the potion to one of your cups."

"But George was having coffee, Hermione." Ron said.

"Another simple spell, Ronald. I only switched the potion, not the entire liquid, to another cup."

Fred let out a whistle as the others' jaws dropped in awe. "You really are…"

"The brightest witch of my age, Fred? I don't like to proclaim so, but I know that's what others say."

After getting to know the twins (once George returned after taking the antidote) Hermione and the other Gryffindors went to go to their classes. George and Fred had revealed that Dumbledore asked them in order to discuss ideas for an upcoming Halloween party for the entire school.

As Hermione, Harry, and Ron sat in their respective seats for Charms, Ron leaned over to whisper to Hermione. "That was brilliant, Hermione! I've never seen someone out-prank the twins. Except mum of course."

Hermione turned to him with a glare. "You have some nerve, Ronald Weasley. You did nothing to stop them! Or perhaps it was your idea for them to prank me? How do you think that would have gone, Ronald. Would I have been given an antidote, or would I have been drenched in water throughout classes?"

"I…" Ron started but was stopped by the professor starting class. Hermione had already turned away and became immediately focused on the lecture.

That Evening…

Ron was in a pinch. Hermione was furious at him, and hadn't talked to him for the rest of the day. No, she didn't just not talk to him, she ignored him. He hadn't really thought about what the twins joke would do to her, or that they would actually try and prank her at all. He was used to them pranking him, and, well, just didn't think.

Lavender noticed Ron's glum mood and gleefully went to sit next to him, leaving Parvarti in mid-sentence.

"That girl is so nasty, Ron. I don't know how you can stand her hanging around Harry all the time."

Parvarti grimaced. She didn't want Ron to take the bait, no, that would just end up in Lavender's heartache again. She also didn't want her good friend to continually be disillusioned.

"I didn't mean for them…I mean, I dunno." Ron sighed.

Lavender scooted closer to him, then decided to make her move. She turned his head toward hers and kissed him. On the lips.

It broke his mood.

"What the hell are you doing?" Ron cried out, causing all the Gryffindors in the room to take notice.

"I thought I told you…" with that he got up and stalked up to the seventh-year boy dormitories.

Parvarti sighed, then got up and went to sit next to her friend. "Lav, I thought I told you…"

But Lavender only smiled. "That should be enough to start things. I'll show that new girl." Smiling, she got up and went to the room she shared with the other seventh-year girls.

Not knowing what her friend possibly mean, Parvarti found someone else to talk to. And that person was seventh-year Neville Longbottom. And that night Parvarti found herself, possibly the first girl in all of Hogwarts, a date for the Halloween Party.

By the time Hermione reached her dorm that night she was exhausted. To her relief, Draco was out late on rounds. He wouldn't be back until midnight or later, and she would be fast asleep by them. She was just about to turn in when she noticed something amiss. Draco's door was open. Curious, she peered in. She had seen his room before and noted that he kept his room very tidy.

Hermione eyes went wide. Draco's room was a mess. Things had been thrown about, some items appeared broken. Without thinking she stepped in and looked around. Shaking her head, she turned to leave when something caught her eye. A light had sparkled in the far corner of his room. Looking back at their common area, she quickly went to take a look. As she knelt down, she gasped. A delicate, expensive chain with a squared locket lay near a crumpled up note.

Picking it up she noted that the locked had a dragon on it. The eye of the dragon was green emerald, which probably was why she had noticed it sparkle. Shaking, she picked up the discarded note.

Son,

Bring your mother's locket with you on December 10th. You know who will give you a portkey. It is time.

Your Father,

Lucius

Hermione hastily pocketed the items and ran from Draco's room.

To be continued…