A/N: It's been a while since I updated this. It got away from me for a bit, but I managed to catch it again. I know it's likely not as long as you'd like, but it's all I have for right now. Hopefully now that I'm back on track I can get this finished soon.

Chapter 44: The Trophy Room

When I met Malfoy that evening it was raining outside, and the light of the half moon made the entire room feel like a sunken pirate ship. It was an interesting effect to be sure, but it was also a little off-putting. The distorted light flickered this way and that, and I couldn't help but think that if I had to duel under these conditions, I'd be sunk.

"Potter."

I spun around, drawing my wand so fast that I found myself surprised to have it in my hand at all. Constant vigilance – Moody would be proud.

"Don't sneak up like that!" I hissed, mindful that Filch was likely prowling somewhere nearby.

Malfoy only smirked. "I'm a Slytherin," he said, casually leaning against a trophy case, "it's what we do."

"Yeah well…" I was at a lost for a comeback, so I simply asked "Did you bring it?"

"Right down to business, are we? One would think you didn't enjoy my company. I'm hurt Potter --- I thought I meant something to you." He drawled, reaching into his robes and pulling out a bag that reeked evil. "I wouldn't touch it with your bare hands, if I were you. I think it's got some sort of blistering curse on it."

"I'll keep that in mind." I replied, peering into the leather pouch. Inside was a golden cup. It had two handles – one on each side – and the Hufflepuff crest emblazoned on it. It was slightly tarnished, as if it had sat somewhere collecting dust for quite a while, and gave off an aura so menacing that it made my eyes water.

If the bile rising in the back of my throat was anything to go by, it was definitely a Horcrux -- and one of his later ones, at that. I shut the bag quickly, and the feeling of evil lessened somewhat.

"Thanks." I said, feeling kind of peaky. "Five down, two to go. After that, it's just old Voldy himself that's left."

Draco blanched. "He made seven of those?" the blonde shuddered, his whole body seeming to shimmer in the watery light. "Disgusting!"

"Tell me about it. Have you figured out how to do the old man in?"

"No, and I don't think I will either. Not if what you said about his phoenix is true."

"You don't have to worry about Fawkes," I said, throwing my invisibility cloak over my head and moving into the corridor, "he used that one so that he could get his health back. He said he wanted to be around long enough to tell me everything he knew about Voldemort."

"Do you believe him? What if it's just something he's saying to get your trust back?" he asked, lips barely moving as we walked down the hallway. To anyone passing by, it would look like the Slytherin Prefect was simply out on a moonlit stroll. For a moment, I wondered at how much easier getting rid of the Horcruxes would have been if I had been a Prefect instead of Ron.

"Potter?"

"I think he's telling the truth. Maybe not about his reasons, but definitely about using it. I saw for my own eyes that Fawkes had returned to a chick, and that the hand that was withered at the beginning of term was healed. Even Snape hadn't been able to do that, and he's probably the best Potions Master on this side of the continent."

Draco nodded. "Now that you mention it, I do recall his hand looking dead at the Welcoming Feast, and it looked fine at breakfast. Maybe I can do this after all. Do you know what the others are yet?"

"Nagini for sure, and if Dumbledore is to be believed, then something of Ravenclaw's as well."

"He'll keep his pet close." Draco mused, turning down a hallway that was completely barren. Here, the only decorations were the windows, and even those were the simple, box pane kind. There were no portraits, suits of armor, or sculptures. The corridor was long, but not so long that the moonlight on the opposite end didn't reach this one.

"Where are we?" I asked, having never seen this particular corridor before. There were no doors, and no point at all, seeing as how the other end looked to be a dead end.

"You'll see. The Weasleys don't know of all the secret passages. This is where I come to think. And plot."

For a moment, the sound of Draco's footsteps were the only sound to be heard.

"You were saying something about Nagini." I reminded.

"Yes, he'll keep her close. The only way to kill her without being near him would probably be to poison her. The poison would have to be tasteless and odorless, and we'd likely have to find a way to put it into something she would eat. Like a rodent or small bird."

"That's a great plan, but how would we get to her in the first place? It's unlikely that even if we did know where he was keeping her that he'd just let anybody walk up and feed her. Could you imagine how suspicious that would look?"

"True… I'll see what I can do."

Draco stopped at a patch of wall and tapped a complicated pattern onto it, causing the wall to glow dimly then rearrange itself into an archway. It reminded me of Diagon Alley's entrance, and when I stated as much to Draco, he simply laughed and asked where I thought Tom had gotten the idea.

"After me, of course." He said, sauntering in like he owned the place.

And what a place it was. Opposite the door was a large, ornate fireplace that roared to life the second the archway closed behind us. The furnishings were similarly ornate, all done up in shades of gold and purple. The entire room was decadent and, despite it obvious abandonment, spotless.

"This," Draco drawled, throwing himself down onto one of the plush couches, "is my thinking room. It used to be guest quarters or perhaps staff housing, but like all the other rooms down this corridor it's been deserted in favor of those closer to where the action is. It's a shame really – the rooms are quite nice. Cozy even."

I nodded and sat across from him, in a chair that looked like it was made in the 1700s. "It is nice. You said there were other rooms?"

"Yes, but I can show you those later." He said dismissively. "Right now, we need to figure out a plan to identify and eliminate the remaining two Horcruxes, not to mention a senile old Headmaster."

"And exactly how do you propose we do such a thing?" I inquired, leaning forward in interest.

"Well…" he smirked, a devious glint in his eye, "I thought you'd never ask…"