This is the second part I'll be posting today, so make sure you've read the part before this. Enjoy :)


- - - Book 2 — Part 15 B: Elimination

Harry followed Sirius and Lupin into Grimmauld Place after reading a note and watching the home appear. Stepping in, it was clear Sirius had been busy cleaning and preparing the place while Harry was at school.

He had also gotten a job at a legal firm, giving advice to clients (who were previously screened by him—he has a gift for seeing true guilt/innocence, and knows how to get certain potions when needed…) about what they should do legally about whatever issue they may be having with the Ministry.

Harry thought this was rather humorous.

Sirius even had an in now with some of the prison guards at Azkaban. After some of them had learned he was truly innocent, they promised that if he needed anything, just to ask. They seemed to remember he wasn't a horrid prisoner like the true criminals were.

Lupin was living at Grimmauld place as well, paying for his rent by helping Sirius fix up the place. He also was working part time with Sirius, taking care of the paperwork in Sirius' cases.

"Harry," Sirius whispered, "Be quiet when you enter and in this area of the house, we haven't been able to remove my mother's portrait, and she wasn't a very kindhearted lady. Actually, I doubt she even had a heart," he said, motioning to a curtained potion of the wall.

Continuing down the hall, which had recently been cleaned, they made it to the kitchen.

"The place isn't finished, but much better than it was. I still have a few things to clean out, particularly with a certain house elf, but all of that will be taken care of soon. But before then, I will have to deter you from going into certain areas of the house, Harry, at least alone," Sirius said.

"You have a house elf?" Harry asked, curiously.

"Yes," Sirius nearly moaned. "We do. Now that I've adopted you, you're his master too. Kreature!"

-POP-

Well, whatever Harry had been expecting, it wasn't what had appeared before him.

"Yes, Master?" the hideous looking house elf drawled, joy and all degree of positive emotion completely nonexistent.

"This is Harry, my godson, and your other master. You are to treat him as you do me, no, actually you will treat and serve him better than you do me, and do whatever he says. Understood?" Sirius ordered.

"Yes, Master. Kreature lives to serve the noble House of Black. Kreature will serve the one who destroyed the Dark Lord…" he said, before muttering, "Kreature wonders how he did it."

Harry simply stared, his heart clenching as a memory surfaced . . .

He entered Grimmauld Place, a ghastly, overdressed woman, with makeup nearly an inch thick, greeting him proudly.

"Oh, Milord, what an honor it is for you to enter my home. I am so proud you have chosen my family to assist you in whatever it is you currently need. Now, you said you needed someone specifically? Kreature, correct?" she asked.

"Yes, your house elf," he said. "Regulus suggested him, and I believe he will do nicely."

"Of course, milord. Kreature!"

-Pop-

"Yes, Mistress, what can Kreature do to serve the most noble house of Black?" he asked with a bow.

"Oh yes, he will do very nicely," he said from behind the elf.

Kreature turned around, immediately bowing low as he did so.

"The Dark Lord," he breathed, "truly desires my service? I am honored beyond all previous thought."

"As you should be. Now, come with me," he said.

They then left, going far into the country, and then into a land far beyond, until they came to the edge of a sea and entered a cave—a cave Harry had seen in memory before.

They got into the boat, careful not to disturb it too much, and got to an island. There, Voldemort forced Kreature to drink the horrible potion from the bowl for him to leave the locket, and then he left, the things in the water coming up soon after….

"Harry?!" Sirius nearly shouted, giving Harry a shake. "You okay?"

"Uh, yeah," Harry said after giving a start.

Voldemort had left Kreature there, he should have died. How did he make it? Harry wondered.

"Maybe we should take you to your room, Harry. It has been a busy day," Lupin suggested.

"I think a rest before dinner is a good idea, Harry," Sirius continued, before pretty much guiding him to the stairs and taking him to his room.

The walls were all freshly painted, odd photos apparently having been placed over areas of the walls that had had things bolted into place recently.

Entering the hall, Harry saw several doors. Sirius pointed out each room and identified them.

"Study, restroom, guestroom, my bedroom, and finally…yours," Sirius said, stopping at the door with the words, 'Harry's Room' engraved on a metal plate.

There were other rooms down the hall, and stairs going up to the attic, but Sirius apparently didn't want to show Harry those yet.

Sirius opened the door, showing a brilliantly furnished room.

"This is mine?" Harry asked, unable to believe it.

"Yup, it's all yours," Sirius said with a smile.

The bed was vast, and the matching dressers were beside it. There was a desk against the right wall and a closet on the left, and on the walls were Quidditch posters.

"You can unpack later, for now, just rest and enjoy your new room," Sirius said. "I'll be downstairs, making dinner. If you need anything, just call me. I wouldn't advise Kreature, he's never really helpful."

Harry smiled, looking around the room as he entered.

Sirius and Lupin smiled again before leaving as Harry went to the bed and laid down, thinking about what he should do, and when he should reveal himself to Lupin, and how he should bring in Sirius.

After a moment of thought, deciding there was something he should do before that, he sat up.

"Kreature?" he hesitantly called.

"Master calls Kreature? What does young master want?" he asked, before mumbling, "What does the godson of the spoiled brat want from Kreature? Oh, what would Mistress think if she knew Kreature was serving the boy who broke her heart?"

Harry just stared for a moment, thought escaping him as he tried to digest what he had just heard.

"Young master called? Is he going to speak or just continue to stare and be silent?" Kreature asked.

"Oh, sorry Kreature, I was just thinking," Harry said, shaking his head, wondering if his previous plan was even worth trying.

"What was young master thinking?"

Harry took a calming breath, deciding it was worth a try, it might be important after all.

"The rest of this conversation will stay between us. You will not repeat what is said here to anyone, is that understood? Do you swear?" Harry asked.

"Young master wishes to discuss secret things. Of course Kreature cannot break an order, Kreature swears to not repeat what is said here if young master wishes this," he said.

"I do," Harry said. "Now, Kreature, tell me, how did you get out of that cave?"

"Cave? What cave?" Kreature asked, looking away and talking to himself soon after. "What is young master talking about? What is he referring to? Is he right in the head?"

"I am right in the head, Kreature, and I know you were taken to a very dark evil cave with Vo—the Dark Lord a long time ago. I want to know how you got out, for he had left you there," Harry said, becoming a little impatient.

Kreature snapped his head up, his eyes growing wide.

"How do you know this?" Kreature asked suspiciously.

"I just do."

"What else do you know?"

"I know Regulus suggested you into the Dark Lord's service," Harry said, a quick memory of Regulus, who, he was stunned to learn, was Sirius' brother, meeting with Voldemort about this, before it suddenly shifted into what Harry least expected…

"Regulus has betrayed you, Milord," Malfoy said. "He is much like his filthy, blood traitor brother."

"He will die then," he said.

Harry exhaled shakily.

"Young master does not look well, but Kreature desires to know how a boy knows these things," Kreature muttered, probably to himself.

"I'm alright, Kreature, and I cannot tell you how I know the things I do, at least not yet."

"What else do you know, though? Kreature wants to know what else young master knows about great late master Regulus," he said, his eyes growing tearful.

Harry blinked, but decided there was no holding back now.

"The Dark Lord killed your other master, didn't he?" Harry said quietly.

Well, Harry quickly learned that was the last thing he should have said as Kreature went into a wailing fit.

"Shhhh! Kreature, shush," Harry said, on his knees and trying to calm the distraught elf. "Be quiet!"

Kreature's wails cut off, the house elf sucking in a breath and holding it.

Harry just stood there for a moment, shocked his order was followed in such a way, until Kreature started turning a tint of blue.

"Kreature, breathe! Breathe!" Harry suddenly ordered.

Kreature heaved in a breath.

"Kreature does as young master says, but he wishes he would make up his mind."

"When I said to be quiet I meant to stop wailing and crying, not to try to suffocate yourself!" Harry said, trying to calm himself now.

Kreature just stood there quietly, clearly waiting for Harry to say something.

"Kreature, I know your master Regulus was a good and noble man. Please, tell me how you got out of the cave and what had happened," Harry said.

"Master Regulus called me," he said.

"He called you? Just like that?"

"When Master calls, Kreature has to come," Kreature said, before mumbling, "Oh, I have tried master, I have, but I have failed, I can't destroy it."

Harry frowned slightly.

"Kreature, what happened after that?"

"I told Master Regulus what the Dark Lord had made me do, Kreature did not like that potion, but drank it."

"And then the Dark Lord put a locket in the bowl, didn't he?"

"How does young master know this?" Kreature asked.

"I just do. So you told Master Regulus?"

Kreature looked down, looking as if he was going to start wailing again.

"He made me, he made me," Kreature nearly chanted.

"He made you do what?"

"He made me take him there, made me make him drink the potion… made me leave him there and promise to take the locket and find a way to destroy it, but Kreature has not been able to. Kreature has tried, Kreature has truly tried! Kreature is a disgraceful elf! Unable to complete the last wish of great, honorable Master Regulus!"

"The locket? You have it?"

"Yes, Kreature does…"

Harry paused, thinking.

"Kreature…" Harry said, getting to his eye level. "I know a way. Let me help you complete Regulus' last wish. All you have to do is bring me the locket, and I promise you, it will be destroyed."

Kreature's eyes widened in awe and gratitude, things Harry had initially thought impossible to see on the face of this house elf.

-Pop- … -pop-

Harry could barely breathe.

The locket, being held tightly in the elf's hand, was there. One of the Horcruxes he had thought would be the hardest to get, was here!

Harry reached into his robes and took hold of one of the daggers, his favorite one, if he admitted it to himself.

Kreature stood frozen, clearly in fear.

"What is young master going to do?" he asked.

"Put the locket on the floor, Kreature," Harry said.

Kreature obediently did, but he probably didn't want to.

Harry wondered if he needed to do anything, and then remembered Voldemort's memory of making this horcrux. The locket was heavily charmed to protect from outside attacks. It would need to be opened…

Harry smirked.

:Open: he hissed, making Kreature nearly jump ten feet in the air, but after he landed, he stayed rooted to the spot, seeing that the locket had opened.

Harry moved closer, raising the blade slightly, until he looked up to Kreature, deciding something.

"Kreature, Regulus was against the Dark Lord, I assume you are too?"

"Whatever mighty Master Regulus was against, Kreature is," he said stiffly.

Harry smiled, knowing that admission was enough to make Kreature a technical ally, so his promise with Rook was safe as he moved the dagger towards Kreature.

"Then use this dagger; fulfill Regulus' last order. Destroy this locket," Harry said.

Kreature looked at the dagger, and then back up to him.

"Go on, Regulus wanted you to destroy it," Harry said with a nod.

Kreature carefully took the dagger, reverently taking hold of the handle with both hands and aiming at the locket.

"Be careful though, Kreature, I don't really know what will happen," Harry cautioned, moving back a little and pulling out his wand, suddenly realizing it was probably a good idea to cast protection spells and a silencing spell just in case.

"Is young new master ready for Kreature now?" Kreature asked.

"Yes, do it," Harry said.

Kreature took a deep breath, tears in his eyes, before thrusting the dagger down hard, putting his whole weight into it.

The blade's point made contact and quickly pierced the metal, but something more.

A hideous, terrifying scream suddenly echoed around them, and Harry wondered if he should have put up more silencing spells as Kreature raised the dagger up as black mist rose out of the locket.

Harry and Kreature stared as the scream went silent and the mist disappeared, leaving behind a clearly stabbed and un-horcruxed locket.

"Master Regulus, Kreature has succeeded…" Kreature breathed.

BANGBANGBANG!

"Harry, are you alright?!" Sirius said, banging on the door as Harry suddenly realized he had locked the door.

Harry quickly unlocked it, Sirius and Lupin nearly falling into the room soon after.

"We heard screams an—," Lupin explained, only to cut himself off as he saw Kreature with the dagger.

Harry looked over at Kreature as Sirius and Lupin pointed their wands at him.

"No, wait! Kreature was helping me! I was helping him, I mean, we were helping each other!" Harry tried to explain.

Lupin looked down at the damaged locket, then at Kreature, and then at Harry.

Sirius was utterly furious and confused.

"Put that dagger down, Kreature!" Sirius ordered.

Kreature dropped it.

Harry quickly grabbed it before they could.

"Harry, what on earth is going on?" Sirius asked.

Harry shuffled his feet, looking down at the blade in his hands, to the locket on the floor, to Kreature, and then at his shoes.

Should he just spill it all out right here, right now? Was that the easiest and best way to do this? Well, what else could he say to explain what he was doing? Say 'Oh, well, I had something against this locket and wanted Kreature to destroy it'? No, better just say the truth.

He finally looked up at Sirius, and then at Lupin, remembering the fact he had already placed protection spells around, though they probably weren't needed since the place was under the Fidelius Charm.

Meeting Lupin's eyes and straightening up to his full (however short) height, he spoke.

"Lunar, we are a formation of defenders. I am Griffin, your other contact."

Sirius looked back and forth from Lupin and Harry, utterly lost, and even more lost as Lupin replied, "Bloody hell."

They all were quiet for a long moment, until Sirius couldn't take it anymore.

"What the heck is going on?" he asked. "What were you and Kreature doing? And what was that bloody terrifying scream we heard?"

"A horcrux, a piece of Voldemort's soul," Harry said, Kreature cringing and gasping at the name. "The Custosae, a group I work with, decided that if I came across one, to destroy it."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Wait, was that what that 'I am Griffin' stuff was about? So you're a part of this Custosae group?" Sirius asked.

Harry glanced at Lupin, who was still in shock.

Should I tell them I am actually a Custosae? And if I do, do I tell them I am the leader? Would they believe me? Harry asked himself. Should I tell them?

An internal battle ensued, trying to determine if it was time to let some adults into the big secret.

Well, if I can't tell my dad's best friends, who can I?

"Yes, I am a Custosae, and no other Amici know this," Harry stated, Lupin's eyes growing wider.

"You're a Custosae?" he whispered.

"Yes, I am," Harry answered, Kreature just staring at him.

"Wait, who or what are the Custosae?" Sirius asked.

"They are a group fighting against Voldemort," Lupin said.

"Like the Order?" Sirius asked.

"Yes, but they are more powerful than the Order."

"Why haven't we heard of them?" Sirius asked.

"They had just revealed themselves this year," Lupin said.

"How are you a member?" Sirius asked Harry.

Harry shrugged, trying to decide how to answer as he was suddenly distracted by a certain elf who was now directly in front of him.

"If it would please young master, Kreature shall serve the Custosae," he said, bowing low.

Sirius and Lupin's jaws dropped.

"It would," Harry said. "Let everything you do be in memory of Regulus."

"I will master, I will."

Poor Sirius and Lupin were so utterly confused and shocked, they could barely stand now.

Harry looked up at them, barely holding back a smile.

"Could I explain all of this at dinner?" Harry asked. "I'm getting hungry."

"Please do, Harry," Sirius said suddenly, quickly leading the way to the kitchen.

- - -

The next day came, and the Amici having a new member, Grim aka Sirius Black.

Harry had explained there being horcruxes and how the locket had been one of them, and the fact the Custosae now had a way to destroy them, and were fairly certain they knew all of their locations. He didn't tell them about the others, or the fact he was the Head, he was certain if he had, they would have each had a heart attack. And it looked like he was pushing their health enough as it was.

Sirius had been sworn in, Kreature also giving an oath, though it wasn't really needed since Harry was his master.

Harry then gave Sirius and Lupin a mission…

To get the ring, which was in the Gaunt Shack.

Harry gave Lupin the dagger and told them of the curses and spells protecting the ring, and that the stone in the ring was the horcrux, and to not put on the ring.

Sirius and Lupin decided not to question how Harry knew all of this, deciding the higher leveled Custosae must have informed him, telling him to tell them, since Harry clearly couldn't just go off to some shack and destroy this thing on his own.

They decided they would go and carry out the mission later during the holiday break, and during that time, Harry would stay at Neville's house or something.

So that is what they did.

The days at Grimmauld Place were great, Kreature even talking some sense into the portrait of Sirius' mother, telling her how Sirius' godson, Harry Potter, had been noble in helping him carryout Regulus' last wish. That seemed to calm her down for the most part. At least she didn't randomly start screaming or go off at any sudden noise, though she wasn't suddenly a grandmotherly sort at all.

Christmas came, and Harry got some books, candy, and a few rather random gifts from his friends, Lupin, and Sirius. He had of course sent out some gifts to Ron and the others, including charmed letters about what had happened, and that there was now one less horcrux, and that another would soon be following.

He also got a cheerful letter from Neville, telling how he had told 'Lioness' and how proud she was that he was following in his parents' footsteps. Harry was happy for him, silently wondering what her reaction would be if she were to learn Neville was one of the leaders of this group.

After Christmas, the day Sirius and Lupin had chosen to carry out the mission came, Harry and the others already having arranged for them to meet at Neville's house.

Everyone made it to the Longbottom Mansion on time, Sirius and Lupin giving the excuse that they needed to get rare materials to continue the repairs on Grimmauld Place, which wasn't exactly a lie, they would get the things after completing the mission.

Harry and the others played exploding snap for a time, read a little in the library, and played Quidditch for a while. It was a few hours after lunch when they decided to take a break and take things easy for a little bit, and relax in the Living Room before dinner.

Hermione was reading up on some upper level spells, Greg and Ron were playing chess with Vince and Draco watching, and Neville (Revlis around his arm) and Harry were just thinking on the couch.

Augusta had been hesitant about allowing Revlis into her house, but after seeing how Neville and the snake got along, she settled on watching the thing like a hawk, instead of banishing it to some frozen island.

Snape was also in the room, having come to a decision earlier that week he couldn't go back on now.

He had decided he should tell Harry he knew about him having the Dark Lord's memories. Something had been bothering him for the last few months that he couldn't shake himself away from. What if Harry needed to talk to him about something he saw that only he, Snape, would understand or be able to explain or help him coup with? Didn't he owe Lily that? To help her son? Wouldn't she had wanted him to?

"Potter, a word alone?" Snape asked, coming towards the couch and making Neville startle slightly; he had been dozing.

"Of course, sir," Harry said, a little uneasily.

What was this about?

Harry stepped out with Snape, going to one of the guest rooms after receiving some concerned glances from the others.

Snape shut the door behind Harry, expertly casting privacy spells before turning to Harry.

Snape just stood there for a little bit, which only made Harry even more uneasy.

"I am not one to provide a lengthy preamble to help soften a discussion or attempt to make something seem less upsetting, so I will just state what I have decided needs to be said. I know that you have the Dark Lord's memories, and I have known for some time. I figured it out soon after that boggart, and had thought it best to keep this fact to myself, even from you, but have now decided that it would be best for you to know that I know. You need not worry about keeping your secret from me any longer, Potter. Also know that it is safe with me. You are the only one I have spoken to about this, and it will stay that way unless I deem it necessary to share it with another, which would probably only be the Headmaster if it were to come to pass," Snape said.

Harry was numb. Completely in shock.

He knows! Heknows!heknows!heknows! What should I do?

"You should probably breathe, Potter. It is vital you do so to continue living," Snape stated, barely revealing a smirk.

Harry sucked in some air, which sounded like a reversed gasp/sigh.

After regaining some pigment, Harry was able to form some words, Snape being surprisingly patient.

"I don't know what to say," Harry said finally, shakily placing his hand on the nearby dresser.

"You don't need to say anything," Snape said, his eyes refining in something Harry had never seen from his professor before, or most anyone for that matter.

A level of protectiveness aimed right at him, laced with a look of having succeeded in something.

Harry felt it come, but for some reason, he felt no desire to fight it, so he let himself fall completely into this memory, feeling no inclination at all against doing so.

"Milord, I humbly ask for a request," Snape said, kneeling.

"You are a faithful servant, I shall see if I will grant you your wish. What is it?"

"When you go to kill Potter, spare his wife for me," Snape said.

"You desire her?"

"Yes, Milord," Snape said.

"I will take it into consideration," he said.

"Thank you, Milord, thank you," Snape said reverently, looking up with eyes Harry had just seen from his professor moments before.

Harry's hand tightened against the edge of the dresser as another flash of a memory he had had so many times before came forward once again.

"Not Harry, not Harry, please not Harry!"

"Stand aside, you silly girl . . . stand aside, now. . . ."

"Not Harry, please no, take me, kill me instead—Not Harry! Please…have mercy…have mercy…"

Soon after, he ran out of the little amount of patience he had and spoke the curse, green light filling the room, before casting it again, this time on little Harry….

Harry opened his eyes, suddenly realizing he was sitting on the floor with a surprisingly concerned potions master beside him.

His back was resting against the dresser, his heart was racing, and his forehead was covered in sweat.

Harry swallowed and took a deep breath soon after.

"Do they usually come like that?" Snape asked softly, kneeling regally beside him.

"Not often, only when I don't fight them or when they're very strong," Harry whispered.

A silent pause went between them, Snape quickly taking in Harry's condition and determining nothing physically was wrong, he just hoped that fact went with Harry's mental condition as well.

"I had always wondered about that, but now I know," Harry muttered after a moment.

"What?"

"Why he said that," Harry answered, though barely consciously; it sounded like he was talking to himself more than answering Snape.

"What did you see?" Snape asked, and if Harry had been able to pay more attention he would have seen the look of uncertainty Snape had in asking that question.

"You asked him not to kill her. You didn't know what he was really planning to go do. You thought he just wanted my dad, so you did what you could," Harry said.

Snape stayed silent, suddenly unable to talk.

"He told her to move, you know, but she didn't. He would have spared her like you asked if she had, but he ran out of patience…." Harry exhaled a shaky breathe, oblivious to the tear that escaped and silently went down the side of his face. "I've seen that memory more times than I can count, and always wondered why he had said that. But now I know."

Harry swallowed again before giving a small smile.

"You're the first I've really told that to. I've never told anyone the specifics before," he said, before realizing the tear and quickly brushing it away, hoping Snape hadn't seen.

It didn't matter either way; Snape was more concerned about trying to hold himself together and not letting Harry notice this fact.

After a few more seconds of gathering themselves and trying to hide it from the other, they managed to stand up.

"Well, Potter," Snape began, hoping his voice was steady, which it was to Harry (though Dumbledore would have noticed the strain). "You know where to find me if you need to."

Harry nodded as Snape waved his wand and banished the spells.

They both exited the room as if they had merely had a simple discussion, and went to dinner soon after.

- - -

The rest of the holiday went quickly and passed without many things noteworthy, except the fact Sirius and Lupin returned with the dagger and the destroyed ring. The mission had been a success.

Harry kept the meeting with Snape to himself, only sharing the fact Snape knew about the memories with the others. The others were actually more relieved than anything else. Though Hagrid knew about the memories, it was probably a good thing someone who would be able to understand them better knew about them. The only thing they were concerned about was the chance Snape would tell Dumbledore, though, they also knew it was probably only a matter of time until Dumbledore learned that secret, either from them directly, or him figuring it out on his own.

Classes started again, and the first chance Harry and the others had, they went to the Come and Go Room, Harry leading the way and having concentrated on asking the room to form into the place he needed.

Harry had given Draco and Ron each one of the daggers, which they would carry with them everywhere. Harry had the third, deciding that if they were to happen across the diary, they would immediately destroy it and ask questions later. They all thought this was a good decision, but they had yet to see any book even resembling the soon-to-be last blasted Horcrux.

They quickly entered, Draco being the one with his dagger out.

"It's this way," Harry said, leading the way through the piles of long lost items from countless generations.

"This place is amazing, why has it taken so long for us to wish for this place?" Ron asked.

"After we do this, you have a swim in this stuff later, Ron," Vince stated. "But I call that football over there."

"Deal."

"There it is!" Harry said, hurrying forward before turning to Draco. "Care to do the honors?"

"My pleasure."

"Ok, just do it quickly and get ready for a scream and nasty darkness. There's no protections or anything on this, since Riddle was overconfident in this hiding place."

"Some hiding place, everyone has used it," Greg noted.

"Funny how most forgot about their stuff though," Neville pointed out.

Greg shrugged.

"Okay, everyone ready?" Draco asked.

"Ready," they said.

Draco stabbed the front of the diadem hard with the blade, and dropped it soon after as a scream swarmed around them and a similar shadow poured from the diadem.

And then, it was over.

Utter relief fell over them, and afterwards they all enjoyed a moment of celebration in the Come and Go Room, Dobby bringing them some cakes from the kitchens.

Classes continued, as did Quidditch practice, Hogwart's Army, Custosae meetings, and lessons with Snape on the weekends. They had an interesting time on Valentines day, Lockhart proving his capacity (or lack of) to use intelligence or simple common sense. To put it simply, the whole school, staff included (save Lockhart) was glad when that day was over.

It was in the middle of the second term now, no other attacks having happened after Leeann and the Friar, though Harry and the others knew something was bound to happen soon.

One day, Harry and the others having breakfast in the Great Hall, Hermione already having finished and reading over their homework, Neville dug into his bag and pulled out his remembrall to put it on the table so it wouldn't break as he got out his books, but before he could, it suddenly turned black.

"What the—" Hermione gasped.

"Neville, what did you do?!" Ron asked, gaping.

"I've never seen it do that before," Neville stated.

"What's it mean?" Harry asked.

"Is it broken?" Ron asked.

"Here," Hermione said.

Neville handed it to her.

It stayed black.

"Weird," Neville said. "Maybe it is broken. I'll write Gran and ask about it later."

- - -

The day continued, Harry and the others quickly forgetting about the remembrall as the fact the next Quidditch game was after lunch, between Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. Walking to the pitch, however, this fact was quickly squashed.

"This game has been canceled," McGonagall stated, intercepting them.

"They can't cancel Quidditch!" someone behind them stated. Probably Wood.

McGonagall ignored him, looking grave.

"Weasley, come with me," she said, everyone who had been going to the stadium quickly being escorted back with the other professors.

Harry and the others quickly joined Ron, and surprisingly, McGonagall didn't shoo them away.

She led them to the infirmary, and the closer they came to it, the more they knew something bad had happened.

On the way there, the twins quickly joined them, having been told by Flitwick to go.

"Now, this will be a wee bit of a shock," McGonagall said. "There has been another attack… another double attack."

They entered, their eyes quickly falling onto two fellow Army members. Both petrified, each firmly grasping mirrors.

Percy Weasley and Penelope Clearwater….

- - -

A/N: For the newly detailed network of the Custosae, Amici, and Allies, refer to my profile.

Next Part: You've Lost Old Man