"I've tried everything," Hermione said, walking into Harry and Ron's office, handing Harry the small box that Malfoy had delivered. "Spells, enchantments, even a knife like the one Sirius gave to you, Harry, but it's useless."

"Can't we just break the thing?" Ron frowned. "One good toss and-"

"Because Claridina obviously won't have put any charms on it to make it unbreakable," Hermione said, rolling her eyes. "Honestly, Ron."

"Just a thought."

"So there's no way to open the box?" Harry asked.

"Well, I read into this a bit," Hermione started.

"Surprise, surprise," Ron mumbled.

"And I think that lock on there is an Algolock."

"A what?"

"It's a very old type of lock," Hermione explained. "Basically, there is only one key in the entire world that can open that lock. No amount of magic can do anything to it, and the key cannot be replicated in any way."

"So we're at a dead end, aren't we?" Harry sighed. "I somehow doubt that this key is just lying around somewhere."

"It doesn't make sense, though," Hermione pointed out. "Obviously, whatever is in the box is something that Claridina considered valuable enough to lock away, yet she just left it when she left the Malfoy's."

"Think maybe she's trying to throw us off?" Ron asked.

"No," Harry shook his head. "Claridina left that box at the Malfoy's years ago, before we started chasing her."

"Maybe you should bring it down to Department of Mysteries," Hermione suggested. "If anyone can figure out how to get this thing open, it'll be them."

"Good idea," Harry nodded. "I'll go down there tomorrow, I was just about to leave. Promised Lily I'd let her have a go on my broomstick."

"Yeah, I reckon I'll be going home now too," Ron said.

"I'll be there in about an hour," Hermione told him. "Just have to go over a few things with Kingsley. Make sure you feed Crookshanks, though."

"Why? I'm sure he's eaten enough mice from the garden," Ron mumbled as him and Harry headed out of there office.

"Still not a fan of Crookshanks?" Harry grinned.

"Thing jumped on my face this morning; Hermione said he was just being playful…"

"Yeah, I still remember when I had to sit for the beast when you lot went to France on holiday last-Hey, Ron, look at this."

Harry, who had been turning the box over in his hands, frowned as he looked closer at the lock.

"What about it?" Ron asked, squinting his eyes.

"Does it look goblin made to you?"

Ron took the box and held it up to the light. "Maybe…yeah. I think it is."

"Goblins keep tabs on all treasures that they've made, right?"

"According to Hermione."

"So it's possible, then," Harry said slowly. "That they may have access to the key!"

"Bloody hell," Ron said. "That's brilliant."

"I've got to run this down to Gringotts," Harry said urgently.

"You can't, mate," Ron told him. "They closed an hour ago; you'll have to wait until morning."

Harry cursed under his breath. "Right then. First thing tomorrow, you and I will bring this down to Gringotts. Hopefully we'll finally be able to see what's in it."

….

"Tell me what you want to know," Claridina said to Alexandra as she led the girl up the staircase.

Alexandra, whose head was buzzing with millions of questions, had trouble selecting just one to begin with.

"Why did you marry my father?" she finally blurted out.

Claridina laughed. "That much, I would've thought was obvious."

Alexandra blinked. "I don't follow."

"Your father," she said, taking Alexandra into a large room with a roaring fire and many armchairs. "Is a blood relative of the person who nearly all consider to be the greatest wizard alive."

"Harry," Alexandra said softly, understanding.

"Yes," Claridina nodded. "You may not realize how important blood is; but I do. Someday, it will come in handy for you to have his blood flow through your veins."

"What do you-"

"Never you mind that now," she said quickly. "I had my reasons. It was so easy to fool your father. I tracked him down with no trouble; discovered that everyday after work he went to the same pub. So one day, I got there a little before him, waited for him to arrive and order his drink, and then I slipped just a little bit of a very powerful love potion into his drink. It worked instantly. Two months later we eloped. A year later you were born. Once you were born, I had little use to stay around the pitiful muggle. He had done his part, so I left."

Alexandra felt her first tighten, but she managed to keep her anger at bay as she asked her next question. "Your son, my…half-brother...we're only a few months apart in age. How could-"

"Rolwat was also born from a powerful bloodline. You see, right after your father and I married, I finally managed to track down another wizard whom I had been searching for: Kremolton Gaunt."

"Who?" Alexandra frowned.

"Very few know of him," Claridina said. "Many thought the bloodline had dried up. Gaunt, my dear girl, is the great-great grandson of Morfin Gaunt. It is widely believed that he died without an heir, but he had one illegitimate child; a son, who carried on his name."

"But what makes him so important?" Alexandra asked. "Who is he?"

"The Gaunts," Claridina explained. "Are the last living descendents of Salazar Slytherin."

"Slytherin?" Alexandra repeated. "As in-"

"Yes, he is one of the four founders of Hogwarts. The only worthy one if you ask me. But this bloodline carries but one more powerful name with it."

"Who else-"

"Morfin Gaunt had a sister, Merope," Claridina told her. "Merope fell in love with a muggle boy, Tom. Tom Riddle. She seduced him with a love potion, but when the potion dried up, so did his love. The man left her heavily pregnant. Poor Merope barely had any life in her at that point; she found her way to a muggle orphanage, where she gave birth to a boy. She named him Tom Marvalo Riddle, then died. Little did she know, one day, her son would become what many considered to be the darkest wizard of all time: Lord Voldemort."

Alexandra gasped. "So-so your son-He's the-"

"Yes," she nodded. "He became the only living descendent of Lord Voldemort; or he did once I disposed of his father."

Alexandra shook her head. "But it doesn't make sense. Rolwat and I aren't twins; how could you have given birth to both of us only months apart?"

"I never gave birth to my son. A surrogate mother did. Kate Dane. It took a bit of…persuading to get her to agree to it, but in the end, she had no other choice but to say yes. I kept her in hiding, and the meantime got pregnant with you."

Alexandra opened her mouth to ask more, but Claridina stood up. "That is enough for today. Come. Let me show you to your room."

Alexandra slowly rose from the seat and followed her mother down the corridor.