"Ginny wanted to know where you were last night?" Ron said, walking into the office. "Don't tell me you've been here since yesterday."
"I sent her an owl telling her I wouldn't be able to make it home," Harry muttered, not taking his eyes off the board with all of the information he had about Claridina written down on it.
"Would this be the letter she was supposed to get?" Ron asked, picking up a slip of parchment from Harry's desk.
"Must've forgotten to send it then," Harry said, flipping through a few pages of one of the many books he had sprawled out all over his desk.
"You look awful, mate," Ron said. "Go home and get some sleep. I'll handle everything here."
"This all has to connect somehow," Harry said, running a hand through his messy hair, ignoring Ron's comment. "Somehow it's got to make sense. But how…"
"Maybe Draco got something wrong," Ron said.
Harry frowned, but didn't say anything.
"Well it's easy to see how Hogsmeade and Hogwarts are connected," Ron said, stepping next to Harry. "They're right next to each other. I still don't know how she could be using Gringotts. I mean, the goblins all have grudges against her because of all those goblin killings she committed years ago. They wouldn't let her or anything associated with her into their doors."
"They felt the same way about us when we were seventeen, remember?" Harry pointed out. "But we managed to break in. We just had to…bloody hell! Why didn't I think of that before!"
"What? Did I miss something?" Ron asked.
"She has the goblins under the Imperius Curse!" Harry exclaimed. "It makes perfect sense! When I went there they refused to let me have any Aurors stand guard inside the bank; we had to put them outside! It was Claridina's control that made them say that!"
"Why would she need to control a bunch of Goblins for?" Ron asked. "I thought we already said she was interested in much more than gold."
"I don't think she took over Gringotts for that," Harry said. "I think…Ron, I think that may be where she's hiding."
"What?" Ron cried. "She can't be hiding in Gringotts!"
"The vaults underneath the bank go on for miles and miles," Harry pointed out. "She could've used the space to fashion some sort of hideout."
"But I thought Malfoy said he saw woods around the place," Ron reminded him. "Unless…she must've been using one of those scenery changing charms!"
"Exactly," Harry nodded. "She's been hiding right underneath our nose this whole time!"
"But how do these other places connect?" Ron said. "Obviously they're all significant; they're the most popular places for witches and wizards to go, but what else-"
"The holes!"
"Sorry?"
"Those holes that have been popping up everywhere," Harry said, reaching for a book with such speed that he knocked down his coffee mug. "No one's paid them any mind because they look just like Niffler holes, but they've popped up in every one of these locations!"
"But what's she going to do with them?" Ron frowned.
"I found something while I was reading last night," Harry said, flipping the pages frantically. "I didn't think too much of it, but now it makes perfect sense…here it is!"
"What is it?" Ron asked, leaning over the book.
"Claridina's big with fire, right?" Harry said. "This potion right here is one of the most dangerous combustion potions in existence! But what makes it so deadly is that it's actually activated by a spell…it's sort of like a muggle bomb."
"I'll take your word for that," Ron said. "So you're saying that in those holes is that combustion potion?"
"Yes," Harry nodded. "It's undetectable, which is why no one noticed it when they were first inspecting the holes. Even though a lot of them have been filled by now, the potion will still work. When Claridina gives the word, each of those holes will send up deadly flames…everything around them will be destroyed. That's when she'll strike, Ron. This is it. She won't need to be in more than one place at once because her fire will be taking care of everything for her. She can apperate from site to site and add to the damage, of course, and those Thestrals that Draco's trained won't make things any easier…"
"We have to evacuate everyone, Harry," Ron said, turning white. "Not all at once, so she won't be able to catch on, but quickly. I'll send some more Aurors up to the schools for extra protection. Are you sure you don't have any idea when the date of her plan could be? Malfoy didn't mention anything or-"
"Claridina's going to do it on a significant date," Harry said slowly. "On a date that will mean something to everyone, but mostly to me…she's going to do it on the anniversary of Voldemort's downfall."
"Harry," Ron said softly. "That's-"
"I know," Harry nodded. "Tonight."