Chapter Six – The Medallion of Knowledge
Harry and Hermione had been going back to Grimmauld Place nearly every weekend since the beginning of term. Sometimes Ron and Rae joined them, but Ron mostly liked to stay at Hogwarts with Lavender.
The first weekend of October saw Harry and Hermione stay at Hogwarts so they could enjoy a trip to Hogsmeade with the rest of the school.
"So, we only need to get…" Harry trailed off, looking at a piece of parchment, "All the ingredients for the summoning potion." He looked at Hermione in a defeated attitude.
"Harry, it's our weekend off and besides we won't be able to get any of these things in Hogsmeade – we'll have to go to Diagon Ally," Hermione gently took the parchment from Harry and tucked it away in her robes as the carriage pulled into Hogsmeade.
Harry climbed out first and offered a hand up to Hermione, "Where to first?" he asked.
"Books?" Hermione said, hopefully.
"I thought this was our weekend off," Harry complained with a grin.
"I was hoping to get something for leisure reading."
"OK – maybe I can get the new Captain Quidditch comic," Harry laughed at Hermione's obvious disgust in his choice of reading material, "Come on, Mi. Captain Q is for little kids…and Ron. You know I read real books."
Hermione grinned as they headed towards the bookstore.
"I'm going to look at biographies, ok?" Hermione decided as they entered the store.
"Ok, I'll be in the Quidditch sect –" Harry was cut off by a very excited Ron.
"Harry! Harry! The new Captain Q comic is out – Curse of the Veelas. They are, like, the only thing he isn't immune to! Oh this will be good!"
"Sure Ron, kinda like Superman and Kryptonite," Harry said, trying to suppress a laugh.
Ron looked confused, "Muggle thing, Ronald," Hermione said before disappearing behind a book shelf. Harry patted Ron on the shoulder before following Hermione. Once out of Ron's earshot, they both chuckled over their friend's obsession with comics.
Five minutes later, both Harry and Hermione had found books that interested them. Hermione was flicking through a book about Bridget Wenlock, a famous arithmetician who established the magical properties of the number 7, when Harry dropped his book on the floor.
"Harry, be careful," Hermione looked up to see Harry holding his forehead. He wasn't in pain, he was used to the pain his scar caused, but something was wrong.
"Harry?" Hermione said, apprehensively.
"He's coming – they're coming."
"Coming? Where? Here?" As Hermione uttered these words, the two could see students running frantically past the shop window towards Hogwarts. They dashed outside to see Voldemort and his most loyal Death Eaters, blowing things up as they stormed down the street. Harry looked to see that most students had fled the village successfully and so turned to Hermione, "Go back for help!"
"No! I can't leave you here. You can't face him now – we haven't got all the horcruxes."
"Potter!" Voldemort hissed, "We meet again – but I want you alone. Bella, do away with the mudblood."
Bellatrix raised her wand, but Harry jumped in front of Hermione and just as Bellatrix's killing curse flew through the air, Harry and Hermione vanished.
"Mr Potter, there you are," McGonagall rushed toward a relatively confused Harry and Hermione, "Mr Lupin is in my office – he wishes to speak with you immediately."
"Ok, but Professor – Hogsmeade. Voldemort's there!"
"I'll get the order! You two go see Remus." In a hurry, McGonagall was gone and Harry lead Hermione to meet Lupin.
"Ah Harry, Hermione, I have good news," Lupin greeted the two.
"Well we could do with some – what is it?" Hermione asked, sitting on a chair while Harry stood behind her.
"I found out about the horcrux. It was something of Ravenclaw's. A medallion," Lupin said showing Harry and Hermione a silver medallion of an eagle holding a scroll with vines intertwining around it, "It's called the medallion of knowledge and was passed down through generations of Ravenclaw's. Voldemort finally succeeded in killing the last of the Ravenclaw bloodline and claimed this as his trophy for his troubles."
"How should we destroy it? I mean you saw Dumbledore's hand after he got rid of the ring," Harry said.
"Well this medallion can be destroyed by a stupid potion, literally. Being the medallion of knowledge it thrives on intelligence – see how it glows in the presence of a book," Lupin placed it near a book case to illustrate, "If we give it the opposite it will self destruct."
Harry grinned, "Kinda like Captain Q and Veelas, huh Mi?"
Lupin looked slightly confused but decided the joke must be a young-persons-thing and left it at that.
"Well I guess we'll look into this potion," said Hermione.
"What about Hogsmeade?" Harry asked, "We should help."
"What happened?" Lupin asked, Harry explained.
"Hermione is right Harry, we have to eliminate the horcruxes before you go anywhere near him. I'll go help the order – you two look after the medallion, ok?"
"Good luck," Harry and Hermione said together and headed for the library.
They gathered together a few books on potions, with the intention of finding a strong 'stupid' potion.
"We need to move things along," Harry said as he flicked through the first book in the pile,
"Voldemort's getting eager to finish this war. Attacking Hogsmeade showed that."
"Well now that we know about the medallion we can start working on Nagini."
"I don't think the summoning charm will work. Too much time. Once summoned, we still have to kill Nagini. And I need to train, I'm out of action at the moment. Sat idle too long and Quidditch hasn't worked its wonders yet."
"Harry you are the fittest, strongest guy I know. But if you must train yourself up then do so and leave the potions to me. I'll figure something out, ok?"
"Thanks Mi. What would I do without you?"
"Love you too," Hermione smiled.
***
"Harry? How did we do that vanishing thing back in Hogsmeade?" Hermione asked softly as they walked towards McGonagall's office to see if there was any news. Harry put his arm around
Hermione's waist and hugged her close, "I have no idea. Absolutely no idea, the only thing going through my head was protecting you."
They arrived at McGonagall's office to learn that Voldemort had destroyed most of Hogsmeade. There were, miraculously, no deaths but a few people were injured. Apparently Voldemort was rather annoyed at Harry for evading him yet again.
"Who was hurt?" Harry asked.
"Well a few of your faithful friends stayed behind, mainly the DA and Rae," McGonagall explained, "They are all fine, however Rae was hit with a minor curse and is int hey infirmary."
Harry paled slightly, "But she's ok?"
"She'll be fine Harry," Lupin reassured, "You can go see her now if you like."
Harry nodded and he and Hermione left for the hospital wing.
Rae was awake and sitting up, supported by several pillows. Harry rushed over to her and wrapped her in a bear hug.
"Thank Merlin you're ok!" He said sitting next to the bed.
"The only thing wrong with me is I'm stuck in this damn hospital ward."
Harry grinned, he knew the feeling well.
"Do you know who cursed you?" Hermione asked.
"I think Voldemort called her Bella," Rae replied. Harry and Hermione both had a sudden intake of breath.
"What?" Rae asked.
"That's Sirius's cousin. Your cousin. She's the one who killed him." Harry answered.
"Well she just made my list. And that's not a place you want to be."