A/N: Another gloomy chapter ahead, I'm afraid..But I promise, it will get happier...probably! :D

And thank you folks for reviewing, following and favouriting my story!

Chapter 40: Trying times

December 22nd 1978 (Friday)

"Hermione!" Lily shouted moments after Hermione apparated near the Potter cottage, with a moaning Sirius by her side. The streets were empty, but there were lights in many windows.

Hermione broke in tears as she saw the redhead running towards them. She was safe, she and Sirius were finally safe, and their friends were there waiting for them. "Lily," Hermione sobbed.

"James! They're hurt!" Lily screamed towards the house. James, Remus and Alice ran outside while Hermione dragged Sirius to walk forward. What had happened? Where was Peter?

"No," Hermione breathed. "No, we're…I mean, we're…" She stammered, while Sirius disentangled himself from Hermione's grip, staggering towards the house, towards James.

James was looking at his friend with worry. "…Pads?"

"Prongs," Sirius said, his voice cracking with emotion, his face filled with pain. "Mum and dad…" He whispered, choking down a sob, shaking his head slightly. Lily gasped and brought her hand to cover her mouth, while Remus and Alice gaped at their friends with shocked expressions.

James stared at his best friend with confusion and disbelief, until the news sunk in. His face twisted into a suffering look. Then he let out a loud puff of breath, his eyes filling with tears. "No." James whispered, swallowing deeply.

"No!" James gasped, tears seeping down his cheeks. He started to shake, panting as he tried to breathe. He walked to Sirius, who was trembling and looking equally in pain as James, and pulled him into a tight hug.

Hermione watched her friends fall apart. She felt useless, since there was nothing to be done, nothing she could do or say to make them feel better. She twitched when she felt someone take her hand. It was Remus.

"Hermione," Remus muttered. "Are you hurt? What happened? Where were you?" He asked and moved to stand in front of her, blocking her view to the mourning men.

Hermione shook her head and tried to compile her thoughts. "Hogsmeade. They were attacking Hogsmeade. Bellatrix lured us there," she said quietly, her voice wavering. It had to be like that, that the Potter's were somehow tricked to be there, since the village had been rather empty.

Had it been empty? She shivered as she only now realised that there had been a few bodies lying on the streets of the village, something she had missed when they'd been in the midst of a duel.

"Aberforth!" Hermione said abruptly, dread filling her. Had he been there? Was he alive? Panic started to rise in her. She hadn't had the chance to make sure he was alright.

Remus placed his hands against her shoulders. "Calm down. Ab's fine. I saw him at the stadium after I dropped off Mary to her parents," he said and when Hermione's eyes widened, he added, "Mary's fine."

Hermione nodded and tried to go through the events of the raid. "Peter. Where's Peter? He left us, he was going to get help," Hermione spoke hastily, trying to look around her. She only saw Lily and Alice, urging James and Sirius inside.

Remus looked troubled.

"What?" Hermione said sharply. Where was he? Was he okay?

"He's at St Mungo's," Remus said and Hermione's skin crawled with horror. "He's alive, but unconscious. They're trying to figure out what hit him…" Remus said and frowned, looking very tired and anxious.

"He's going to be okay," Hermione said and hugged him.

Remus sighed wearily into her hair. "No, he's not. Jason's dead."

Hermione swallowed, her throat constricting.

December 25th 1978 (Monday)

"Hey, Hermione," Remus murmured behind the bedroom door, knocking the wood lightly. "I'm heading to Godric's Hollow...You coming?"

Hermione took in a deep breath. It was Christmas day. And the day of James's parents' funeral. It was as good day as any, since Christmas wasn't going to be a merry celebration this year. Dumbledore had managed to retrieve the Potters' bodies from Hogsmeade after duelling Voldemort. The latter had escaped in the end and called his followers off from Hogsmeade and London. Everyone around them was trying to cope with their grief and sorrow, to deal with the unexpected losses. Peter had been revived but he was still weak because of the curse he had suffered and he too was filled with grief.

James was a mess. Their group had stayed together in Godric's Hollow on Friday night, everyone wallowing in their own thoughts, in their own pain. James had left to his parents' Manor after briefly discussing with Dumbledore on Saturday morning and had stayed there for the whole weekend, alone. Sirius was no better. He had disappeared soon after James, and Hermione later found out that he had drank every ounce of Firewhiskey he could have gotten his hands on, and thus suffered a mild alcohol poisoning.

Hermione had been staying in her room for most of the time after Saturday morning, drowning in guilt, blaming herself and not willing to discuss with anyone. She was worried about Regulus. What were the consequences of letting them go? Was he even alive anymore? Hermione's heart twisted with pain from the thought.

It was too much. All of it, everything that had happened. All the people who had died after she'd come into this time. Marlene and her family. Fenwick. Alice's parents. McGonagall. Jason. Mr. and Mrs. Potter. It was too much. And she didn't know what to do. How to survive through it. She had had the ability to change things. To change their fates. And she had failed. How could her friends ever forgive her? How could she ever forgive herself? She couldn't even talk to anyone about her feelings, and even if she could, would she have the strength? Hermione couldn't help but blame herself. Peter had lost his boyfriend. James had lost his parents and Sirius had lost the only parents he had loved. And she hadn't been able to prevent anything. It made her sick. It made her feel worthless. It made her feel empty.

Remus knocked again. "You'll regret it if you're not there." He said softly.

Hermione sighed. She knew she had to go. She wanted to go. She wanted to stand by her friends and support them through their sorrow. But it just hurt so much. She could feel the pain in her soul.

The door opened abruptly and Hermione saw Aberforth walk in. He turned to Remus and muttered, "We'll be there in a minute."

Remus nodded and disapparated.

"Hello there, lassie," Ab murmured and sat down next to her on her bed.

He took her hand and Hermione sniffled. "I'm glad you're okay, Ab." She said quietly and glanced at him.

Aberforth hummed and squeezed her hand. "Likewise."

There was a small silence and Ab cleared his throat. "You know you can, er, talk to me if you like?" He grunted, shifting slightly.

Hermione let out a shuddering breath. "I don't think I can do this, Ab," she said dejectedly, blinking away the threatening tears and staring at the floor. "I can't handle this…"

Aberforth nodded in thought and put his arm around her. "I know, girlie." He said wearily, soothing her arm as she lay her head against his shoulder.

Christmas carols echoed in the village, where everyone was preparing to celebrate Christmas with each other, with their families. Everyone but a small group that stood solemnly in the cemetery, gathered around a white marble gravestone, around a man with a messy black hair. There was only darkness and desolation in his eyes as he took a deep breath and started to speak.

"Bravery, reliability, fairness, honour, respect: these are all qualities that my father not only held in high esteem, but practised every day during his time on this earth. He was a diligent and determined man, but his best quality was the ability to laugh with his friends and loved ones, and if he deemed necessary, at himself." James spoke, staring at the swirling snow over his parents' grave with an empty look in his eyes. The stone had been engraved with Mr. and Mrs. Potters' dates of birth and death and a message: 'The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.'

They were in Godric's Hollow's graveyard, the very same place Hermione had visited once before – the time she had visited James's and Lily's grave with their son.

The people around them were James's closest friends and family, and a couple of Order members. James had wanted to keep the funeral small. He hadn't had the strength for anything more than that.

As Hermione looked at the father of her childhood friend, grieving at his parents' grave like his son once had, she felt overcome with emotion. She knew it was too soon to say goodbye to them, for James to say goodbye to his parents. Their deaths had happened so quickly, so suddenly, that no one had had the time to brace themselves.

"He experienced a lot during his lifetime. He built himself a successful business, married the love of his life, had a child, and adopted another. He saw war and suffering, but he still stood strong and tried to make this place better, for his family. For his loved ones." James said, his voice trembling slightly, his eyes cast down as he tried to prevent himself from crying. He took a moment and glanced at Lily, who stood close to him and gave him a small smile of reassurance.

James took another deep breath. Hermione could feel Sirius shaking next to her, crying silently. Everyone around them was grieving. Thinking of their final words to the Potters.

"Dad was a straightforward man who demanded little from those around him, and who wanted only the best for his two sons. I'll never forget the day when I told him I'm going to marry Lily someday. He said: 'Do what you feel and what you believe is right. Follow your heart, and you can't go wrong.'" James said quietly. A few of his friends smiled sadly.

James cleared his throat, blinking rapidly, his hazel eyes shining with grief and pain. "It's difficult to imagine him not being around and…I'm not sure how I will continue without him." He said, choking down a sob.

"Goodbye dad. Go in peace." James said softly, a few stray tears escaping from the corners of his eyes. He wiped the tears away and stepped aside to make room for Sirius. Lily enveloped James into a warm embrace, soothing his back as James pressed his lips tightly together and tried to keep himself from falling apart.

The other raven-haired man stepped forward and turned to face the others. He stood next to the gravestone, next to James, clenching his jaw as he gazed at the inscription on the stone. Even though he had been on a bender, Sirius had managed to pull himself together enough to speak at the funeral.

Sirius swallowed deeply before he started to speak. "Mrs. Potter was my mum. The only one I could call one, that is. The only one I could love. I remember once asking her why I was put into a wrong home, given to wrong parents. She told me that I was given this life because I was strong enough to live it. And when the time came that I didn't have a home, she gave me one." He said, his throat bobbing as he tried to swallow a lump from his throat. Sirius cleared his throat. "In her last moments, she asked me to take care of James." he said, his voice breaking. He took a deep breath before he continued.

"What she didn't get a chance to say, was how proud she was of her son James. A chance to tell how special you are, and how much she loved you," Sirius said, turning to look at his best friend. James's face was contorted with sorrow, tears slowly falling down his cheeks. Sirius clenched his jaw and continued.

"Euphemia Potter was a strong, generous woman, and a bright light in the darkness, a paragon of perfection. She was a brave, selfless person. And I can never thank her enough that she let me be part of her live, to be her son." Sirius said, his eyes brimming with tears. He took a shaky breath before he continued. "Goodbye, mum. You will be missed." he said dejectedly and pressed his trembling lips together.

Everyone stared at the boys with sorrowful eyes, with sympathy, with grief. James pulled his brother into a tight embrace and they stayed like that for a while, finding consolation from one another.

The funeral was sorrowful and delicate, and Hermione knew the Potters would've been very taken by their boys' words. After the words had been spoken, and the flowers had been laid to the ground, everyone stood in place in silent contemplation to mourn, to respect, and to say goodbye. One by one, they left the cemetery to continue their lives.

December 28th 1978 (Thursday)

"Sirius?" Hermione called as she stepped into his home from the fireplace.

"Oh my god…" She mumbled. The place was reeking of alcohol, cigarette, and filth. "Sirius!" She yelled and walked further, stumbling on several scattered beer and Firewhiskey bottles as she made her way upstairs, towards his bedroom.

What she saw shouldn't have surprised her. But it did. She let out a gasp as she saw his room. The floor was sticky with spilled liquor and shattered glass. The furniture had been thrown across the room and broken, the curtains shredded. As she took in the state of the room, her eyes finally rested on the armchair, where Sirius sat, a devastated look in his eyes as he stared numbly ahead.

"Sirius?" Hermione asked softly.

He turned slowly to look at her.

Hermione let out a soft sigh. He looked so lost. She knew James was in a bad shape too, but he had Lily. Even though James was hurting, he still tried to keep himself together. Sirius wasn't even trying.

"Come on," Hermione said quietly and held her hand out for him.

He eyed her with such a vulnerable look that Hermione almost let out a sob. He eventually stood up and took her hand. Hermione led them away from his room.

"We'll step outside for a moment." Hermione said simply and led them downstairs. "Just…perhaps bathe first, okay?" She asked with a grimace and scrunched up her nose.

"That bad, huh?" He asked softly, his mouth curving into a tired smile.

Twenty minutes passed, and a crisp looking Sirius emerged from the bathroom. Hermione gave her arm for him to take for apparition.

"Where're we going?" He asked as he took a hold of her hand.

Hermione frowned. "Someplace we need to see."

Sirius's eyes flashed with dread but he didn't have time to say anything before they disapparated.

Moments later they appeared in Hogsmeade.

"No. No, no, no, Hermione. I…I can't. I can't be here," Sirius said harshly, pushing his trembling hands through his hair, looking terrified.

Hermione took his face between her hands. "I'm not dragging you to where it happened." She said reassuringly. They were on the other side of the village. "But…You can't fear this place. You can't fear of leaving your home. And neither can I," She whispered the last words. "They wouldn't have wanted that." She said softly.

Sirius swallowed deeply and stared into her eyes, his grey eyes swirling with emotion. It was compelling. It was sorrowful.

"I hate him." Sirius said quietly.

Hermione pressed her lips together. "Why?" She breathed. She knew he was speaking about his brother.

Sirius clenched his jaw. "Because he was there. He just stood there and watched my parents die." He gasped, a tear trailing down his cheek.

Hermione's heart ached for him. She felt so, so bad for him. "I'm sorry, Sirius. I really am." She whispered. More tears spilled from his bloodshot eyes.

She stroked his hair and leaned closer, brushing her lips against his. They were slightly wet from his tears. She smoothed her fingers against his temple, the line of his jaw, and pressed her forehead to his neck, pulling him close against her. They stood there, in the middle of a road in Hogsmeade, on Thursday morning. Snow was slowly falling around them and on them, but they stood still, comforting each other in the cold.

On Thursday evening they sat on Hermione's and Remus's sitting room. After spending some time in Hogsmeade that morning, they had gone back to Sirius's house to clean the place. Hermione had then asked if Sirius wanted to stay at her and Remus's place for some time, insisting that they should all be together now, and not alone. He had gratefully accepted, eager to have some company.

"You know he had no choice?" Hermione asked after a long silence, knowing that Sirius knew that she was speaking about his brother. She turned off the television after the program they had been watching ended. Remus was already in his room, sleeping, and it was getting late.

Sirius glanced at her from the corner of his eye. "I know. That doesn't make it easier." He muttered.

"I know." Hermione said softly.

They were silent for a while. "I don't want to go home." Sirius said quietly, staring ahead with a blank look.

"You can stay here. As long as you need." Hermione said and gave his hand a squeeze.

"Can I stay with you?" He asked, turning to look at her hesitantly.

Hermione worried her lip. Could he? The way he was looking at her, and the unresolved feelings between them forebode something. Something they both might regret later.

"Just for tonight?" He asked, his eyes pleading her.

Hermione swallowed. "Okay." She knew she wasn't thinking rationally. She knew they should've thought this through, but she didn't want to think. She wanted to comfort him. She wanted to forget and feel something. She wanted to feel better.

They walked upstairs in silence, and neither of them said anything when Hermione locked and silenced her bedroom after they stepped inside.

Sirius walked slowly forward, towards her bed, while Hermione leaned against the door, watching him.

He sat down on the bed and turned to look at her. "Come here." he said roughly, staring at her with a mix of vulnerability and desire in his eyes.

Hermione shivered under his gaze and walked slowly towards him. As she came to stand in front of him, Sirius lifted his hands and took a hold of her waist, rubbing his thumbs against the fabric of her shirt. She felt delicious shivers run down her spine.

"I won't pressure you into anything you don't want to," He said quietly, gazing up at her.

Hermione licked her lips. "Okay." She whispered and hesitantly leaned down to kiss him.

Sirius kissed her back hungrily, as if he had to take everything she gave him because it might have come to an end before he even knew. She sighed into his mouth and Sirius captured her wrist, pulling her closer to him, guiding her to sit on his lap, never breaking their kiss. Soon he changed the pace, kissing her slowly, softly, and Hermione trembled as she felt his hands smoothing down her neck and shoulders, down her belly and slip under the hem of her shirt. His fingers slowly trailed up, brushing her skin lightly. She arched against him as she felt his knuckles brush the underside of her breast, and whimpered when his fingers found her nipples through her bra. She threaded her fingers through his black hair and pulled him closer, deepening the kiss, grinding her hips against him and drawing a groan from him as she pressed herself against him.

His tongue slipped into her mouth, lightly touching and teasing hers while his hands continued their leisurely caresses. She hadn't even noticed he had opened her bra until he pulled her shirt off of her, and the piece of underwear with it. As Sirius dropped his mouth on her breasts, sucking and nipping the tender skin, Hermione moved her hand down between them, brushing his hard length over his slacks with her fingers.

He moaned against her skin, his hips jerking. "Ahh…" He gasped, breaking slightly away and staring at her with longing.

Hermione backed away to stand in front of him. Sirius let out a soft whine, but didn't have a chance to say anything before she pushed her jeans and underwear down, stepping away from them and eyeing him unsurely.

"Fuck." He muttered, his eyes glazing as he gave her a once over.

He quickly stood up and rid himself off his clothes, his eyes never leaving hers. Hermione felt a small wave of thrill go through her.

Sirius stood in front of her, stark-naked, his mouth curving as he reached for her, tugging her slowly closer to him. Hermione could only stare at his sculpted body in awe. He was so hard and lean, so devastatingly male. He had gotten a couple of new tattoos to adorn his body, and Hermione was intrigued by their details. His shaggy black hair fell over his broad shoulders, his full lips quirked with slight amusement, and his stormy grey eyes stared at her with such intensity, that Hermione felt herself blushing. Sure, she had seen him naked before, but it had been over a year. They were becoming adults now. And even then, they really hadn't had much time to appraise each another, as they had always been in the dorm, he shared with three of his friends.

Sirius gently pulled her towards her bed, lowering her on it and following her as she stretched herself in the middle of the bed.

A while after, they were both panting, wrapped against each other. Hermione's heart was beating like a fluttering bird inside her chest as they both caught their breath. Sirius moved carefully away from her and lay down on his back, next to her.

The silence was tense, overwhelming.

Hermione rested her head against her pillows and stared at the canopy of her bed, a lump forming into her throat.

What had they done? Was it a mistake? Did she regret it? No? Yes? She didn't know. She could only feel confused about everything. What they did had been amazing, and she couldn't deny she didn't have any feelings for the raven-haired Marauder lying next to her. But she couldn't ignore what she felt for his brother either.

"You should be with him." Sirius said softly.

Hermione was shaken from her stressful thoughts. "W-What? Who?" She asked, feeling alarmed as she turned on her side to look at him. Sirius watched her closely, his grey eyes studying hers.

"Reggie." Sirius said and gave her a pained look. He drew the comforter over them and pulled her snugly against him, resting his chin against the top of her head.

Hermione pulled back to look at him in bewilderment. "What? Why?" She didn't understand why he was speaking about Regulus. Why he had said those things only minutes after they'd had something intimate, something remarkable, something that might've brought them closer to one another.

At the same time, she felt guilty, because she was relieved. She was relieved because even though she was quite sure she didn't regret what they had just done, there was a part in her that kept yelling at her that this wasn't right.

"Because you love him. Your feelings for him are so significant, that it almost makes me frightened. Jealous, sure. Because it's something that I doubt I can ever receive from you," He said, staring sadly into her eyes. She could see the debate in his look. Surrender.

"And even if the git hasn't really earned it, I'm willing to give it to him," He said and swallowed, his throat bobbing. "Because he is my brother. The only family I have left." He said quietly, and Hermione couldn't suppress the tears that stung her eyes.

She didn't know what to say to him. But Sirius understood. He pulled her closer again and they slowly drifted into sleep, in each other's arms.

December 31st 1978 (Sunday)

She was heading towards the empty seventh floor, towards the familiar corridor, stopping just in front of the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy. Her eyes burned with tears, and she was breathing unevenly. Soon she stepped inside the Room of Requirement and stared open mouthed at the sight that was waiting for her.

The room was larger than the Great Hall, with high windows from where the moonlight shone in. Several torches were lit along the walls, emitting flickers of light. She stared in awe at the endless piles of objects, mountains of books, broken furniture and other items.

She wandered through the narrow paths between the stacks of objects. Her fingers traced the decayed cupboard and the edges of its creaking doors. No. Not there.

She was searching for something. But she didn't know what. There was something familiar in the place, but Hermione couldn't quite put her finger on what it was.

When was this? Was it a memory? Or a dream?

In the morning, Hermione woke up tired and bleary-eyed. Jason's funeral had been the day before, and the day had been difficult. Peter was devastated, and didn't want to speak to anyone. He had been staying with his parents after St Mungo's, and none of their friends had seen him before the funeral. Hermione could only hope Peter would turn to his friends when he felt ready, and not to a path that only could lead to darkness.

Even though Hermione had managed to sleep through the previous night, her dreams had disturbed her enough to leave her agitated and drained. She slowly stood up and made her way downstairs to make herself breakfast. Sirius had stayed with them until Saturday morning, and had gone to stay in Godric's Hollow after Jason's funeral. Everyone was still trying to recover from their losses, everyone was still mourning, still hurting. Because of the hurt, and the pain, and her inability to control everything, Hermione had started to resent this life, this universe. Everything seemed to go wrong. Everything was so difficult. She couldn't lean on her friends, because they were hurting too. She felt so lonely, so helpless.

Gideon's words rang in her head as she walked downstairs. The man had visited her last night, after the funeral, and they had had a long chat about the future.

"You can't blame yourself, Hermione," Gideon said after they had gone through the events of the raid. He was staring at her with pity in his eyes. They were in the sitting room, and the house was otherwise empty as Remus had decided to stay with Peter for a while before he would head back home.

Hermione remembered that Gideon too had lost someone in the raid. A friend, one of the Aurors.

Her face twisted with anger. "Then who should I blame if not myself, Gideon?"

Gideon gave her a sad smile. "You know who did it, who killed them. You know who's responsible," he said quietly.

Hermione let out a muffled cry and stood up, aiming a kick at the coffee table. She was breathing heavily. Images of the raid started popping into her mind. Images of James's parents. Unmoving bodies in the stadium and in Hogsmeade. Images of Sirius's and James's sorrow, their pain. "I don't know how to continue. To go on." She said with a wavering voice, not looking back at him. "I don't know how to carry this…this quilt with me." She whispered.

Gideon sighed and stood up. "Come here," he murmured and pulled her into a tight embrace.

"I wish I could leave this place. I wish I could be in my own time. In my own world," she mumbled against him with a thick voice.

Gideon was silent for a moment. "I know," he eventually said, and felt her crying against him.

As Hermione came downstairs, she saw that Remus was already up and preparing eggs and bacon with a cautious smile on his lips.

"Good morning, Hermione." He said, and handed her a cup of coffee. She took it gladly and grumbled barely audible good-morning wishes to him before she slid onto a chair at the table.

Her brow arched at the woman's bra hanging loosely on the couch arm. "Care to explain that?" She asked and turned to look at Remus with a wary look.

Remus flushed bright red. "I, um…I," He stammered, but was interrupted.

"They're mine. Sorry about that." Mary said with a grimace, emerging from the stairway and grabbing the underwear and quickly pocketing it.

"W-What?" Hermione spluttered, her stunned stare moving from Mary to Remus.

"Um…" Remus said, and Mary rolled her eyes.

"Well, the thing is. I got hurt, he saved me and told me he loved me. Then he told me a bunch of other things about himself, including how he thinks he's a wolf in sheep's clothing, if you know what I mean?" Mary said with a wry smile.

Hermione gaped at her.

"A werewolf joke? Anyone?" Mary said exasperatedly, eyeing Hermione and Remus. "Whatever." She grumbled and came to stand next to Hermione. Remus eyed the girls tensely.

"You're together?" Hermione said in bewilderment.

"I'm sorry we didn't tell you, Mione," Mary said slowly, eyeing her friend carefully.

Hermione blinked. Remus and Mary? Mary knew about him? Hermione didn't know how she felt about the news. She was surprised? Taken aback? Excited?

"I'm…That's…" She mumbled and cleared her throat. "I'm happy for you," She finally said and smiled at her friends. Hermione stood up and hugged Mary tightly.

"Of course I'm happy for you, Mary," She whispered, and Mary chuckled into her hair.

Hermione broke their embrace and turned to Remus, who smiled sheepishly at her. "You arse!" she said playfully, slapping him in the arm. "How long has this been going on? You could've told me…" She grumbled, and Remus laughed, ruffling her hair.

"We kinda waited for the right time. Everything's been just so…Fucked up…" He said with a half-smile. "Besides, I'm not the only one who's keeping things in here," He said with a knowing look.

Hermione narrowed her eyes at him. There was a tense silence.

"Am I missing something? Is this the thing when you two speak with your eyes?" Mary asked with an amused voice, plopping down at the table and snatching Hermione's cup of coffee for herself.

Remus gave Hermione a sad smile. "I talked with Pads."

Hermione sighed. "I knew you would." She said and swallowed, eyeing him with uncertainty. Remus leaned to hug her friend. Hermione let out a deep breath from her lungs and squeezed him tight against her.

They eventually started to eat and talk about the new blossoming relationship between Remus and Mary. At least something was good, Hermione thought with a weak smile.

A couple of hours later, as Hermione stood under the warm stream of water in the shower, her thoughts drifted back to her dream from last night. She'd been in the Room of Requirement. What had she been searching for? She tried to think very hard what she had seen in there. She tried to think of the time she had first stumbled into the room of hidden things.

Where everything was hidden.

She gasped so greatly that she was coughing and spluttering water, almost losing her balance. But that didn't matter.

Because she knew where the lost Diadem of Ravenclaw was.