Disclaimer: Everything belongs to J.K Rowling.

A/N: Howdy! I have a bit of an announcement regarding this story at the end of the chapter, it's about the posting schedule.

But until then, enjoy!

Chapter 52: Excorio

-Hermione-

As was common since the start of the new school year, I found myself sitting alone in the library, trying desperately to keep up with coursework and continue to learn how to defend myself.

I felt like slamming the book shut and returning it to the shelves. Then never touch it again. I made less progress than a snail in a marathon.

Ron had run off and Harry… Well, Harry was gone somewhere, as he always was.

It had been a startling realisation that I, Hermione Granger, only really had two friends. Both of those friends preferred the company of someone else. I would be lying if I said that it didn't hurt.

I had tried to reconnect with Neville and Luna from the D.A, but I never felt the same connection to them as I had once felt with Harry and Ron.

Perhaps this was what growing up was meant to be; showing everyone who to stick by, and who to not.

I clenched my fists and tossed the book on the table. There was no point, it didn't help. Harry would get his will, I would be as defenceless as a newborn infant in a fight. If I died. . . Well, that was on him.

I walked along the isles of the library and returned every book not directly related to the coursework. It felt oddly relieving, like I had broken free somehow.

From then on, I would try to find friends. I would begin with one, then try to get from there.

I stormed out of the library with intent in my mind. It felt like I was walking on water.

Someone poured a bucket of icy water on me. The ghost who went through me appeared in front of me with a mocking smile. I felt cold as ice, from top to toe. She was an older woman, or she had died as an older woman.

"Hello Ms. Granger," the ghost said, her voice metallic and smooth. "If you would follow me, please." The ghost sauntered away inside a room further down the corridor.

I stopped in my tracks and breathed heavily from the uncomfortable sensation of a ghost passing through me. What on earth could a ghost want with me?

I shrugged and walked inside the room. It was pitch black inside, I could barely see the desks and the tables which stood like skeletal monsters inside.

"Lumos." The room lit up, the ghost floated by the board at the front of the classroom.

I walked up to her with raised eyebrows. "Who are you? What do you want?"

The ghost smiled. "I am the Grey Lady, and I want to talk to you."

"Your name is 'The Grey Lady'?"

She rolled her eyes. "It shall be, for now." The ghost smiled at me, a little condescending, like I was a newborn infant. "I've seen you in the library the past years, Ms. Granger. Your determination has been commendable." The Grey Lady smiled, but I felt mocked by the old ghost. "It's a real shame that it has all been for nothing."

I folded my arms. "It hasn't been for nothing, I have learned lots of things."

The ghost raised her eyebrows. "Is that so?" She laughed coldly. "Then why did you just walk out, returning every single book? It looks to me like you've given up."

I glared at the ghost. "I haven't given up, I am merely. . . reviewingmyoptions."

The ghost snorted. "Of course, how could I not realise?" Her lips curled into a cruel smile. "You're struggling Ms. Granger, you don't get anywhere."

I clenched my fist. "I do get somewhere, I can assure you."

The ghost shrugged. "If you say so." She smiled at me thinly. "I have a proposition for you. Let it be one of the options you shall 'review'."

I raised my eyebrows and gestured for her to continue. "What is it?"

The Grey Lady tilted her head. "I can help you. If you help me." The Grey Lady's smile was disarming and shy, but her eyes held a solid, malicious steel.

"You're a ghost, what could I possibly help you with?"

She sighed loudly. "I was robbed of something when I was alive. I would like you to retrieve that for me, when you are able to, of course."

I narrowed my eyes on her. "How long have you been dead for?"

"Roughly a thousand years."

My eyebrows rose to my hairline. She must have been here since Hogwarts was founded.

"Do you really think this item will still exist after a thousand years?" I asked, disbelieving.

The ghost rolled her eyes. "When did I ever say it was an item?" She clapped her hands together, resulting in a low thud. "But that doesn't matter for now, first of all, I would like to help you."

I swallowed. This ghost was hiding something. Accepting her help could be dangerous. "I don't even know who you are? How do I know you can actually teach me something?"

The ghost smiled. "You have been inside the Ravenclaw common room, yes?"

I nodded. "I've been there once. Why?"

The ghost tilted her head. "Did you see the statue made of blue crystal?"

I remembered the evening, last year, when Luna and I had been chased inside, and I first laid eyes on the creation. "Of course, it was beautiful," I breathed out.

A dark look crossed the ghost's face for a second, then it was gone.

"Thank you. Please think about how that status looks and then compare it to me."

I pictured the statue in my mind and watched the ghost. It was as if a puzzle had been put in its place. "You look similar!" I paused. "You look identical, even." I felt my throat tighten. "Are you Rowena Ravenclaw?"

The ghost smiled. "No, I am not. My mother and I are physically identical, except our eyes."

"You're Ravenclaw's daughter!?"

The Grey Lady rolled her eyes. "I am a Ravenclaw, girl. Helena Ravenclaw."

I nodded, abashed. "Sorry, it's just. . . you are the daughter of a founder of Hogwarts."

The ghost exhaled in frustration. "I am, in a way," she bit out. Helena steeled her eyes. "Do you agree to my proposition? Was this enough to convince you?" she asked, her fingers drilling into the table in impatience.

"I mean, you're bound to know a lot if she was your mother." I paused for a moment, the ghost was strange, I still got the impression she was hiding something from me. Yet she couldn't be that bad if the legendary Rowena Ravenclaw was her mother.

"I accept it." I met her colourless eyes. "Please teach me everything you know," I said, hungry for knowledge.

Helena laughed. "Good. Return her tomorrow, and we'll begin."

I nodded quickly. "Good, I will. Goodbye. . . Ms. Ravenclaw."

"Granger!"

I turned around in the doorframe. The ghost had its back turned to be. "There's just one thing you need to truly understand," Helena said. "The best way to win a fight is to allow yourself no restraints in order to do so."

-()-

-Harry-

I woke up in the morning not knowing why it felt special. Then I remembered, just after breakfast, everyone in sixth year defence would have their presentation on their dark arts spells.

Strangely enough, I had a pit of nervousness in my stomach. I couldn't explain why, I had the easiest spell in the class.

I understood when I came down to breakfast and spotted the girl eating breakfast on the Slytherin table. That was the girl I was nervous for, I hoped she did well. I had seen her practice, I knew that she could perform that spell just as well as I could. The question was if she would be able to break through her barriers.

Hermione was in an unusually cheery mood during breakfast. She had a small smile on her face and stared into thin air. I had no idea what made her so happy, but I was glad for her. Hermione deserved to be happy, kind of.

We gathered outside Snape's classroom, there was a tinge of trepidation in the air.

The class poured inside and seated itself. I landed in the second row, next to Ron and Hermione. Greengrass and the other Slytherins were just in front of us. Greengrass was sitting rigidly, or well, more rigidly than usual.

Part of me wanted to tell her that she would be fine. I shook my head. Why did it matter? She would only tell me that I was an idiot and glare at me.

Snape appeared at the front of the class with a malicious smile. "Finally, the day has come for everyone to hear these illuminating presentations you've prepared." He surveyed the class. "Potter!" he barked. "You're first." His lips curled into a mocking smile. "Let's set the bar low."

I smiled at him and stood up. Every eye was upon me, I must admit that I felt a little nervous.

"Alright, hello everyone." I did an awkward wave.

The class were like statues made of stone.

"I have the stunning charm, 'stupefy', we all know."

I got on with the presentation and demonstrated the spell and then its counter, 'rennervate'. Then I spoke about background information and related pieces of knowledge which could prove relevant.

The class clapped loudly when I was done. I bowed rigidly and went back to my seat.

The rest of the presentations passed in one big whirlwind. I barely paid any attention to any of them, most people were yawning or muttering in small groups. It wasn't until I heard the awaited, uncomfortable, feminine, voice from the front that I was wide awake again.

"Hello." Greengrass stood with her head held high, her Adam's apple bulged. Her eyes dived to the ground right before her. "I…I have the flaying curse to…uhh…talk about today."

To my left, Corner leaned in and whispered something to his housemate. Both grinned widely.

Greengrass paused, it seemed she had spotted the exchange too. There and then, I decided that a conversation with Michael Corner was imminent.

"The incantation is 'excorio', and the spell…it looks like this."

Greengrass held her wand aimed at the body Snape had conjured for us to demonstrate on. Coincidentally, it had black hair and Gryffindor robes. A complete coincidence, I was sure.

Her arm was shaking slightly. "Excorio." The spell struck the dummy in the shoulder and some skin was ripped off. Corner snorted next to me.

I contained a sigh, why couldn't she just show that asshole what she really was capable of?

Greengrass looked up from her feet and met the eyes of the audience, her gaze settled on Malfoy right in front of me.

Good, follow my advice, I thought to myself. I held my fingers crossed.

"So the…uhhh…incantation for the other spell –the counter– is 'concorio'." She whispered the spell and it struck the dummy. The skin healed itself a little bit, some patches still hung loose.

Greengrass continued to stammer through her presentation, much to Corner's and his friends' amusement. Her eyes were glued to the floor, briefly glancing up just to dart down again.

She moved like a robot on the stage.

"Now…." Greengrass paused. One of her fists was clenched. "Now…I will show you how this spell can be used against a group…" She gulped and looked out over the class. "It…is…uhh…difficult to cast the spell continuously."

But you can do it, I thought to myself.

"So…uhh…be careful, if you…do it." Greengrass gulped.

Her blue eyes scanned the crowd and landed on me for a moment. They were filled with hopelessness, disbelief. I gave her a nod, ever so imperceptibly.

I wanted to scream to her, "you can do it perfectly, Greengrass. Do it like you did in front of me," but I didn't. I just met her gaze. I knew she could do it.

Greengrass let out a deep breath. She looked at the dummies dumbly for a second. "Excorio."

The spells flew at the dummies and struck them all cleanly, every single one lost their skin. I almost clapped.

The corner of her lips turned upward ever so slightly. "There you go," Greengrass said, a little more confident. She met my eyes. "This spell should never be used on others, due to the immense damage it could do. However, the counter, 'concorio' is a spell which everyone should be able to do with their eyes closed."

Snape walked up. "Indeed, I expect as much of every spell you've been lectured about here. Thank you, Ms. Greengrass."

Greengrass walked off the stage and sat down in the front row.

After dinner, I would go to her room. Then, Corner would get a small reminder.

-()-

-Daphne-

The entrance to the Slytherin common room opened and I stopped inside with light inside. Tracey was sitting on her bed, reapplying some makeup. "Hello Daphne! Coming to dinner?"

I shook my head, with a small smile. "Already been, I'm going to study for Snape's test."

Tracey nodded. "Okay." She paused and looked at me as I pushed all the books into my bag. "Are you alright?"

I turned around and met her eyes. "Yes, why wouldn't I be?"

Tracey shrugged. "I don't know…it's just, Draco told me about defence…"

I nodded.

Draco's face when I had been in front of the class floated in front of me. He had looked afraid, he had looked uncomfortable. He looked as if there was no hope for me. He looked as if he had given up.

Draco had averted his gaze.

"It's fine, it went okay, I think."

Tracey nodded and put her things away. "If you say so, Draco seems to think you struggled."

"I guess I did a little."

I walked out and left Tracey behind. There was only one destination in mind. My usual study space.

Draco seems to think you struggled.

I thought it had gone pretty well in the end. Corner had looked terrified during the last demonstration.

I arrived at the place and unpacked my things. The bodies Potter had conjured were still standing where we had left them.

I smiled despite myself.

A faint knock was heard on the door. I hastened to remove the locking spell I'd applied, lest he flew it in again.

Indeed, Potter arrived through the door with a small smile.

"The test is in a week," he observed and gestured to all of my books.

I rolled my eyes. "Everyone isn't a defence-genius. Some actually have to study, you know."

He shrugged and fell down into the armchair in front of me. "Was that a compliment? It couldn't have been, right?"

I rolled my eyes. "Idiot. I need to study, now, shut up."

He nodded and picked up one of my books. Potter seemed content with just sitting and reading that book.

I wasn't. The words in front of me blurred. Every few seconds, I would glance up at him. His lips were curled into an amused smile, as if the text was saying something funny.

I huffed loudly, causing him to look up at me. I diverted my eyes quickly, returning to the unintelligible letters.

I slammed my book shut. Causing him to close his too. He raised his eyebrows into his messy, black hair.

"Don't any of your five girls want to hang out with you?"

He pouted. "All of them left me."

"So they've finally come to their senses. It's comforting to know that even those five aren't that stupid."

He smiled sweetly. "Thank you Greengrass, it means a lot to me that you are the only person stupid enough to hang out with me."

I raised my eyebrows. "Is that what we're doing? To me, it just looks like you break in here every day and disturb my studies."

"But it's a fun disturbance, right?"

I shrugged with a small smile. "Witnessing pure idiocy is comedic at first, but after a while, it just becomes tedious."

"I feel the same with your conjuration of 'bodies'."

"Ha ha," I said. I gave him a pointed look. "I do intend to be rude here, can you leave please? I seriously need to study."

He nodded. "I can, I just want to talk to you about something."

I gave him an incredulous look. "Why did you just sit quiet and read your fucking book then?"

"You said that you wanted to study, didn't you?"

I exhaled and glared at him. "Idiot." I looked at him expectantly. "Sooooo?"

"So, I was wondering, do you want to…how should I put it? Do you want to inconvenience Corner?"

I raised my eyebrows. "Didn't know the two of you disliked each other."

"Really? You thought I just casually pin every friend of mine against a wall and then turn them into a statue of crystal?"

"I sure hope not," I conceded with a sigh. "For my sake."

"Aww, you consider me a friend, I'm honoured."

"Shut up. What do you have in mind?"

He smiled, mischievous. "He liked to break peoples' hands right?"

I raised my eyebrows. "Huh. Didn't expect you to be okay with breaking anyone's bones."

Potter smiled. "Well, I didn't expect you to be okay with flaying people." He gestured around the room. "Yet here we are."

"Here we are," I repeated. I sighed, but smiled shyly. "Okay then, I'm in."

Potter stood up with a broad smile. "Great!"

He began to leave but stopped in the doorframe. "About the presentation, Greengrass." He looked over the shoulder with a smile. "That last bit was terrifying, you know. Well done."

I shrugged. "It was okay. Nowhere as good as you."

He turned around again. "Respectfully, Greengrass. You should compare this one with the last one, don't compare yourself with me."

"I guess. It doesn't change the fact that I stuttered worse than a terrified toddler."

He smiled weakly. His green eyes were radiating understanding and…confidence. Confidence in me.

"Perhaps so, but Greengrass. You do know that you don't have to be nervous, right?" He turned around and pushed the door handle down. "You're good enough to be the one to make other people nervous, not the other way around."

He left through the door, closing the door behind him. The room felt oddly quiet, cold.

"Idiot," I muttered.

-()-

-Harry-

"Master, there's something I've been meaning to ask you about."

We walked out of the training room, my legs throbbed from the session. I was, again, exhausted.

She gestured for the two of us to sit down. "What is it?"

"Well, you know about my investigations with Dumbledore, right?"

"What you've told me."

"Yeah, so you know that we're just waiting for more information about the locket from Mundungus Fletcher."

"Yes." My master had her hands folded neatly.

"Good. The thing is, Dumbledore wants to continue while we wait, to continue to search for the diadem, although he doesn't know that it is the diadem."

Rowena smiled. "He doesn't."

I bit back a comment about her lack of words. "Well, if we go ahead, we'll be searching for something which has already been destroyed. We'll be wasting our time completely."

My master leaned back and nodded. "You're right."

I sighed with a little frustration. "So what do we do? Should I just pretend like I don't know anything about it?"

Rowena stared into my eyes for a couple of seconds. "What do you think? Should you?"

I frowned. "I don't know, that is why I asked you."

"And I think you're more than capable of making that decision yourself. Harry, you've proved that you're capable of doing things independently."

I blinked. "Well, okay." I cleared my throat nervously. "On one hand, if I tell him about the diadem and how I found it, he will ask a bunch of questions, like how I knew where it was, for example."

Rowena nodded, waiting for me to continue.

"On the other hand, if I don't tell him, we will just be wasting our time for nothing." I grimaced. "I've been thinking the same about the horcrux inside of me. I'm pretty sure Dumbledore knows it has been there, but I don't think he knows that it is gone."

Rowena smiled. "Nor do I."

"So if I don't tell him, Dumbledore will most likely prepare a way to get rid of it, all for nothing." I frowned. "That way might also involve hurting, or worse, killing me."

"It might."

"But if I do tell him, then I've got to tell him I got rid of it and how I found out about it." I smiled at my master weakly. "As you know, both of those are inextricably linked with you." I paused for a moment. "I've been thinking. Can we tell him? About you."

Rowena narrowed her eyes. "Do you think that is a good idea?"

I shrugged. "I don't know, but it would solve a lot of things. It might also help if–"

"Do you trust him?" my master interrupted. Her face was set in a mask of stone.

"What?"

"Do you trust him?" she said slowly.

"I don't know, not entirely."

"That should tell you everything then." She stared inside the fireplace. "What do you think he would do if he found out that a one thousand years old horcrux was in the middle of the castle?"

I ran a hand through my hair. "Probably try to get rid of it."

"Indeed." She curled an eyebrow. "Is this something you want?"

I gave her an incredulous look. "Of course not! Are you crazy?"

She shrugged. "Just making sure." Rowena sighed. "As for your initial question about what to tell Dumbledore. Have you thought about the truth?"

I blinked. "What? But you just said–"

"I know what I said," Rowena said with a mirthless smile. "But tell me, how did you find the diadem?"

I paused. "I found it in the room of requirement. Or well, I stumbled upon it, pure luck I guess…"

"Exactly, so tell him the truth. It was exceptionally unlikely for you to run into that horcrux, but you did, so it certainly wasn't impossible."

I chuckled. "I guess that could work."

Rowena nodded seriously. "I would like to remind you about something, Harry."

I met her stern, purple eyes. "What?"

"The two of us have crafted many lies since we met. Yet you have to understand that truths are always preferable. They might not always be possible, but when they are, always go for them."

I sighed. "I understand, I think." I stared into the purple fire, trying to see if I could do the same thing my master did. "What about the horcrux which was inside of me?"

She shrugged. "He's made no hint that it exists." Rowena paused for a moment. "Dumbledore will die soon. Finishing this task will be our job, not his."

I raised my eyebrows. "I guess, but if Dumbledore thinks that it exists, he will plan a way to get rid of it."

"Then we'll deal with it." She smiled confidently. "Whatever plan he might cook up, he won't be able to challenge you and me."

I nodded. "Also, I've been thinking, what if he finds out somehow? About the two of us."

Rowena sighed. "It is imperative that my presence remains unknown, if it reaches the public that I am here, well, it won't just be the British law enforcement sweeping down. We're talking about the ICW's deadliest."

I nodded. "So if he find out–"

"You will kill him," Rowena said softly.

Her glowing purple irises were suddenly filled with something I'd never seen before. It reminded me of my conversation with Helena.

I swallowed. "Yes, master."

She smiled. "He's bound to find out eventually, but he will also die eventually due to that curse of his. If he goes because of that curse or you, it doesn't matter, as long as what we're doing remains secret."

-()-

-Hermione-

"Ms. Granger, you've finally arrived."

I threw my bag on a chair and sat down on another. Helena was floating over by the board. Only the 'lumos' of my wand illuminated the room.

"Do we have to meet in complete darkness?"

Helena smiled. "Yes. Let's just say that I don't want any prying eyes on us."

I raised my eyebrows. "Do you have something to hide?"

Helena laughed coldly. "Oh yes, and by the end of this evening, you will too."

I scoffed. "Are you trying to scare me away?"

Helena circled around me. I could feel her ghostly hands gliding through my hair. "Yes," she whispered. The hairs on my neck stood on end from her cold voice. "I want to see if you really want this. I want to know that you're fully committed. I want to know that you will do whatever I ask you to, without question."

I gulped. "Well, I can already tell you that I won't. If you ask me to kill anyone…" I trailed off.

Helena hummed. "I will be honest with you, Ms. Granger. I will ask you to kill someone." She smiled a wide smile. "It won't ask that question for a long time, you aren't ready for it. But I will ask you to kill someone for me at one point."

I stood up. "Then I'm out, I won't be tricked into killing anyone." I took a couple of steps towards the door.

Helena laughed heartily. "Haven't I made it clear that I won't try to trick you? If I had wanted to do that, I wouldn't have told you about this."

I paused with a hand on the handle. I swallowed and met the malicious eyes of the ghost. "Who do you want me to kill?"

Her smile contorted into pure fury. "I won't tell you just yet, the consequences would be too great, you're not ready for that knowledge."

I swallowed. "Can you tell me why you want this person killed?"

The ghost smiled. "This person is evil. The person killed many for their own gain. This person also stole my creation and claimed it was their own." Helena stared at me with bitterness strong enough to burn down the castle. "This person was recorded in history, and I became nothing but a mere afterthought."

"But, anyone who was alive when you were alive would be dead by now."

"Ms. Granger, there are ways to cheat death, the dark lord roaming your lands now has done it, I believe."

"How?" I asked with disbelief.

Helena shook her head and clenched her fists. "That was one of the few things I was never allowed to learn." She scoffed. "So I had to resort to this." Helena gestured down to her own, ghostly body.

I swallowed. "Why haven't you tried to kill this person before?"

"I have; but all of those attempts have failed," she said, her voice even and bitter..

I nodded. "So what will you teach me?"

Helena smiled maliciously. "Whatever you want me to do. Nothing is off limits." She licked her lips. "I can make you the Minister of Magic. I can make you the most beautiful, most desirable girl in the whole school, in the whole country, in the whole world. I can teach you how to kill without hesitation or how to save lives." Helena tilted her head and extended her hand. "But most importantly, I can make you better than your friend."

I licked my lips and took a step inside the room.

Helena curled her lips. "Your friend Potter will seem like a bug next to your might, Ms. Granger. Your name will be the one remembered, not his. Yours."

I extended my hand to make it float inside of her hand. This was my destiny, it had to be. All the countless hours spent in the library, with nothing but determination, had led to this.

"Teach me. Teach me everything."

A/N: I hope you enjoyed it!

When I began posting this story, I'd just finished writing the 17th chapter. The reason for this was that I wanted to keep a regular schedule up, manage to post once a week, and I have for almost an entire year, posted once a week, or more. I felt that weekly updates would be a good balance between my writing speed and how frequently a chapter should be posted.

I was wrong.

Just yesterday, I finished the story, and though I'll go back and add a couple of scenes here and there and proofread everything, the story, as a whole, is essentially done. I can announce here that it'll be 75 chapters long, excluding the epilogue. If I were to continue posting once a week, it would be about 6 months until everything was out, something I don't really fancy doing. So I'll start posting more frequently from now on, twice a week or thrice a week, probably not more.

I am so looking forward to posting the finale, but it's a bit off yet. I know this story is becoming ridiculously long -far longer than I ever anticipated- but in the end, I think the length is worth it.

I apologise for the huge A/N, even if the news are good, I suppose.

I can't say when the next chapter will be posted, but probably before Friday next week. Until then, stay well, cheers!