Well, this one is shorter, but it is pretty action packed! Enjoy!
Back at Grimmauld Place, the Trio woke early that next morning and left soon after, Miranda watching from her window, her arms crossed over her chest.
As soon as the others had gone to bed, Miranda had woken up and initiated what had to be the most stupid plan she'd ever come up with. She was going to be of help wether they liked it or not. Harry couldn't stop her if he didn't know her plan, and she knew almost every part of theirs. She'd been coming up with her plan for days, listening to them while they made their plan and assumed she was occupied brewing a potion.
A few days earlier she'd rummaged through a storage room and found a trunk of Burga's old clothes. Times may have changed, but there was no time in which a black pencil skirt wasn't appropriate. She had her story ready, her way in, and, as soon as the others Disapperated, she rushed to dress herself.
Examining her appearance in the mirror, Miranda blessed her crazy parents for their good genes, minus the apparent insanity that had claimed her brother. She had magicked her hair to curl in the same curls that Hermione sported, only darker and far more manageable, pulled into pigtails low on her skull, giving her face a wide, innocent look. She was wearing one of Walburga's old skirts fitted to make her look like a little girl unaware of her more...natural charms, clinging in all the right spots. Her white button up shirt reflected the same style, the black tank under it serving to highlight her chest.
She watched the silver snake bracelet unravel and move up her arm to rest around her neck like an ancient torc. It's red eyes glinted in the the light of the room. The snake pulsed heat once before settling on it's host with a yawn, exposing tiny silver fangs. Over the years, her only constant accessory had grown with her, longer every year, and had then begun to move on it's own. She was used to the snake by now, it's warm body always touching her skin, it's red eyes making her own usable.
It was a magical piece, and it had almost always hidden itself from view, but now it displayed itself prominently on top of her thin collarbone. She wished she could ask it why, but this was the only snake that never spoke to her, it had never said a word to her. It fit there though, it normally stayed around her neck like a choker when she was asleep, but it had never gone to rest there during the day. It never reacted to her, just seemed to live on her while not being an alive or real thing. It's red eyes were an unblinking, blood red, and somehow she knew that was what made the snake move, it's magicked eyes. She assumed it was like the suits of armor Walburga said were in Hogwarts, objects fed by the residual magic around them.
"Kreacher." She called and the elf cracked into the space in front of her...on her bed.
"Yes, Mistress Miranda?" He said.
She handed her black shoulder bag to him, "Could you please pack water, a bit of nonperishable foods and a first aid kit? I don't want to be caught off guard."
The elf looked at the bag in his hands, "Mistress, Kreacher thinks that perhaps this bag is a little small for such things?"
"Oh, it's charmed like Hermione's bag, it will fit what it needs to." Miranda said, hugging the elf, "Leave it by the door will you? I'll be heading out soon."
The elf tutted, "Master told Kreacher not to let Mistress leave."
Miranda stopped next to the door, determining her options, "He didn't say what I couldn't leave though, did he? So, as long as I stay in the city or the country, it will be okay."
Kreacher smiled, "No, Mistress, he didn't." he hopped off the bed, "Kreacher will have Mistress's bag ready in a moment." He hugged her legs, seemingly understanding that she wasn't entirely sure she would be able to return to Grimmauld Place once she left it, "Be safe, Mistress, Kreacher missed you and Mistress Burga."
"Go to Hogwarts, if you'd like. I'm sure you can help there, and keep an eye on Harry's friends." The elf looked disgruntled by the thought, "Goodbye, Kreacher, and take care of yourself. I will too." She had intended to act standoffish to him before leaving, to make it easier on the loyal little thing, but looking at his crushed face, she kissed the top of his head, "Bye."
The elf nodded and cracked out of the room, a tear in his tennis ball eyes. Miranda wandered into the bathroom. The snakes on the faucets hissed their greeting, but Miranda ignored them, looking at herself in the mirror instead. She had achieved the look she had wanted to, like a little wide eyed girl, with no idea of the horrors of the world. "I'm Olivia." She said to her reflection. She fussed with her wild hair and wondered for the hundredth time how Hermione managed it daily. She thought out her plan again, and was certain that it was the best it could get, especially since the entire thing was based on improve. She could possibly get herself killed, get hexed in to oblivion by Ron, or Harry could just simply send her away once they were finished and go where she couldn't find them.
Miranda grabbed the prepared bag Kreacher had left sitting at the front door, and snatched a few more things from the library before sealing it and placing a mild curse on the hidden door. The last thing she needed now was for the Black family library getting ransacked.
Walking the bustling streets of London made Miranda laugh. All of the muggles were just going on with their lives, not realizing how close the end of their world was. She watched Harry, Ron and Hermione walk into the bathrooms. She knew who they were, even that they had no idea who Harry was. Miranda had heard the man's name before, someone stuttering a hello to him. "Uncle Albert!" She yelled, trowing herself onto the side walk.
She ran into a witch on purpose. "Watch out dearie." The older woman said, grabbing the girl's arms to steady her. "What's your hurry?"
Miranda forced tears into her eyes, "It's my uncle, Miss, he's left me."
"Left you, for heavens sake dear, where's he gone off to?" The aged witch was a kindly one Miranda had targeted for weeks.
"The Ministry." Miranda whispered, "I was supposed to go in to get an internship with my uncle, but I over slept. He wouldn't wait, I ran all the way here, but I just missed him. My mum, she doesn't want us to stay with him forever, but my brother, Trevor, he's sick, so she can't work. I was supposed to get a job, but I've angered Uncle Albert and..."
"Uncle Albert? Are you Albert Runcorn's niece?" The woman asked.
"Yes, and he's rather cross these days, mum doesn't want to free load, but we've got no one else to turn to after my Pa died, and I've missed my chance at a...
"Hush, hush, dearie. Do you have a Ministry coin?" Miranda shook her head, letting a rather large tear spill down her face. The woman rummaged around in her bag, "Here, borrow mine. I trust you can convince your Uncle Albert to floo me another this evening?"
Miranda hugged the woman after slipping the coin from her, "Thank you! I will get your coin back to you, promise!"
"Good Luck!" The woman called to her as Miranda made a show of running to the woman's loo stumbling awkwardly in her heels, even though she'd learned the art from Walburga when she was fifteen.
Once inside, Miranda straightened her hair and undid the top button on her shirt. "That worked well." She was honestly surprised, seeing as she'd only actually developed her plan in about a week.
She held back until she saw Hermione go into a stall and then slipped in front of another woman who wasn't paying attention. "Excuse me!" Using the coin, Miranda flushed herself into the Ministry, a place she'd never even seen before.
For a moment she was dazed, feeling like the bumbling little girl she had decided to portray as she looked around at all the sheer magic the place held. Everything was beyond her wildest dreams. How long had she begged and begged her Papa to let her see this place, or even Hogwarts?
She caught up with the others as they got to the elevator, "Uncle Albert!"
The polyjuiced trio turned to stare at her in horror. Harry took an enraged step towards her, but before he had a chance to yell at her, she started rambling, hoping he would catch on and wait until later to curse at her, "Why did you leave? Mum was so angry, 'Olivia, your Uncle Albert said you were leaving at a quarter to seven, why are you still in bed?' I just grabbed all of my stuff and ran out. I missed you just at the loos. But this old woman let me borrow her coin. Can I still get my tour?"
Harry clenched Albert Runcorn's jaw. "I can't believe…"
"A tour?" Harry froze as a woman in all pink walked towards the lift. "Albert, please, tell me. When did we start offering tours?"
Miranda made her eyes widen, "Y-you're Dolores Umbridge, aren't you?"
The toad like woman smiled thinly at her, "Yes, I am. And you are?"
Miranda held out her hand, "Olivia Runcorn, Albert Runcorn's niece! It's an honor to meet you. I'm a big fan."
The Undersecretaries smile grew genuine, she looked at Harry, "Albert, you didn't tell me your lovely niece was a fan of mine."
"Oh, yes, Madame Undersecretary, Olivia is a big fan, wants to be just like you." Harry said, his anger at Miranda coming through. He shook her shoulders, "Just like you."
Miranda smiled, "This might be too presumptuous, Madame, but might I get a tour from you?"
"Oh, yes, I have a meeting, but any interest in a Ministry job should be handled by someone like me."
"Please, give us a moment." Harry pulled Miranda away, his grip vise-like on her wrist, "What are you doing?"
"Helping you!"
"We had it covered, Miranda. We told you not to come. I told you not to come." He hissed.
"I had to come, Harry, because I'm here to help you, not just sit on the sidelines." He did not look at all convinced, so she pulled the last card she had, one she hadn't known she'd even had until the toad woman had shown up, "She has the locket."
"What?"
"Yes, she has it on, now. I can feel it. You can too. She'll never let any of you get close enough, you're her subordinates in her eyes." Miranda said, holding Harry's hand. "Let me get it. You and the others blend in and research stuff. Find out how they found you all at the diner, anything, find what ever you can." She stood on her tiptoes and hugged his neck, "Harry, just don't get caught. Please. I'll meet you all back here in an hour."
He wrapped his arms around her, the large limbs feeling foreign. "Be careful." They parted, but Harry kissed her on the forehead first, "Please."
Miranda smiled at him, suppressing the blush on her cheeks. "I will." She giggled, "Uncle Albert."
Miranda ran back to Umbridge, "He says I can come as long as I'm not a bother."
Umbridge tutted, "Nonsense, girl...your name is..."
"Olivia." Miranda said eagerly.
"Yes, Olivia, follow me. What are your views on muggleborns?" Umbridge asked, leading Miranda onto the lift. "Aren't you coming, Reginald? We're off to see your wife."
Ron looked dumbfounded, but Hermione nudged him forward, "Um...yes, yes, I think I'll come down too."
Hermione watched them get whisked away with trepidation, "Do you think she knows what she's doing?"
Harry nodded, "She's buying us time to go snooping around, find out where You-Know-Who is running this place from."
"I hope you're right." Hermione said, adjusting her purse on her shoulder, "We'd best get a move on then, I don't know how long this Polyjuice will last." Harry and Hermione split up, and Ron ran to find them once the business with the Cattermole wife was taken care of.
Miranda was taking tea with the toad, "That is such a lovely shade of pink! I love it! Tell me, where-ever did you find these kitten plates? They are adorable." Miranda had found that the quickest way to Umbridge was through complimenting everything about her. It was starting to wear on her though, and she only had ten minutes to get back to the entrance hall, "Oh my! What a lovely locket!" She screeched, suppressing a wince at her own high pitched voice. She also suppressed the desire to see if it was possible to curse herself.
Umbridge looked overjoyed that her jewelry was being brought up, "Oh, this old thing? It's an old family heirloom, from the Selwyn's."
"Might I see it?" Miranda asked, keeping her voice innocent and very exuberant.
The woman's comfort faltered, "Well..."
Miranda knew that unless she eased her fears, she would lose the spell she had over the woman, "Oh, please, Madame Umbridge! I just want to get a closer look at that lovely 's'. Might I hold it for just a moment?"
The Undersecretary nodded slowly, undoing the locket form her nonexistent neck, "Of course, Olivia. But be careful, it's very old."
And then the locket was back in her hand, Miranda felt the reunion much more strongly than she'd expected. After all, to her, the locket had only been gone for a few months. The locket felt completely right in her palm, and Miranda smiled. That smile chilled Umbridge to the bone. For an instant, instead of a young girl, she saw a young woman with death sitting on her shoulder, an evil that did not belong in her perfect pink muggle-less world. "Old indeed." Miranda whispered, "You can trust I will take great care of it."
The snake around her neck moved slightly, heat pulsing from both artifacts. Bending over the locket in her lap, as if to get a better look, Miranda pulled out the copy she had made from Kreacher's locket and slid the real one into her pocket in it's place.
With a smile and several noises of appreciation, Miranda handed the woman the second fake. "It's lovely, Madame Undersecretary." She looked down at the wrist watch she'd nabbed, "Oh, I've forgotten to watch the time! I must be meeting my Uncle in the lobby, we're to meet my mother for an early lunch in the city so I can go with her to take my brother to St. Mungo's."
"That's quite all right dear, I must be getting on with my very important Ministry duties. Perhaps we can continue this chat another time. I hope your brother is well soon!"
Miranda just smiled at her and nodded quickly, leaving the abhorrent office and practically running back to the lifts, but not before grabbing a few copies of the Anti-Muggle wares.
"M-Olivia!" Miranda ran straight to Harry, it was obvious that his Polyjuice was nearly done, the angles on his face shrinking and morphing. Ron's hair was turning red again. Harry grabbed her hand and they took off walking just slow enough as to not look like they were running in a panic. Miranda shoved her other hand into her pocket and gripped the locket.
That was until someone yelled, "Look! It's Harry Potter!"
"Run!" Harry yelled. The four of them burst into full on running strides, Ron's long legs carrying him fastest as he pulled Hermione along with him.
The gates on the floo's started closing, the entire Ministry locking down. They made it to one of the gates just before it was about to close, unfortunately, so did Yaxley. In mid Apperation, Hermione cursed the man off, but not before they had gotten through the Grimmauld Place wards with him and back. Miranda felt ill when Hermione suddenly changed their course after the man fell off, rolling into some subway station. When they landed, Miranda only felt Harry's hand slip from her own before the air was knocked out of her lungs again and she saw stars.
Everything was silent for a couple of seconds before Hermione started screaming, "Harry! Get the dittany! It's in my bag! Oh, Ron, I'm so sorry, just hang on a little longer, I'll make it stop hurting." Miranda could hear Harry, just a few feet away from her, rummaging through Hermione's beaded bag while Hermione was trying to keep Ron's life from flowing right out of a splinched arm. Her head felt like it was ready to explode so she didn't try to open her eyes.
"Harry?" Miranda called, pushing herself up, clutching the chain of the locket in her hand. They were in a forest, she could feel leaves under her hands. She walked slowly to the others, narrowly avoiding running into a sapling.
She knelt to where she thought Hermione and Harry were leaning over Ron. Harry put his hand on top of hers, "Are you alright?"
Miranda nodded, "My head hurts a lot, but I'll be okay. Is Ron..."
"He'll be fine now." Hermione said with determination, and Miranda believed her, the smell of blood and the sound of Ron's agonized screams were muted now.
"What do we do?" Harry said, his voice all business, "We can't go back to Grimmauld Place. Do we just wander?"
"That's exactly what we're going to do. We need to find the other horcruxes." Miranda said.
"Miranda's right, we would have left Grimmauld place after getting the locket anyway. We probably would have based out of it still, but we wouldn't have slept there every night anymore. We need to finish this!" Hermione exclaimed, sitting next to Miranda on the ground.
Miranda put an arm around the other girl, "Hermione, don't talk like that. We can do this, we just have to remain strong." Miranda felt Hermione nod in agreement and Harry squeezed her hand, "Alright, do you have any idea what the other horcruxes are?"
No one said anything, "You don't know what they are?" She assumed, feeling a little silly sitting there with her eyes closed while they were having such a serious discussion.
"No." Harry said. "We know what they could be, but…" His voice trailed off and she heard him move slightly, the too big coat rustling in the leaves and grass, "Miranda, what's the matter with your eyes?"
Miranda smiled, trying to discourage him from getting too worried. She was already lucky enough that no one was yelling at her, she didn't need Harry to think she had brain damage on top of being a foolhardy idiot. "Oh, my head hurts a little from the fall, so I was just keeping my eyes closed. I'll be just fine soon, my head's already feeling better."
Her world cracked when Hermione said softly, "Miranda, your eyes are open."
See you in the next chapter everyone! Please let me know what you think!
-Jenn
P.S. Fantasy casting in my head has Miranda as Willa Holland, btw!