Hermione: Research and Discovery
Chapter 17 of 31
Anastadne17: How what was lost might be found - if she's very, very lucky and very, very good.
ReviewedA/N: No SSHG fic is complete without a library scene. *eyes glint* Ta-ag. ~ Ari
The scent of No…
The scent of Yes…
Hermione sniffed the air curiously, and her eyes glinted. Charming the box to follow her, she slipped cautiously into the corridor.
No one would question the Head Girl’s late-night visit to the library.
No one would even notice the small box drifting along behind her.
She knew, because no one ever had.
She’d kept it with her since she found it, not daring to part from it lest it fall into the wrong hands.
She couldn’t say how she knew it was important, but it was his, and he was gone.
Maybe.
---
The box hovered next to her as she quickly selected a thin scroll from the Restricted Section. She’d skimmed it before, of course, when researching the Horcruxes. It hadn’t helped then, but she was sure she remembered reading something in it, something about personality, something about character, something about scents.
She’d cast it aside out of frustration, then.
A small smile played on her lips as she unrolled it to the proper passage.
The box hovered over the table, turning slowly in a sphere of glittering light.
She’d figured out Voldemort’s cage Charm easily enough.
Not really Dark… not really...
---
“When the will of one wizard is the stronger and the intentions of both generally Light, the carvings will eventually stabilize, forming a protective shield in which…”
No, further down.
“… but when either caster conceals a secret from the other, the case and its contents will remain at eternal odds, eventually becoming extremely volatile and even dangerous to outside parties. For this reason, witches and wizards as early as the 15th century protested its use in marriage ceremonies; the law requiring same was eventually repealed in 1743.”
Hermione scowled. “Barbaric.”
The ghost owl landed gently on a nearby shelf.
---
Hermione ran her finger further down the scroll, reading more carefully than she had before.
“When the witch or wizard who provides the contents conceals a secret from the creator of the box, the contents will slowly be consumed by the box itself, indicated by extreme heat and the presence of two distinct odours, often but not always indicative of some aspect of the original casters.”
Hermione’s eyes narrowed furiously. “Lemon… I hate him.”
She read, horrified, “Only the revelation of the secret can prevent the destruction of the box’s contents.”
Hastily scrawling, “It’s dying,” she launched the owl into darkness.
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Latest 25 Reviews for Hide and Seek
112 Reviews | 7.83/10 Average
Please can you add the final chapter or direct me to where else it can be found. We are compiling a list of alternative links for all of the OWL fics due to OWL closing at the end of this month, and I can't find anywhere else that has the full completed story. Thank-you.
Wow, can't wait to see what happens next!
woo
So glad you guys have come back to this story! The way you both play off of one another is such fun to read. I too cannot wait for the next chapter (but I guess I'll have to, won't I? Darnit...) :D
Wow...can't wait for the next chapter.
creepy!
Can one punish a portrait by destroying it?
Are you still working on this story? This isn't quite the end to my opinion, although their using first names is undoubtedly a breakthrough.
Oh good grief. *pulls hair in frustration* more please. btw did you know that clicking where the arrows that send you to the next chapter should be send you absolutely no where. I clicked and clicked in desperate hope.
You gotta be kidding. Why, oh why must you torture us so? Are we not faithful readers? More now, please. (I did say please.)
Burn, Dumbly, burn!
Oh, she'd better say yes!
What a horrid cliffhanger! I insist on believing that things are not as dire as they seem, and that Hermione's love for Severus (coupled by feeding Dumbledore's portrait to Fang 
) will win the day.
But I still want to find out rather quickly.
Oh no, please say he'll be ok.
Oh Gods! Quite dramiatic! What havoc and distruction love has wrought upon the office!
Finally, someone is burning the portrait! Give him hell, Hermione! Make him talk. Justice will be served with a side-order of fries and a fizzy drink, methinks...
We need new chapters. We are fresh out, so I am ordering more. How much for overnight delivery? Two-day? 
Go get him, Severus! Dumbledore's on the run now... grab him, Phineas Nigellus! Put him in a half-nelson! Don't let him leave the room! 
I await Hermione's response breathlessly.
A short chapter, but a powerful one. I can't wait to see how this is going to play out.
Go, Severus! Burn the portrait! You can do it! It will make us all feel better! The readers are behind you all the way!
Burn the portrait, Hermione... go on... you know you want to... and so do we! Do it for the readers! Or at least get Phineas Nigellus to go over there and beat Dumbledore up properly. This is an excellent time to see if one portrait can give another one a black eye or two.
Finally, a visit to Dumbledore for Hermione! I hope she punches his painted nose...
Tell us what it is!!!! 
Of course she used his! Obviously she holds him in high regard, despite (or because of) everything. Now the question is... is her regard for him high enough to fix things which seem to be going rapidly pear-shaped? I think Hermione's feelings for Severus are going to be paramount in importance for this, depending upon what it turns out to be.
I can't believe I've missed these new updates! And I've been keeping half an eye out, too! (obviously I should have used the other half as well...) On the other hand, it means I can find out where they're both going immediately, which is good. Isn't it?
Sounds like things are getting pretty hairy right now... but what the heck's going on with Severus. Somehow I'm sure that hexing Paint-Boy would make things better. Perhaps something fitting and appropriate given the circumstances...
*Works on a spell to transfigure Portrait Dumbledore's background into something from Dante's Inferno*
Sounds like things are getting pretty hairy right now. Hexing Paint-Boy into oblivion certainly couldn't make things worse, now could it?
Oh, Dumbledore left his portrait? or did he jsut flee to another? I think he did leave it for a reason, but was surprised by the recipient? hummm
OOooooo! O_o. pouncing onward ---
About time he stood up for himslef!! Whoot Severus - zap him!!