His Talented Friends

Disclaimer: Nothing you recognise belongs to me. Just borrowed. Will be returned. Snape is welcome to stay, though.

A big Thank You goes to my beta-reader, Maggie, and my beta-reader and brit-picker, Melusin, who both are always encouraging, helpful, and thorough.

Chapter 5 – His Talented Friends

The next day after lunch, Hermione met Harry and Ron in the common room. They had to start searching for the remaining Horcruxes; as yet, they didn't have anything even remotely resembling a lead.

"Let's go over what we know already one more time, shall we?" Hermione suggested. "Let's try to do it systematically this time; maybe we'll find something we overlooked in the past."

"You mean, in order of Horcrux creation? Good idea," Ron said.

"Flagrate!" Hermione criss-crossed a fiery table on the wall with her wand. The headers were 'Horcrux', 'how', 'when', 'where', and 'why'.

"All right," Harry agreed. "So the first one was the ring. Voldemort killed his father and his paternal grandparents after he stole it. He was a teenager, so it was around 1942 or 43. He stole the ring from his uncle, but at that time, he didn't seem to know yet how to create a Horcrux. In the Pensieve memory, he was wearing the ring. Later, he hid the ring in the Gaunt house, probably after he made it into a Horcrux. Dumbledore destroyed the ring, but there was a curse on it because he was injured when he destroyed it. Remember his blackened hand?"

"Yes," Ron said. "But how do we know that it was a curse, and not just a side-effect of the destruction of the thing?"

"Dumbledore said that there was a curse on it," Hermione replied, "and when Harry destroyed the diary, there wasn't a backlash or anything of that sort.

"Right. Either there wasn't a spell protecting the diary, or the way I destroyed it didn't release the spell."

"You stabbed it with the basilisk's tooth, didn't you?" Hermione asked. When Harry nodded, she continued, "The basilisk was connected to the diary. Maybe the protection didn't recognize the tooth as coming from a stranger...."

"Maybe," Harry said. "And maybe not. We don't really know what happens when you destroy a Horcrux. So what's second?"

"Second would be the diary, I suppose." Ron counted the arguments off on his fingers. "Voldemort wrote into the diary while he was at school. He murdered his father while at school. He released the basilisk while at school. The diary was proof that he is the heir of Slytherin––So who did he kill, and when did he create it?"

"No idea," Hermione said. "All we know is that he made it a Horcrux. And the diary was meant to be read, meant to be used to release the basilisk. As long as there was a basilisk..."

"So he hid it with the Malfoys. Dumbledore said that Voldemort was furious when he learned that Malfoy had given the diary to Ginny and that the diary was destroyed."

"How did he know? Dumbledore, I mean...," Ron threw in.

"Snape?" Hermione suggested. "While he was pretending to be loyal? But would that information be valid, then? Perhaps Voldemort wasn't displeased at all, and Snape only wanted Dumbledore to believe it?"

"If Snape was the only spy for Dumbledore, then yes, it would be doubtful information." Harry rubbed his scar thoughtfully. "But if Dumbledore had more than one spy, chances are that the information is correct."

"All right," Hermione said. "Fact is that the Horcrux is destroyed, and Voldemort knows it. What's stopping him from creating a new one?"

"Nothing," Harry whispered. They looked at each other miserably. "I don't know how to deal with that on my own... How can we ever be certain?" Harry hung his head.

"We have to do what we can," Hermione said. "Look, there is always the risk that we won't get all the Horcruxes before you have to confront him. But you still can kill him, or at least drive him out of his body for a while. Even if he isn't truly dead, we'd gain time to search for the remaining Horcruxes if he were out of the way for a while. And what happens to a bodiless soul anyway when the last Horcrux that binds it to this world is destroyed? Do we know that?"

"No, we don't," Ron said pessimistically. "We just don't know enough about those blasted things. We have to learn more about them. Do you think that perhaps at Durmstrang...?" He looked hopefully at Hermione.

"I really don't think I could owl Viktor and ask if the library in his old school contains some reference books on Horcruxes, now, could I?" Hermione replied dryly. "We may have a better chance with Slughorn. He gave Voldemort the necessary information, after all."

"You mean I should talk to him again? He won't tell me anything, you know," Harry said. "He was rather difficult last time. Without the Felix Felicis, I really don't know."

"Worth a try. And maybe we can ask Price. He does research in an ancient magical archive, so he should know a lot about ancient magic––Dark magic included." Hermione frowned. "But how to ask him, if we want to keep the Horcruxes a secret?"

"I have no idea," Harry said sadly. "I thought I could just continue what Dumbledore started. Look, he is..." He flinched. "He was so much wiser than all of us combined. If he thought that those six items are Horcruxes, then I'm inclined to rely on that."

"It's a start. And while we search for the ones we know about, we might find information about some that may have been created later, even more recently. Let's continue with our list, shall we?" Hermione smiled, trying to lighten the mood of her friends who were looking rather depressed.

"What else can we do?" Ron asked. "So let's proceed to number three: the cup. It once belonged to Helga Hufflepuff. It was kept by Hepzibah Smith, a descendant of Helga Hufflepuff. Ms. Smith was killed by Tom Riddle, but he framed the house-elf for the murder. He stole the cup and made it a Horcrux. It is rather likely that he used that killing to create the Horcrux. We don't know where the cup is hidden."

"No, but the cup was important to him because it was a relic of the founders of Hogwarts. It always comes down to Hogwarts," Harry mused.

"Yes, and Dumbledore thought that he still felt a special connection to Hogwarts. For him, it was his only real home... Just like it used to be for you, Harry." Hermione frowned at him.

"Yet another thing we have in common. How spiffing," Harry snarled. "I'm a half-blood, like him. I'm an orphan, like him. I consider Hogwarts my home; I speak Parseltongue, and I even have the corresponding wand... Maybe I should have gone into Slytherin and become the next Dark Lord."

"Oh, rubbish," Hermione said angrily. "Did you forget what Dumbledore told you? Voldemort made you that way, Harry. Voldemort made you an orphan; he gave you that scar; he gave you Parseltongue, and because of him, your childhood was so miserable that you consider Hogwarts your home. He's the one who's responsible for that. And that's why you can defeat him because you seem to have so many things in common." She looked at him enthusiastically, but only got a blank stare back. "Don't you see? Voldemort made you a weapon; the only weapon to defeat him. You have part of his powers; you have powerful protection; you can comprehend how he thinks, even how he feels. "

Harry nodded. "Yes. Dumbledore said something similar, but I fail to see how this could help me."

"Voldemort still doesn't know that you're not like him at all. He doesn't realize that a similar background doesn't have to create a similar character. He will never understand your deeply ingrained decency and loyalty, Harry. Your bravery and unselfishness, your love. He has nothing that could tempt you, and that must frighten him."

"Oh, yeah, he was shivering last time we met," Harry said sarcastically.

"He wants to kill you himself, Harry. He considers you his worst enemy. Dumbledore is out of the way; he can't protect you any longer. Voldemort may think that it's easier to get to you now. He seems to see murdering you as something symbolic, almost. He seems so intent on doing it himself from what you told us, Harry. Didn't he tell his Death Eaters to stay out and not interfere the night Cedric died?"

"Yes, and at the Ministry, Malfoy prevented the other Death Eaters from killing me. He yelled that I belonged to his master. Just like Snape did when that huge Death Eater was torturing me, incidentally," Harry said, rubbing his face tiredly.

"You know... Maybe he wants to kill you to create his final Horcrux," Ron said slowly. The one to replace the diary. He'd want to complete what he set out to do that night your parents died. Wouldn't that be typical for him, all that symbolic, mystical stuff?"

Harry and Hermione gaped at him.

"I think you have something there, Ron," Hermione said.

"And that would mean that there are only five Horcruxes," Harry added. "But how can we be certain?"

"We can't, but we can keep that in mind when we come across possible Horcrux items."

"The cup!" Harry exclaimed. "The TriWizard Cup!" Maybe he wanted to make it into a Horcrux after killing me. I brought it to him; it's a meaningful trophy; it's old... Everything fits." Harry looked hopeful, almost optimistic.

"And since he didn't get the cup, he'd have to look for something different," Ron said. "We could investigate which old items have been purchased recently, or reported stolen for that matter."

"That's where your new Ministry contacts come in handy, don't you think?" Hermione grinned. "They'd have records of stolen artefacts or ancient items changing owners."

"That's as good a point to start as any," Ron said. "And now we should get on with the list."

"Right." Hermione smiled. "Number four is the locket. It's from a founder; it belonged to Salazar Slytherin, but was handed down in direct line to Merope Gaunt. Merope sold it to Borgin and Burkes, who sold it to Hepzibah Smith; Voldemort stole it from her."

"The locket was hidden in a sea cave, protected by a lake full of Inferi and a deadly, or almost deadly, potion. The sea cave was meaningful to Voldemort because he had one of his first triumphs there when he hurt other children from the orphanage. We don't know who was killed for that Horcrux to be created, but we know that the locket Dumbledore and Harry retrieved from the sea cave wasn't Slytherin's. So R.A.B., whoever it is, destroyed the Horcrux. Merely hiding it wouldn't really make a difference, would it?"

"Perhaps, if R.A.B. lived long enough to destroy it, but that doesn't really matter. To be certain that it's destroyed, we have to find the locket. Let's get on with it," Ron urged them on.

Harry sighed. "Number five. The snake, Nagini. Dumbledore thinks that it doesn't behave like a normal snake would. If the snake is a Horcrux, it would have been created the night Frank Bryce was murdered, or soon thereafter. The snake is always with Voldemort; it sustained him before he regained his body, and Voldemort's body seems to be part snake, if you look at his nose and mouth. The snake is poisonous; it can protect itself."

"It will have to be the last to be destroyed because when you're close to Nagini, Voldemort is around, too." Hermione said.

"Yes," Harry agreed. "And then there's the speculative number six which Dumbledore thought was something from Ravenclaw or Gryffindor."

"Right," Hermione said. "And the only Ravenclaw item we know about would be your Aunt Muriel's tiara, Ron, and we've already ruled that one out."

"Yeah." Ron rubbed his nose. "But he could still plan to use it, if my theory is right. Maybe we should warn the Order, and get some extra protection for Aunt Muriel?"

Hermione went pale, and Harry looked concerned. "If that is true, then she'd be in extreme danger. Couldn't she store the tiara in a Gringotts vault? I know..." He grinned at Hermione, who was about to interrupt him. "I know that he's broken into Gringotts successfully once before, but it would be less dangerous than keeping it with her. At least she would be safe if we made it known that the tiara is in Gringotts. Besides, we'd know right away when someone stole it."

"She won't like it," Ron said, "but I will talk to my Dad. The family can try to convince her. Maybe she'll listen."

Hermione pursed her lips. "Are we absolutely certain that the tiara is genuine?"

"Bill said that the age fits, didn't he?"

"Did he? He only said that it can be found out easily if the age fits... And then he continued checking to see if there were any spells on the tiara. And there weren't. With an item so old that supposedly belonged to such a powerful witch... Shouldn't there be something there? At least some protection?"

"What are you getting at?" Harry asked. "Do you think this is a replica and that the original was stolen?"

"Perhaps, I don't know." Hermione let out a deep breath and buried her face in her hands. "If, just if, the tiara was stolen when your uncle was murdered, Ron, then it might already be a Horcrux. And we can look at the jewellery Fleur wore as much as we want and will never find anything. Damn...." She bit her lip.

"If it is a Horcrux, when would it have been created? Wouldn't that one be the one he wanted to create with my death? He wouldn't have had the time to make one out of my mother and father's deaths... He would have brought it to Godric's Hollow, surely?"

"Maybe," Hermione agreed. "But we don't know if you have to have the vessel for the soul fragment close by when you split your soul, or if you can attach it later. Maybe it works like a Pensieve? A Pensieve for the soul?"

"I don't think so," Ron pondered. "I think that the killing and the creation of the Horcrux need to happen close together in time. Didn't Dumbledore say that no other wizard had ripped his soul into more than two parts?"

"I see where you're going," Hermione threw in, eyes shining with excitement. "Killing splits your soul, and the split part can be used for the Horcrux. But a normal split soul must mend somewhat, mustn't it? There are many wizards who have killed more than one person. If the soul didn't mend, they'd have their soul ripped into more than two parts."

"Exactly," Ron continued. "But maybe all it means is that a soul is only ripped apart when it actually leaves the body? Perhaps a mass murderer could have one soul, ripped into many pieces, but still all in one place?"

"Perhaps," Harry said aggressively. "But we're moving in circles here; this doesn't lead anywhere. We have to start somewhere. How and where?"

"To find places where Voldemort could have hidden his Horcruxes, we'd need to know more about the person Tom Riddle himself. We could ask people who went to school with him. I'll ask Minerva if I can take a look at the Hogwarts entry-registry for those thirteen years. Some of those people will still be alive and may remember things about him."

Harry frowned. "All right, we have a start. We ask people who went to school with him. Older Order members might also remember a thing or two from when they were fighting him. Patterns of how he killed, when he killed, who he killed... Dumbledore told me that he killed the strongest and most powerful wizards and witches himself. Like Madame Bones..."

"Yes, he seems to see them as some kind of trophy, doesn't he? He would have used some of their deaths for the Horcruxes," Hermione said. "I think that's a good idea, Harry. One of us should interview the older Order members who were around when Voldemort was strong the first time around. And I could counter-check those reports with old Daily Prophet articles about burglaries and disappearing items."

"Hm," Harry mumbled. "It's tedious work, but it needs to be done. So that leaves information about the Horcruxes themselves. I really doubt that Slughorn knows more than he told us in that memory fragment. I will have to ask him, though..." He grimaced.

"You're probably right. If he didn't tell Dumbledore, maybe there isn't anything else to tell," Ron said thoughtfully. "We'd need other sources of information. Hogwarts doesn't have books about the Dark Arts since Dumbledore forbade it. Hermione refuses to ask Viktor Krum..." He ducked quickly when Hermione threw a pillow at him. "Too bad we can't ask Malfoy..."

Harry stretched and rubbed his neck. "Maybe there's some information in Malfoy Manor. They have all those secret chambers... Didn't Lucius Malfoy boast once that the Ministry only finds stuff that he, Malfoy, wants them to find? There have to be hidden doors, cabinets or something. Maybe there are books... I can't imagine that someone like Lucius Malfoy wouldn't investigate deeper into something that makes you live for a very long time..."

"Very possible," Hermione agreed. "But wouldn't the Aurors have taken everything away that could have been used as evidence against Malfoy?"

"If they searched thoroughly, perhaps," Harry said. "But knowing the, ah, connections between Malfoy and the Ministry, I rather doubt that they took everything away."

"You're probably right. When do you have your first meeting with the Minister, Harry? Maybe you can convince him to let us look through Malfoy Manor."

"The day after tomorrow," Harry said. "And tomorrow night is an Order meeting, so we can start to ask questions then."

"Good," Hermione said. "I can go and check the registry right away. After dinner, I'll go and ask Minerva. Let's get to work."

"Yes, let's get on with it." Both boys looked relieved, and together they went down to the Great Hall for dinner.

The registry of Hogwarts' students provided them with a remarkably long list of people who went to school with Tom Riddle and who were still alive. To their surprise, Minerva McGonagall was one of those people; she was only two years younger than Tom Riddle. Harry and Ron volunteered to seek out Riddle's old schoolmates and also ask Professor McGonagall about her impression of the Dark wizard as a schoolboy. Hermione would check every library and archive for information, or at least for hints about where to find that information. There were several ancient manors and castles in Scotland and England where such magical archives or extensive private libraries were kept. They planned to check these out as soon as they had looked at Malfoy Manor.

The Order meeting had been both chaotic and interesting. Molly Weasley had swept down on the three friends and immediately berated them for joining before they had completed school. Fred and George were leading her away, trying to calm her down. Arthur Weasley was talking to Minerva McGonagall and Alastor Moody. The first part of the evening was spent with people trying to talk at the same time, each presenting a plan to defeat Voldemort. No one listened to anyone else.

Hermione's question as to what exactly the task of the Order had been while Dumbledore was still alive led to a confused silence. "Fighting Death Eaters," was Mad-eye Moody's explanation. "Protecting innocents," came from Molly Weasley. "Preventing attacks... keeping watch on secret things... learning what He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is after... protecting Muggle-borns... preventing You-Know-Who from taking over," were the things that were mentioned most frequently. Hermione was disappointed about the lack of structure, the lack of purpose or plan. She saw how Remus talked silently with Tonks when everybody else was trying to out-shout the others; Peregrin Price was watching the proceedings with an unreadable expression on his face. In the end, Hermione thought, the Order really had been Dumbledore's army. And with the general gone, the army behaved like a headless chicken, fluttering around reflexively without real life or sense behind it. What they needed was a purpose, Hermione thought, a plan, a new leader.

The interesting parts were Remus Lupin's report about having found a few other werewolves who were less than content under Fenrir Greyback's reign and could probably be prevented from joining Voldemort's forces if they could be provided with the Wolfsbane potion regularly. Hermione wondered who made the potion for Remus; she knew that it was too complicated for him to brew it himself. Only a few wizards in Europe could brew it, and Snape had been one of the few.

"What a loss for our side," she thought, not for the first time. Of course she couldn't voice that thought, Ron and Harry would have been all over her, but she actually thought that losing Severus Snape to the other side was a severe setback.

When Remus had finished his report, Kingsley Shacklebolt told them about the goings-on in the office of the Muggle Prime Minister. The Muggles were now providing new identities for the families of Muggle-born wizards and witches. Those families seemed to be a prime target of Death Eater raids, and several had been murdered in the last few weeks. Hermione was glad that her own parents had been so reasonable in listening to her warning and now were cruising somewhere in the Caribbean. After their world trip, the Grangers planned to do an exchange program at an Australian dentistry school. They had tried to convince Hermione to come with them but accepted her decision to fight alongside Harry. Her parents had always supported her choices as much as they could, even if that now meant that they had to move out of Voldemort's immediate reach and leave their daughter behind.

Harry's visit to the Ministry the next day had been exhausting and rather unpleasant. Not only did he have to endure a seemingly endless photo session with a smiling Minister, but he also had to listen to the Minister's excuses for not having any lead on Voldemort and Snape. Worse, he constantly had to evade the Minister's questions about what exactly he was looking for. He non-committally explained that he wished to learn as much about Voldemort's history and personality as possible, but the Minister, not being stupid, didn't believe him.

Harry did get permission, however, to go to Malfoy Manor, provided an Auror went with them. Harry asked for Tonks, and Tonks seemed more than glad to accompany them.

When they Apparated to a safe spot a small distance from Malfoy Manor a day later, they just stood there, gaping.

"No wonder Malfoy was such an arrogant prick," Harry said, while Ron stared with awe, and not a little envy, at the majestic old building that was set off beautifully by a large, well-tended park.

Tonks laughed. "Remember, looks aren't everything." And to their horror, she changed her face into a pointy, narrow likeness of Narcissa Malfoy, her short purple hair transforming into the long, pale blonde mane of the late Mrs. Malfoy.

"That's not funny, Tonks!" Hermione cried, torn between laughter and horror. "What's happening to the manor now, with Draco's father in Azkaban?"

"Nothing. It's being tended by the house-elves and will remain empty. If Malfoy ever gets released, he'll likely take up residence here again. Malfoy has no other relatives. My dear aunt Bellatrix and her loving husband can't move in; every Auror in the country is looking for them. And Mum – my own mother was disowned by the clan long ago. So there's no hope of me ever playing Lady of the Manor." She winked at them after transforming back into her colourful self.

"Damn," Harry said, "I forgot how closely related you all are. Were your aunts still in contact with your mum after she married your father?"

"Oh, no," Tonks said, "and I'm proud to say that my mum wasn't too sad about that. She always was a bit of a rebel, taking the side of Muggles, Muggle-borns, and other wretched life forms." She grinned at them. "And you don't really think that my aunts would visit the lowly abode of a Muggle-born wizard like my dad."

"Too bad," Harry sighed. "Nevertheless, talking to your mum would be interesting. Do you think she'd tell us a bit about her sisters?"

"I think she would, albeit reluctantly, Harry. Why are you interested in my aunts, anyway?"

"Same reason we're visiting the Manor, really. I want to learn what I can about how Death Eaters think, what drove them to Voldemort, how he lured them in. Was it fashionable among purebloods; was it only a certain type who joined? Why was your mother different? How did her sisters react to her, and things like that."

"I see. Yes, those are important questions, Harry, and I understand why they are especially important for you. He-Who-Must..." Tonks flinched and shook herself. "No, Voldemort will seek you out, won't he? You've escaped him so many times. It's a matter of prestige, I suppose."

"We think so, too," Harry said. "Ron reckons that he wants to finish what he started sixteen years ago at Godric's Hollow."

"Does he now?" Tonks considered Ron with newfound respect. Ron blushed furiously. "Could be, at that. And so the three of you are out investigating, trying to outsmart the bad guys, aren't you?"

"Well, we don't think it's a good idea to simply wait until Voldemort decides that now he wants to kill Harry, and do nothing in the meantime." Hermione said. "And this knowledge will be useful for the Order, too, won't it? We'd like to talk to Order members who fought in the last war, too."

"All right," Tonks said. "But I'd wait a bit, if I were you. They'll need some time to get used to you 'young whippersnappers' being there. The Order is a bit confused at the moment, anyway. We were all relying on Dumbledore so much... but here we are."

They had arrived at the Manor's entrance, and Tonks started to deactivate the protective spells at the door. When they entered the house, a house-elf came hurrying towards them and regarded them distrustfully. Tonks told the house-elf that Harry, Ron and Hermione would look around the Manor, and the house-elf disappeared with a sneer.

"They still feel bound to Lucius Malfoy," Tonks said, "so don't expect to get any help from them. They won't hinder you either, though; they are a bit scared of the Ministry. Now, you three go looking; I'll patrol outside." She grinned and left them.

Hermione looked around. She was just as awed by the house as Harry and Ron were. A large entrance area, panelled walls and ceilings, worn, but well cared-for antique furniture... the whole house emanated wealth, and a slightly rugged, understated elegance.

"Who'd have known that the pretentious prick had such a cosy home," Ron said.

"Well," Harry said reluctantly, "in the end there was more to him than we thought, wasn't there?'"

"Yes," Hermione said and consulted the dynamic floor plan Tonks had given them. "Now, let's see... there is the secret chamber under the library..." She opened the second door to the right and let out a low whistle. "Look at all these books!"

Bookshelves were covering three of the room's walls from floor to ceiling; the fourth wall consisted almost entirely of a huge fireplace.

"These would be the more presentable books," Hermione murmured. "Tonks said that they kept their, err... more selective library in the hidden chamber. Now, where's that portrait of Cecil the Clandestine?"

"Must be this one." Ron pointed to a small painting that showed a surly looking old wizard half-hidden behind a tree.

"We'll have to turn it upside-down." Hermione pulled her wand out and flipped the portrait on its head. Cecil the Clandestine was tumbling around wildly, cursing and yelling loudly. At the same time, the fireplace turned and revealed a staircase, much like the staircase that led to the Headmaster's office at Hogwarts. This one, however, led down, not up.

Carefully, wands drawn, the three friends walked down the stairs and found themselves in a small, dark chamber. As soon as they left the stairs, candles lit up and filled the room with just enough light to read. Here, too, the walls were covered with shelves. The staircase took up the remaining wall.

"Why didn't the Aurors take the books away if they're Dark Arts books?" Ron asked.

"No idea," Harry said. "We'll have to ask Tonks."

"There doesn't seem to be anything really Dark here." Hermione blushed. "There are a few books about psychedelic potions, from what I can see, but most books contain... err... erotica."

The boys stared at her, eyes threatening to fall out. She shrugged and blushed even more. "Sorry, but that's what it looks like. Or what else do you think a book with the title, The 33 Magical Positions to Make your Witch Content and Maintain Control, could mean?"

Harry laughed, embarrassed. "You'd think that the Aurors would have confiscated these books, or, err... studied them thoroughly, wouldn't you? I wonder why they are still here... The Malfoys probably still have friends at the Ministry. Malfoy's pockets were jingling, last time I saw him there."

"The books aren't dusty or anything. Looks like they have been checked thoroughly," Ron confirmed. "But Scented candles and Magical Illuminations didn't cause that much interest." He pointed towards a small book closest to the wall, half covered with cobwebs.

"Why would that one be down here, anyway?" Hermione said, and took the small book off the shelf. She thumbed through it; there were recipes for making scented wax, and suggestions for different shapes of candles.

"I wonder..." she took her wand and tapped out several sequences on the book, muttering under her breath. Eventually, the book shone in a pale green glow, and letters and numbers appeared on the surface: 5 up 3 down.

"Wow..." Harry said. "How did you do that?"

"Ever wonder how Fred and George found out how the Marauder's map works?" Hermione said, clearly pleased. "I asked them... They are quite inventive; they have great magic in their shop..."

"Brilliant, Hermione." Harry grinned. "But what does this code mean?" He looked at the place in the shelf where the book had stood. "Five up and three down – that would just be two up, wouldn't it? Let's see: The Kama Sutra?"

"Err... perhaps that's a kind of erotic message?" Ron suggested, and blushed when his friends stared at him. "Just an idea... or maybe it's the door opener to a secret love nest..."

"There is no door." Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Hmmm," Harry said and went to the stairs. He walked five steps up and three down and disappeared.

"Harry!" Ron and Hermione yelled simultaneously and ran to the steps, counting out the same sequence.

When they stepped off the stairs, they walked into a large room without windows. Candles had lit themselves as soon as Harry had appeared. The room looked like a bedroom; a quilt-covered bed stood in one corner, and a bed-side table, a wardrobe, a large cabinet, and a bookshelf completed the furnishings of the room.

"It looks inhabited," Hermione murmured, taking an open book from the bed-side table and flipping through it. "Someone with similar tastes as Sirius' relatives. Look!" The book she held up was similar to one they had seen at the Black residence. Harry and Ron looked over her shoulder to read the title. Nature's Nobility – a treatise about the superiority of pure bloods.

"Just what I said, a secret love nest..." Ron looked amazed.

"I rather think it's a hideout for Death Eaters – one or more of the escaped Azkaban prisoners... I wonder if the Aurors know about this room..."

"They don't..." a gleeful voice came from the large cabinet, and when they spun around, a leering Bellatrix Lestrange cast a "Stupefy!" their way.

Harry and Hermione yelled, "Protego," but Ron was a moment too late and was knocked out cold.

Bellatrix laughed shrilly. "Ooh, ickle Harry brought his talented friends. Looky, looky how much talent. Sweet dreams little Weasley." While she was taunting them in her singsong voice, she had raised her wand, and a red flash shot out of it.

Harry almost lost his footing, despite casting his "Protego" quickly; only Hermione's competent protective charm prevented him from being struck full force.

"Oooh, this one seems to have a bit more talent. So maybe old Snape was right after all... ickle Harrykins, what do you say? Have to rely on your talented friends, do you?" And she cast another spell, again blocked by Hermione.

Harry tried to go on the offensive. His Impedimenta made Bellatrix jump up and to the side, but caused no harm.

"We've played enough, children. Now we'll talk business... Expelliarmus!"

Harry couldn't prevent it; his wand flew out of his hand, but before Bellatrix could cast another spell, Hermione jumped in front of Harry, protecting him.

'Oooo, isn't this sweet? Young love... our Harrypoo has found himself a little girlfriend. A little talented girlfriend..." She started to circle the room. "Won't the Dark Lord be pleased to hear this?" She jumped up a few times, mock-threatening them with her wand. "And our little Harry is indeed barely mediocre... dumb luck and talented friends, indeed." She raised her wand with a swift movement. "Cruci..."

But her spell was never completed. Bellatrix opened and closed her mouth a few times like a fish on dry land, croaking but not able to vocalize a spell. And before she could react to what had happened, she floated upside down, a screech escaping her, her wand slipping out of her fingers. Silvery ropes shot out of Hermione's wand and bound the Dark witch; a Summoning Charm brought her wand into Hermione's hands.

"Damn," Harry said, "I don't know what's the matter with me... Thanks, Hermione."

Hermione had cast a "Rennervate!" on Ron and looked up. "She came from that cabinet. We'd better make sure that there's no one else hiding in there..."

Together they opened the door, Harry looking inside, Ron and Hermione standing beside him, wands drawn. But it was empty. The dust on the floor revealed a few footprints. Tracks from women's shoes, like those of Bellatrix, and tracks made by a rat.

"Wormtail was here!" Harry said. "But where is he now?"

"This must be a vanishing cabinet, Harry," Hermione said, looking worried. "That's how they must have come and gone in secret without being noticed. And if the Aurors didn't find this room... Let's get out of here before Wormtail comes back with help."

They followed her advice, levitating Bellatrix' squirming form as they walked up the staircase which led them back to the hidden library chamber.

Back at Hogwarts, they sat together in the common room and tried to come to terms with what had happened at the Manor.

"Why on earth didn't the Aurors find that room when they were searching the Manor?" Harry yelled. He was furious about the carelessness of the Ministry. "After Draco and his mother were murdered, they should have turned over every stone in that house. But no, not in Malfoy Manor. Do they think that Malfoy senior will express his gratitude in jingling coins?"

"Apparently they did," Hermione said disgustedly. "But at least now they have conducted a thorough search... I hope. That's a whole suite of Death Eater quarters down there. Unbelievable." She shook her head.

"If every home of Death Eater families was searched thoroughly, they might have some clues where Voldemort is hiding," Ron said, still angry about being knocked out so easily by Bellatrix Lestrange.

"Or Snape," Harry snarled.

"Yeah, well, Snape..." Hermione mused. "Do you know what Bellatrix Lestrange meant, when she said that piece about Old Snape and your talented friends, Harry?"

"No, and I don't know why I should care," Harry spat. "He's hated me from the beginning, and I him. Why should I care what he says about me?"

"She said something about dumb luck and being mediocre, Harry. But he knows... Snape knows all too well that you're anything but a mediocre wizard. Damn, Harry, you've almost knocked him off his feet more than once."

"I hurt his pride, didn't I? Why should he tell his cronies that I am more than mediocre? He doesn't want to believe that himself. And down there I was mediocre. So maybe I am... I can't change it. I don't care, I know what I have to do, and some stupid things that bloody murderer says about me won't stop me."

"That's the spirit, Harry!" Hermione beamed. "But still... Snape is a bit of a mystery, isn't he – No-no, let me continue." (For Harry had made a scathing noise and tried to interrupt her.) "Look, when Bellatrix Lestrange attacked, I was so confused and scared... and I used Snape's spells from your Potions book. They were the first that came to my mind, and they worked. Lestrange must have never experienced Langlock, or else she would have countered with a nonverbal spell, surely?" Hermione looked pleadingly at Harry, willing him to hear her out. "And then I used Levicorpus. And she was so surprised that she lost her wand... Harry, these can't be spells she's too familiar with. And I wonder why. They're Snape's spells; they're useful and efficient, surely he would have shared them with his fellow Death Eaters?"

Ron shook his head. "What are you getting at, Hermione? Do you think that Snape has some hidden motives, some secrets he keeps from his master? Frankly, after what he did to Dumbledore, I doubt that very much. He's a traitor, and I don't know why you even waste a thought on him. Besides, we've seen Death Eaters use Levicorpus. at the Quidditch World Cup, have you forgotten that?"

"Yes, you're almost certainly right, Ron," Hermione replied. "But nevertheless, I would love to take another, closer look at that old Potions book, Harry. Please, can't you give it to me? There's so much information in there... Now that we all know to be careful with that book. And I'd really like to know just why Dumbledore trusted Snape so much... Maybe we might find a clue in the book."

"Dumbledore was human, and humans make mistakes," Harry said sadly. "And I'd be thankful if we could stop talking about that traitor now. But I will get the book for you tomorrow, Hermione. Just don't expect me to read it again."

"That's fine with me, Harry. I won't bother you with it. And now we'd better get some sleep. There'll be questions from Professor McGonagall and the Order tomorrow..."

"Right," Harry and Ron said, and they all went to their dormitories.