Chapter 1: Hermione

Chapter 1:

Hermione:

The Gryffindor common room was mostly empty when Harry, Ron, and Hermione came in. Even within the mighty halls of Gryffindor, there was palpable fear hanging over everyone. Most Gryffindor students hadn't returned that year, leaving Gryffindor house unusually quiet and subdued. And those who had returned retreated to their dormitories whenever possible, coming out only reluctantly to attend classes. It was no longer safe to be a Gryffindor at Hogwarts; in fact, it was no longer safe to be anything other than a Slytherin at Hogwarts. At least, though, this meant that the trio didn't have to worry about anyone overhearing their conversation.

"So, what'd you find out, mate?" asked Ron.

Harry had a heavy look in his eyes, the weight of the burden left to him constantly pulling him down. He glanced around one last time, making sure that they were the only ones in the common room. But the room was as empty as the feeble hope that rested in their hearts. Satisfied, he reached into his bag and pulled out a chocolate frog collectible card.

Curious, both Hermione and Ron leaned forward for a closer look. The face in the card looked up at Hermione and Ron happily, and then smiled.

"Can he," Hermione paused, "see us?"

A very small sound seemed to come from the card.

"Whoa," said Ron.

"He can see you," replied Harry. "And he can hear you."

"Wicked," whispered Ron.

Hermione leaned down closer to the card. Very faintly, she heard the face in the card whisper, "Why, hello, Hermione!" The sparkling blue eyes winked at her.

"I didn't know the images in these cards could talk," Hermione said excitedly. "Why has this never happened before?"

"I don't know," Harry answered, "but the important thing is that Dumbledore told me that he suspects the remaining Horcruxes are hidden here, at Hogwarts."

Hermione had suspected as much: well, not that Dumbledore had told Harry from his frame in a chocolate frog collectible card, but that the reason Harry had said they needed to return to Hogwarts was because he found out something to indicate that there were Horcruxes hidden at Hogwarts.

"Did he have any idea where they might be hidden?" asked Hermione.

"Not really. We know the Horcruxes probably were made from objects connected to the Houses; so maybe they're hidden in the dormitories?" Harry wondered aloud.

"How are we supposed to search the school with that greasy git hovering around all the time?" asked Ron.

Harry nodded reluctantly as he replied, "I don't really see how we can. If Snape finds out we're looking for the Horcruxes and he tells Voldemort, he'll just move them somewhere else."

"Harry," Hermione pursed her lips and continued, "what's to stop Voldemort from coming here and killing you?"

"Dumbledore, he said that there would always be a place at Hogwarts for those who were loyal to him. I don't know, Hermione, but I just feel like the safest place for me to be right now is here."

"You know, Harry, Dumbledore was a great man; but he could have been wrong. I mean, he was wrong about Snape, wasn't he?" Ron asked.

"Harry, have you talked to Dumbledore's card about this?" Hermione added.

"Yes, I have. And Dumbledore happens to agree with me."

A slight murmur from Dumbledore's card made them bend down towards it.

"Harry will be safest at Hogwarts as long as those in power are loyal to me," Dumbledore said mysteriously. "And now, I apologize, but I need to go visit my other cards before my absence is noted." And with that, Dumbledore walked out of the card.

"He wasn't talking about Snape, was he?" Ron said incredulously.

"I think so. Dumbledore’s insisted throughout every conversation that Snape is still loyal to him. But whenever I try to ask him how he knows that, he says he has to go visit his other cards and walks away," said Harry, clearly frustrated.

"Well, we need to find out. If Snape is still loyal to Dumbledore, he might be able to help us. And if he's not, we need to be able to keep an eye on him. And I have an idea about how we can do this," said Hermione.