When it rains, it pours.

Outings

''It's way too early to go trudging to the woods,'' Stiles whines, his eyes are still half-closed, and Harry keeps nudging him to wake him up.

''You want to go with the rest of the pack to the lake, right? Then we need to do this now.'' Hermione reasons while pulling her hair in a ponytail.

''Still too early,'' Stiles grumbles. It's summer vacation, he deserves to sleep until at least noon, but no, they are here walking to the woods. He shuts up when they are at the place Derek indicated.

Harry lets his magic lose for a moment and immediately feels the slimy feeling Jackson, Derek, and Isaac described.

''Ieuw, what is that?'' Stiles asks while grimacing. He shivers and is rubbing his arms while grimacing.

''I don't know, the feeling feels vaguely familiar, but I can't place it,'' Hermione says with a shudder. She has her wand out and is casting a couple of diagnostic spells, but Harry can already tell that they will come up empty.

''It feels a little like a-'' Harry stops talking. He needs to swallow down his bile when he thinks back at what it feels like. It's just wrong on so many levels that he needs to take a step back for a moment.

''Harry? Are you okay?'' Stiles asks, sounding concerned. Harry just nods but doesn't make eye contact, he knows how it feels, and he had really hoped he would never feel it again.

''Oh, my god, the slimy feeling, it's like a Horcrux,'' Hermione whispers. Harry finally meets her eyes and nods. The shocked look on her face is enough for Harry.

''Those books are all destroyed by the Ministry. So nobody can make another Horcrux.'' She says frantically.

''Not to burst your bubble, but if my family had that big of a library with dark magic, it wouldn't surprise me if there are more with old families, and maybe they do have those books. The Ministry probably only destroyed the books with that information that were stored in public or something. They can't stop the pureblooded families from keeping a hold on to these books.'' Stiles says simply, but Harry can see that he is anxious.

''You're right. I know you're right. But, do we really think that someone made another Horcrux?'' Hermione asks with a frown. Harry can practically see the wheels turning in her head.

''Well, we don't know for sure. This magic just feels the same. But we only felt this magic when we were holding or wearing a Horcrux. This space feels like that kind of magic, that is something new.''

Hermione nods in agreement, and Harry feels like they should get away as soon as possible.

''Let's go back to the packhouse before I'm going crazy, and I want a shower before we go to the lake.''

''Same! Race ya!'' Stiles exclaims before he apparates back to the packhouse.

''That is unfair!'' Hermione huffs before she also apparates. Harry can't help but smile. He looks around warily for the last time before also apparating back to the packhouse.