When two worlds collide.

Kendra and Ariana Dumbledore.

"Alex! You already destroyed one Horcrux, right? Tom Riddle's diary, in the Chamber of Secrets!"

"With a basilisk fang. If you tell me you've got one of those in that bloody beaded bag of yours-" I mumble.

"Don't you see! In the Chamber of Secrets, you stabbed the basilisk with the Sword of Gryffindor. Its blade is impregnated with basilisk venom!"

"Ew." I shudder.

Hermione looks at me unimpressed.

"It only takes in that which makes it stronger.." I sigh.

"Exactly! Which means.." She looks at me.

"It can destroy Horcruxes.." I mumble.

"Which is why Dumbledore left it to you in his will!" She smiles.

"You're brilliant, Hermione!" I gasp.

"Actually, I'm highly logical, which allows me to look past the extraneous detail and perceive clearly that which others overlook." She smiles warmly.

"There's only one problem..-" Harry starts.

"Yeah, I'm still here. But you two carry on. Don't let me spoil your fun!" Ron growls.

"What's the problem?" Harry questions.

"Problem? There's no problem. Not according to you, anyway!" Ron spits.

"Look, don't be shy. If you've got something to say, spit it out!" Harry growls.

"Oi!" I glare at Harry, nodding my head subtly to the horcrux around his neck.

"All right, I'll spit it out. Don't expect me to skip up and down because now there's some other damn thing we've got to find!"

"Ron.." Hermione whispers.

"I thought you knew what you signed up for!" Harry folds his arms.

"Yeah, I thought I did too!" Ron wipes the sweat of his forehead with the back of his hand.

"I don't understand. What part of this isn't living up to your expectations? Did you think we'd be staying in five-star hotels? Finding a Horcrux every other day? Did you think you'd be back to Mummy by Christmas?"

"Harry stop it!" I groan. "I'm warning you!"

"No, I just reckoned after all this time, we'd have actually achieved something.." He turns to me.
"I reckoned you knew what you were doing. I reckoned Dumbledore had told you something worthwhile! I reckoned you had a plan!"

"I've told you everything Dumbledore told me! And in case you haven't noticed, we've found a Horcrux!" I fold my arms.

"Yeah, and we're about as near getting rid of it as we are to finding the rest of them, aren't we!" Ron growls.

"Take it off, Ron. Please take it off. You wouldn't be talking like this if you hadn't been wearing it all day!" Hermione whimpers, trying to take the locket from him.

"Yeah, he would. D'you think I haven't noticed the two of you whispering behind my back? D'you think I haven't guessed what you were thinking?" I scoff.

"Harry, we weren't-" Hermione starts. "Don't lie! You said it, too, you said you were disappointed!" Ron cuts in.

I look at Hermione in disbelief.

"I didn't! Not like that! Alex! I didn't!" She whimpers.

"Do you know why I listen to that radio, every night? Do you! To make sure I don't hear Ginny's name or Fred or George or Mum or-" Ron starts to list the names of people close to him.