Fire And Ice - Yin and Yang (Harry Potter fanfiction)

Exams over, new drama

Azalea and Periwinkle told Hermione and Ron what had happened. But they weren't planning on spreading the news around the school that there was a black-robed figure drinking unicorn blood in the woods.

Malfoy had obviously reached the same decision. After all, he wouldn't dare admit he had gotten detention with Gryffindors and screamed like a banshee.

Luckily, no points were deducted. The professors must have either forgotten during the turmoil, or they thought that barely escaping with your life was punishment enough.

Either way, Azalea didn't particularly care anymore. Hermione made her realize that the Stone was safe as long as Dumbledore was around. And she had enough of sneaking around to last a life time.
Thus, she was more focused on her exams that seemed to suddenly lurk around the corner. Where had the time gone?

They got more homework than ever and barely had time to think about the Sorcerer's Stone. One evening after dinner, the four sat in the old classroom where the grand piano was, using it as a study room until curfew because the common room was so crowded.

"I don't get it", said Hermione suddenly and tossed her quill onto the table. "The person who kills the unicorn is a human, but why would they drink unicorn blood? I researched this and apparently, unicorn blood keeps you alive but only as long as you continue to drink it regularly."

"Ew", Periwinkle grimaced. "So, unicorns will keep on dying if we don't stop the figure?"

"Yes."

"That's just sick", commented Ron and set down his quill as well.

"Why the whole drama about the Sorcerer's Stone?", mumbled Azalea. "I mean, who would be desperate enough to go through all that trouble to get it?"

They thought in silence. The sun had started to set, when Hermione sat up straight.
"There is one", she said quietly.

"Who?", asked Periwinkle.

"Can't you think of anyone who would want to regain his power and for that, needs the Stone?"

When Ron, Periwinkle and Azalea cluelessly  looked at Hermione, she huffed and said: "You-Know-Who!"

"But- he's dead!", said Ron perplexed.

"No", mumbled Periwinkle, "when Hagrid told us about him, he hinted that he believed that You-Know-Who might come back."

"Do you think Dumbledore knows?", asked Azalea.

"I'm sure of it", said Hermione confidently. "It has to be You-Know-Who behind all this. Who else would order someone to sic the Reaper on you two?"

"It could be Voldemort who's controlling the Reaper", Periwinkle objected. Ron flinched at his name.

Hermione shook her head firmly.
"If the Reaper breaks free from the person binding him, the first thing he will do is kill the one who forced him to take lives. So, no, I don't think You-Know-Who would take that risk."

When the others looked at her wide-eyed, she narrowed her eyes.
"What? I read a lot about You-Know-Who once I got my Hogwarts letter. I wanted to know if there was still a murderer on the loose."

Periwinkle held up her hands to calm her down.
"So we know it's someone in the castle controlling the Reaper", she pondered, "we knew that already last month. And now, it seems that the person is in contact with You-Know-Who to get him the stone."

"But we still have no idea who it is", mumbled Ron.

"It's not Snape", said Azalea, "And Flitwick doesn't fit the description of the hooded fig-"