This Means War | Draco Malfoy [5]

Chapter 11 ~ Merry Christmas?

December was here all of a sudden. We stayed in the same spot for a few weeks. We spent the entire time looking for anything that was related to the Horcruxes, but we got nothing.

While Hermione was outside, Harry and I were in the tent. We both thought that she needed more time alone. Yes, Ron still hadn't returned, and it was slowly killing Hermione. I bet it was killing Ron, too, wherever he was.

I was listening to the radio while Harry was watching the Snitch fly above him. I was sure that Hermione was right about the flesh memories being hidden inside the Snitch.

"Do you remember our first Quidditch game, Max?" he asked me, breaking the silence.

"Yeah, you almost swallowed that Snitch," I replied, chuckling a little.

"What did you say?" he asked, looking at me.

"You almost swallowed the Snitch," I repeated. "Don't you remember that?"

Harry looked back at the Snitch and pressed his lips to it. All of a sudden, his eyes went wide. "Max, you're a genius!" he shouted, running to me and grabbing me, kissing me on the head.

"Ew!" I yelled in disgust. "Don't you dare do that to me ever again, Harry James Potter!"

But he ignored me. He ran outside with Hermione and I followed, rolling my eyes as I got up from the bed. He was right, though: I was a genius.

"I didn't realize it until Max just said it a minute ago," he began to say. "You were right, Hermione. The Snitch does have flesh memories. But I didn't catch the Snitch the first time. I almost swallowed it." He handed us the Snitch and we read what was on it.

I open at the close.

"What the hell does that even mean?" I asked. "Dumbledore shouldn't have left all of these vague clues for us. I can't even figure out what my charm means."

"Maybe you're not trying hard enough," he said.

"I actually found something as well," Hermione intervened. She pulled out her book that Dumbledore had left her and opened it. She pointed at a symbol at the top of the page. "I thought it was an eye at first, but now I don't think it is. It isn't a rune and it isn't anywhere in Spellman's Syllabary. I think someone inked it in. Somebody drew it because it's not part of the book."

"Luna's dad was wearing that at the wedding," Harry pointed out.

"Why would someone draw it in a children's book?" Hermione questioned.

After a brief moment of silence, Harry spoke up. "Hermione, I've been thinking. I want to go to Godric's Hollow. I mean, it's where Max and I were born, it's where our parents died--"

"That's exactly why he'll expect you to go because it means something to you," Hermione interrupted him.

"But it means something to him, too!" Harry shouted. "You-Know-Who almost died there! I mean, isn't that exactly the type of place he'd be likely to hide a Horcrux?"

"It's dangerous, Harry," Hermione said, adding a sigh. "But even I have to admit that I've been thinking we'll have to go there sooner or later. I think it's possible something else is hidden there."

"What?" Harry asked.

"The sword," she replied. "If Dumbledore wanted you and Max to find it, but didn't want Scrimgeour to have it, where better to hide it than the birthplace of the founder of Gryffindor?"

"Brilliant! Let's go, then," Harry exclaimed.

"Only if Max wants to go, too," Hermione said.

"Of course she wants to go," he said.