If I survive you survive

Chapter 30: Hunt

"She's usually around here," Luna said in her sing song voice.

"Is there a way to call ghosts or something?" Ron asked.

"I don't know," Luna cocked her head to the side, "but I suppose it's worth a try. Helena?"

Ron and Hermione jumped back as the ghost of the Grey Lady came floating through the stone floor. She was never really around much in the way Nick was always loitering at mealtimes. She was beautiful though, long hair cascaded over her shoulders and her face although made of sharp angles was undeniably pretty.

"Who are you to call me?" She glared between the three of them.

"I'm sorry," Hermione spoke, "we need your help, if you can. You see we are looking for an item that belonged to your mother."

"You are not the first to ask and you won't be the last. I can't help you," she turned to leave and was just beginning to travel through the wall when Hermione shouted after her.

"We need to destroy it. Please, it's been tarnished with dark magic and it's not safe. We need to find it. Please, please help us."

The Grey Lady froze. She turned slowly and looked at Hermione. Her cold eyes scrutinised her clearly making a decision.

"If you have to ask where the diadem is then you'll never know. If you know then you only have to ask." Then she was gone.

"What the hell?" Ron was looked confused.

"The room of requirement. Obviously." Hermione stated.

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"Where's my ring?" Tom asked as they dusted themselves off.

"It's in the tower."

"Are you joking?" Tom's face was the picture of anger.

Harry shook his head and bit his lip. He hadn't thought of a better place to hide it. For a moment Harry thought Tom was going to hit him.

"I cannot believe you'd hide a piece of my soul in Gryffindor bloody tower," he shook his head and turned on his heel heading off towards the staircases that would lead them to the seventh floor, "it had better not be hidden under your bed or I swear I will throw you out the window."

Harry rolled his eyes and followed him.

It was only when they stopped outside the portrait of the fat lady Harry realised they wouldn't be able to get in. They didn't know the password.

"Please just let us in. Come on you know me." Harry pleaded with her.

"Enough," Tom pushed Harry out of the way and pointed his wand at the portrait, "let us in or I will blast you apart."

"Need some help boys?" Harry flinched as an arm appeared over his shoulder.

"Not from you," Tom spat.

"How rude. Harry, just tell me where it is and I'll go get it for you," he was trying to be charming.

"How could you even get in?" Harry asked.

"I just have to imagine myself in there. As long as it's somewhere you've been, and you are close by then I can go. So where is it?" he smiled and had it not been for the eerily red eyes Harry would have been totally taken in by him. As it was, he looked between the Tom with his arm around him and the Tom standing by the portrait hole.

"Asking for permission?" Harry could see the concern etched in Tom's face. Then coming to a decision, he nodded.

"It's in the common room," Harry ignored the scandalised look on Tom's face, "it's under the fire buried under the all the ash."