the hallows - f. weasley

- c h a p t e r - t w e n t y-f i v e -

 "How in the actual hell are we going to find anything in here?"

"I was just thinking the same thing..."

Gemma stood between Harry and Ron–staring up at the piles among piles of just stuff, all hidden away by students from long ago.

"And he never realised anyone could get in?" Ron echoed in the eerie silence–something Gemma realised she had taken granted of after being out in the crumbling castle of Hogwarts for so long.

"He thought he was the only one," Harry grumbled. "Too bad for him I've had to hide stuff in my time...this way," he added–moving away, "I think it's down here..."

Gemma followed him–spying a few familiar items, including the Vanishing Cabinet Draco had fixed last year.

She brushed a hand unconsciously against it as she continued to just look and observe. She glanced over her shoulder when Hermione shouted in desperation, "Accio Diadem!"

Nothing happened. Which was exactly what happened at the vault.

"Let's split up," Harry told them after a moment. "Look for a stone bust of an old man wearing a wig and a tiara! It's standing on a cupboard, and it's definitely somewhere near here..."

Gemma opened her mouth–getting ready to advise that it probably wouldn't be smart to separate, especially not in the labyrinth that was the Room of Requirement–but her family split up before she could utter a single syllable.

So she threw up her arms and muttered, "Lovely..." before setting off through the piles of stuff, searching for the diadem of Rowena Ravenclaw.

Nothing really caught her eye–making discouragement settle in her bones.

"Come on, where are you?"

"If you keep talking to yourself, you'll be submitted to St. Mungo's for life if you survive this."

Gemma spun–her wand pointed directly in the face of Draco Malfoy.

She glowered at him–trying to hide her shock at him being here, "Were you following us?"

Draco sighed–almost boredly, "No. Crabbe and Goyle are determined to prove themselves. Thus why I'm here."

"If you're here, then where are Crabbe and Goyle?"

The point of a wand pressed into the side of her neck, "Right here, pretty."

Gemma's scowl deepened as she swallowed thickly and eyed Draco, "This is so stupid. Why are you still trying to help Voldemort after everything he's done?!"

Draco didn't even answer–rather turning his eyes away as Goyle's wand pressed deeper into her throat as he snarled, "The Dark Lord is the only one who will prevail this night, mutt."

Gemma could have sworn Draco's jaw twitched at the degrading nickname, but he just lifted his gaze–avoiding Gemma's–and said, "If she's here, that means Potter's here. Let's get moving."

Crabbe and Goyle grabbed Gemma's arms as Draco took her wand–holding it loosely in his hands.

She really didn't wanna get her throat blown off, so she kept her trap shut and let the Slytherin drag her through the Room of Requirement. It really wasn't very long before they came upon Harry, who was staring up at the top of an old cupboard–moving very quickly toward it. And on top of that was a freaking old wig with an odd-looking tiara on top of it.

The bloody diadem.

She sighed a little just as Draco snapped, "Hold it, Potter." Harry skidded to a literal halt–his green eyes enormous as he stared at the group of four. He looked at Gemma, silently asking if she was okay to which she nodded subtly as Draco stared at the item in Harry's hand, "That's my wand you're holding, Potter."