The Light

Chapter 56- The Diary

Hermione stood outside the Slytherin Common Room, concealed under James' invisibility cloak. Her and Avery had planned this; they had planned for every variable, every possible scenario, everything that could potentially go wrong. She doubted they could be any more thorough.

The corridor was empty, and chilling, and she wished that he would just hurry up already. She was on-time, so she knew that he should be out by now.

As if the Devil had felt his ears burning, the stone door cracked open and Avery slipped out into the darkness of the castle. His face was carefully blank as he stared at the shadows, knowing she must be there but seeing nothing.

"Accio cloak," he hissed suddenly. Nothing happened. The cloak didn't even flap or flutter, but she still felt her heart leap a little just in case. Avery raised an eyebrow, pocketing his wand again. "You weren't lying when you said your disguise was fool-proof."

"I never lie," Hermione replied reproachfully, as they started moving. Avery all but strode, quick and determined, and she almost had to run to keep up with him. It was like tall people just didn't understand the additional speed they gained simply from being tall. He was fumbling with something, rifling through his bag and didn't comment, merely scoffed at her.

His eyes flicked to the side. "I don't like not seeing you. It's unnerving."

"Do you miss my pretty face?" Hermione asked, trying to keep the laugh from entering her voice. A deep frown pulled at his face, but she pulled the cloak from her body and shoved it in her bag.

Avery glanced at her, then sighed. "Why am I not surprised?"

"What?"

"You're wearing that."

She looked down at herself. The red shirt was vibrant and bold; a statement. Innocently, Hermione asked, "What's wrong with it?"

"We are going into the middle of a snake pit... and you, of course, are wearing Gryffindor red," Avery pointed out resignedly, but there was something else in his tone, a smirk of sorts. "I should be offended."

"They'll never even know," she smiled secretively. He just shook his head at her. "Why did you take so long?"

"I had to leave at the right time. Most of them knew about the ball, and who was attending," he said. "If I'd left any sooner, I'd have raised suspicion."

"Sounds fragile," she observed.

"No. Merely cautious."

They lapsed into silence, walking beside one another through the shadows. Avery was leading them to a secret passageway, one that would supposedly take them out of Hogwarts to somewhere they could activate the Portkey.

Her entire body was tense with anticipation, and she recited the plan in her head again. Hermione felt her throat clog. She said, "Are you sure He won't be there?"

Avery kept his eyes ahead. "He won't be."

Before she had time to say anything else, he stopped abruptly beside a statue of a one-eyed witch. He took out his wand and tapped the witch's head once, stepping back as the stone slid open. Avery didn't even look at her, simply continued into the darkness of the tunnel. Hermione could do nothing but follow.

They didn't walk for long, before she could see a thin crack of light, outlining their exit.

"Be quiet now. It leads out to the basement of Honeydukes. We can't wake the owners," Avery muttered to her. She nodded, then remembered he couldn't see her in this blackness.