Sophia Holmes and the Search for Horcruxes (Harry Potter Fanfic) *Completed*

Chapter Twenty One

I wake at the crack of dawn and wake the others up so we can get moving as soon as possible.

As Hermione casts the spell over Ron to change his hair colour to brown and to grow him a small goatee, I dress in the robes Fleur gave me. The black dress extends down to my feet in a straight cut and the cloak gives it a classy finish.

Ron walks over to Harry as Hermione sorts finishes the Polyjuice Potion, looking completely different to when he woke.

"What d'you think?" he asks Harry.

"Wouldn't know you if I didn't know you," Harry grins.

Ron studies the mirror in Harry's hand as he turns it over in his palm. "You want to tell me what that is?"

"Sirius gave it to me," Harry replies. "He had a matching piece. He said if I ever needed him, all I had to do was look into it."

"You mean he could see you?" I ask, curious as I remember seeing the other man inside the mirror when we were in the woods.

"Something like that. I don't know. He died before I ever got to use it. The thing is..."

"Go on," Ron urges.

"You'll think I'm mental," he says, shaking his head, "but more than once, when I've looked into it - I think I've seen Dumbledore."

"I've seen him too!" I say. "At least, I've seen someone in there. I'm not sure if it was Dumbledore or not, but when we were in the woods I saw someone looking back at us. I wasn't sure if you saw."

Before Harry can reply, his eyes shift to Hermione, already transformed, and Griphook, clutching the sword, entering the room.

"Bloody hell..." Ron exclaims, "that's a sight."

"Well, how do I look?" Hermione asks nervously, handing me my vial. 

"Hideous," Ron replies and Hermione casts an eye over his appearance as I grimace and swallow the vile liquid, feeling my body changing already.

"Oh dear, I missed a spot, didn't I?" she says, moving towards Ron. "Hold still..." She fumbles in her pocket for her own wand, Bellatrix's in her other hand. She poises its tip over the bit of ginger pushing through the brown of Ron's hair.

"Couldn't do anything about that bit in the back that's always flipping up, could you?" Ron asks. "Dead annoying -"

Hermione casts him a glance that in her own body would look barely threatening but in this body it looks strangely malevolent. It's enough to make Ron feel uneasy. "Never mind. I'm good." He peers warily at her. "That is you in there, isn't it?" Hermione smiles and nods.

Harry eyes Griphook, who is studying the sword. "You can give that to Hermione to hold, all right, Griphook?" Hermione extends the beaded bag towards him and Griphook eyes Harry but, grudgingly, lets the sword drop inside. No doubt Harry is hoping Griphook will forget about it, but judging on the warning Bill gave us and from what I read, that isn't going to happen.

As we assemble into a circle, I take Griphook and Ron's hands and prepare myself as we are pulled away from the seaside cottage and into a dark alley.

Harry, Ron and Griphook fall back into the shadows and Hermione and I  step to the mouth of the alley to see if the coast is clear.

A wizard passing us eyes us nervously. "Madam Lestrange, Madam Malfoy."

I cast a superior glance over him and nod to acknowledge the greeting. Hermione on the other hand opens cheerfully.

"Good morning," she says and I roll my eyes. The wizard eyes her oddly and continues on.

We retreat back to the alley and Griphook emerges from the shadows, his voice harsh and mocking. "Good morning?" he says incredulously. "Good morning? You're Bellatrix Lestrange, not some dewy-eyed schoolgirl!"