Time Boat

{20}

{20-The Things We Do}

Hermione started with the harder task first. 

She had decided that the locket was going to be her first retrieval, and luckily enough for her, she'd trained well on Voldemort's idiotic enchantments before entering. The inferi and that damnable poison would not best her, they never would. Of course, things always did tend to go wrong whenever she had a plan. 

Her blood did not work when she attempted to give up her sacrifice to the entrance. Apparently, something Dumbledore had failed to mention was that not only did muggle-born blood fail to appease the stone, no animal blood would either, of course such a thing would be too easy. 

So... she did exactly what she promised not to do which was obtain help from her friends. 

Severus was reluctant to give up his blood unawares of why in Merlin's name she may need it, but asked no questions, only complained a lot that he wanted to help more. She told him that he was helping more than enough by giving her his small donation. 

With reluctance, he let her go, watching as she disapperated to her destination. 

Hermione did as needed in the cave and went on with her journey. 

Second on her list was the diary. She knew the Malfoy's had to have it in their home, they were entrusted to safe-guard it until the right time, but getting into Malfoy Manor was a lot harder than probably even Gringotts. 

The horcrux within Nagini did not yet exist, and neither did the one in Harry. She was grateful she did not need to kill living things, the idea of it blackened her soul, but Voldemort would be different. He'd be justice. If she was the one to even kill him. 

An idea had raged in her mind as she camped on the outskirts of the Malfoy property, careful not to set off any of their wards or alert the influx of Death Eaters that seemed to visit as time went by. When all was said and done over the horcruxes, she would alert the Order about what she'd accomplished and allow them to handle Voldemort... then maybe she would actually go away for a while and rest. Already having one horcrux was a burden on her mental stability, she couldn't imagine what it would be like when there were five in her possession. 

Because while she had worked out a few kinks, there were many more in her way. Like, how on Earth she was going to get into Gringotts this time, or where Gaunt's ring was, or how in bloody hell she was going to destroy them all once she had a hold of them. It was a big task that she'd taken on, but she wasn't going to let anyone help her lest they get hurt and ruin the future she was building for them. 

It was hard to watch so many people go by and yet see so little. When wizards and witches exited the wards, they were visible, but whatever they did within was not to be seen, and this killed Hermione's curiosity. She wished very much to be apart of something again, but the time came soon for that. 

Eventually, Hermione stopped being daft and realized something that could help her with her cause. And once again she broke the promise she'd made. 

It was very late in the night when she levitated James from his bed into his own sitting room. 

When he awoke, he wasn't entirely pleased with the silencing charm that was on him. 

"If you promise not to scream, I will tell you why I'm here." 

James looked slightly annoyed, but nodded anyways. 

"What in bloody hell are you doing?" He whisper-yelled, which Hermione supposed was good enough, "I haven't seen you in months..."