Dark Pasts { A Harry Potter Story }

Chapter 78 - Horcruxes

We were sitting in Charms class the following morning when Harry recalled to us what happened the night before, but not without having cast the Muffliato spell so that we would not be heard by others.

". . . so he succeeded in making 6 Horcruxes. I already destroyed Tom Riddle's diary and Dumbledore destroyed Marvolo's ring. He reckons the others have something to do with the founders of Hogwarts. Slytherin's locket and Hufflepuff's cup are most likely Horcruxes. As for the others. . . . He's not sure, but he suspects Nagini might be one as well," Harry explained.

"The snake?" I said. "So you can turn animals into Horcruxes?"

"Apparently," Harry said. "Anyways, that's where Dumbledore been going all year; he's been looking for Horcruxes, and he thinks he may have found the next one. He asked me to go with him."

"Wow," Ron said.  "Wow. You're actually going to go with Dumbledore. . . and try and destroy . . . wow."

"Ron, you're making it snow," Hermione said as she grabbed his wrist. I noticed Lavender glaring jealously at Hermione and gulped.

"Oh yeah," Ron said. "Sorry . . . looks like we've all got horrible dandruff now. . . ."

He brushed some of the fake snow off Hermione's shoulder and suddenly Lavender burst into tears. Ron turned his back to her, looking immensely guilty as we stared at him questioningly.

"We split up," he told us in a whisper.

"Ah," Harry said. "Well — you don't mind it's over, do you?"

"No," Ron admitted. "It was pretty bad while she was yelling, but at least I didn't have to finish it."

"Coward," said Hermione, though she looked amused.

The four of us had a joint free period after Charms so we made our way to the common room, where we were surprised, and glad, to see that Katie Bell had returned from St. Mungo's.

"How are you?" I asked her.

"I'm really well!" she said happily. "They let me out of St.Mungo's on Monday, I had a couple of days at home with Mum and Dad and then came back here this morning. Leanne was just telling me about McLaggen and the last match, Harry. . . ."

"Yeah," Harry said, "well, now you're back and Ron's fit, well have a decent chance of thrashing Ravenclaw, which means we could still be in the running for the Cup. Listen, Katie . . ."

I frowned as I sensed him hesitate.

". . . that necklace . . . can you remember who gave it to you now?"

She shook her head. "No, everyone's been asking me, but I haven't got a clue. The last thing I remember was walking into the ladies' in the Three Broomsticks."

You definitely went into the bathroom, then?" Hermione said.

"Well, I know I pushed open the door," said Katie, "so I suppose Whoever Imperiused me was standing just behind it. After that, my memory's a blank until about two weeks ago in St. Mungo's. Listen, I'd better go, I wouldn't put it past McGonagall to give me lines even if it is my first day back. . . ."

She grabbed her bag and hurried after her friends.

"So it must have been a girl or a woman who gave Katie the necklace," Hermione said, "to be in the ladies' bathroom."

"Or someone who looked like a girl or a woman," Harry said."Don't forget, there was a cauldron full of Polyjuice Potion at Hogwarts. We know some of it got stolen. . . ."

"I think I'm going to take another swig of Felix," Harry said after a moment "and have a go at the Room of Requirement again."

"That would be a complete waste of potion," Hermione told him and I nodded in agreement. "Luck isn't enough to get you through a powerful enchantment. Don't go wasting the rest of that potion! You'll need all the luck you can get if Dumbledore takes you along with him . . ." She dropped her voice to a whisper.

"Couldn't we make some more?" Ron asked.

Harry pulled out his copy of Advanced Potion-Making and found the page with the instructions for Felix Felicis.

"Blimey, it's seriously complicated," he said, running an eye down the list of ingredients. "And it takes six months . . . You've Got to let it stew. . . ."

"Typical," Ron said.

"Hey," Harry whispered to me. I looked at him questioningly before he pointed at the top of a page that seemed to have been folded.  "Do you know this spell?"

I looked at what he was pointing at. On the page was a spell called Sectumsempra captioned "For Enemies". I frowned.

"No, I don't!" I said in an angry whisper. "And don't you bloody go and try an unknown incantation!"

"I won't, I won't," he said dismissively as he shut his book and carefully hid it in his bag.

***

That night I walked alone from the common room to the Great Hall for dinner as I had needed a little more time to finish an essay for Transfiguration. The corridors were unusually empty, but I enjoyed the rare calmness I found in these moments. I was lost in my thoughts when I passed in front of the boys' bathroom. I stopped walking when I thought I heard someone crying inside. I frowned, unsure if I should give the person privacy or ask them if they were alright, but had no time to decide. I heard the echo of footsteps approaching the door, and my eyes widened when the door opened to reveal none other than Draco Malfoy.

There was an unpleasant silence as we both stared at each other. His eyes were still red and a slight layer of moisture made his cheeks glow: he had indeed been crying.

"Are you alright?" I asked hesitantly.

"Fine," he spat before bumping into me and walking away.

As I walked toward the Gryffindor table, my eyes met Draco's, but he quickly looked away, and I noticed that he seemed scared as well as embarrassed, and I wondered what on earth could have possibly made him burst into tears as he had. Harry frowned as I sat down beside him.

"Are you alright?" He asked as he searched my face. "Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine, Harry," I said and offered him a smile as I tried to push Draco away from my mind.

He nodded, although he seemed unsure. "Pumpkin juice?" He said as he grabbed my glass. I nodded.

I caught Hermione staring at me with a worried expression, but I shrugged it off with a smile. I knew not why, but I wished not to tell them about what I saw. After all, if someone had caught me crying like that in the bathroom, I doubt I would have wanted people I strongly dislike to be chatting about it.