Out of sight

The letter

"Oy! Potter! What you doin' up 'ere?! This is the Prefects Library don' you know!! Its ou' o' bounds at all times - well except for Prefects o' course!" an older boy shouted at Albus.

"No I was just er... looking for something," said Albus which strictly speaking, was true. Ever since Albus had arrived at Hogwarts, he had been hungry for information about the Sapphire of Slytherin. He had taken a leaf out of Rose's book and had scoured the library for information but none could be found. This is ridiculous, he had thought there must be something even if it is hidden in the deepest darkest corner of Hogwarts. And that is when he had had the idea to come here. The Prefects Library. His theory was that some people could just not be trusted with such information. Prefects though, well, they were Prefects.

*

He pushed open the heavy oak door open with his cold, clammy hands. When he emerged in to the library he was soon surrounded by books. The library was fairly busy but since Albus was under his father's old invisibility cloak, this wasn't a problem. There was so many books that Albus didn't know where to start. Eventually he gathered up the courage to shuffle over to the shelf which had a large cursive 'S' engraved on it in gold. He quickly scanned the top row of books. Standard book of potions, no, Quidditch - its all about the Seeker, no, Every witches and wizards guide to Spells, no, Simple Transfiguration, no, - hang on. What was this?

In between 'Simple transfiguration' and 'Seeker' there was an old piece of parchment. Albus carefully pulled it out and read it. It was a letter.

Dear Lord Voldemort (it read)

I don't think you've met me before but I've met you. Every time I looked at you I felt a cold shiver run down my spine and the way you laughed - you laughed when everything was going wrong. You were full of high cold laughter when you killed my mum and dad and I won't forgive you. How can someone laugh when they are killing someone - how? I know where you hid it too. I know where you hid the stone; I watched your every move that day. You didn't even know I was there, so-called powerful magic.

One day you will be beaten Lord Voldemort, one day.

Emma Krum

Albus lifted his eyes off the paper in astonishment. It was one of the best clues that he could have hoped to find. His head was still full of queries though. Who was Emma Krum? Was this stone the Sapphire of Slytherin? How old was Emma? When did she send the letter?

As Albus thought this he noticed that the letter that he had only just been reading was not the only one; there was another piece of parchment wedged in between the two books.

Albus hastily removed the letter from the shelf and read it.

Dear Emma (It said)

I know its been tough for you since You Know Who murdered mother but you simply have to come back. I have searched everywhere for you but you're not any where it seems. You are only eight and eight year olds don't wander the country looking for He Who Must Not Be Named. Please come back. I feel so lonely without you, why! You don't want to miss out on going to Hogwarts do you? Its so dangerous out there you really don't want to encounter He Who Must Not Be Named - he'll have you dead in a second!

Yours Sincerly

Dad

Albus hurriedly stuffed the two pieces of parchment in his pocket and edged out of the door with a Prefect so it wouldn't look as if the door was opening by its self.

He was shaking with excitement as he approached the portrait of the Fat Lady.

"Bigglebobber," he said and he scrambled through the portrait hole and in to the Gryffindor common room.

Scorpious was sitting beside Rose Weasley on one of the scarlet Gryffindor sofas.

"Scorpious!" Albus called out to him, rushing over.

"What?"

"I've got something," said Albus excitedly.

"Well it'd better be important because Rose and I were discussing something," said Scorpious haughtily.

"What was it?"

"As a matter of fact it was about the Sapphire of Slytherin and wait before you answer - may I ask - where have you been?" asked Scorpious.

"Oh. Well you don't seem that interested actually," sniffed Albus, walking away.

"Finally," breathed Scorpious turning to Rose "so, what's the plan?"

"I don't know which one'd be better, the Prefects Library or the Restricted Section," sighed Rose.

"And I don't know how we're going to get there," put in Scorpious "after all, we don't all have an invisibility cloak like Albus!"

"Perhaps you should make up with him," suggested Rose "he might have had something important to tell you."

"Well he should have said," grumbled Scorpious.

"Well he did try to!" exclaimed Rose "it was just that you were so rude to him!"

"So you've turned against me now," said Scorpious.

"No! No, I don't mean it honestly," said Rose.

"Don't bother," muttered Scorpious, walking away.

Rose sidled up to Albus who was lying flat on his four poster bed staring at the ceiling.

"Sorry about that," apologized Rose.

Albus grunted.

"It's just we were talking and he got really annoyed when you interrupted," explained Rose "but I'd like to hear what you have got to say."

"I'll show you," said Albus climbing out of bed.

He rummaged in his pockets and pulled out the two letters. They were a bit crumpled and squashed but still readable.

Albus watched Rose as she read them. Her face was a mixture of astonishment and puzzlement and her mouth was forming the shape of an 'O'.

"Where did you get these?" she asked.

"Prefects Library. Just then. I don't know how they got in there; they must have got in to the wrong hands - there's definitely no Emma Krum at Hogwarts," said Albus.

"Yes, definitely no Emma Krum at Hogwarts," confirmed Rose "the question is how did they get in?"