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

Chapter Sixteen

I head inside with Hermione and settle down to the table with the book about Dumbledore to learn more about this fabled hero.

A short while after, but long enough for Hermione to sink into sleep, I hear noises outside. From the sound, more than one. I grab my gun from beside me and sit, watching the tent flaps.

"Hermione!" Harry calls and I relax, standing up and putting the gun down.

Hermione stirs and sits up, pushing her hair out of her face and exchanging a glance with me before peering through the tent flap. "Everything all right?"

"Fine," Harry replies as we exchange looks and head for the tent flaps. "Actually... more than fine." He says, stepping aside as we emerge to reveal Ron standing behind him.

Hermione stares, mute, then walks past Harry and the ashes of the campfire, stopping right in front of Ron. I notice, as she does, a tall sword planted in the ground. The Sword of Gryffindor?

Ron raises a hand and smiles, but I'm more interested in the other hand. It almost looks like a destroyed locket.

"Hey," he says sheepishly. Hermione narrows her eyes in fury and begins to punch him. "Wo - hey - ouch!"

Hermione grits her teeth and speaks with each punch, "You - complete - arse - Ronald - Weasley!" She stops hitting him and look at him in disgust. "You crawl back here after all these weeks and say, ‘Hey?’" She rounds on Harry. "Where’s my wand? Harry, where’s my wand!"

Harry places his hand over his pocket stupidly. "Um... I don’t know?"

"Harry Potter, you give me my wand!"

"How come he’s got your wand?" Rom asks.

"Never mind why he’s got my wand -" She stops as she sees the blackened locket in his hand. "What is that?"

"You destroyed it?" I say but then frown. "And exactly how is it you have the Sword of Gryffindor?"

"It’s a long story," Harry says and I shake my head.

"I sit down for an hour or so and suddenly you find the sword and destroy the Horcrux," I say in disbelief. 

"Don’t think this changes anything," Hermione says.

"No, of course not," Ron retorts. "I only destroyed a bloody freaking Horcrux! Why would that change anything! Do you know what it was like for me to hear those words coming from you! To see you doing those things -" Ron stops and I raise an eyebrow.

"See me doing what things?" Hermione replies and Ron looks mortified. So not something good. Hermione turns to Harry. "What happened out there?"

"It’s a long story," Harry repeats.

"Look," Ron says. "I wanted to come back the minute I’d left. I just... didn’t know how to find you."

"How did you find us?" I ask, concerned that despite our efforts we are still traceable.

"With this," he answers, reaching into his pocket and pulling out the device he used to turn the lights off and on all those nights ago. "The Deluminator. Dumbledore gave it to me. But it doesn’t just turn off lights. I don’t know exactly how it works, but Christmas morning I - I was sleeping - in this little pub- I’d given some Snatchers the slip the night before, me being a bloodtraitor and all - anyway, I was sleeping when I heard it..."

"It?" Harry asks before I can.

"A voice." Ron turns to Hermione and holds up the Deluminator. "Your voice, Hermione. Coming out of this."

"And what did I say, may I ask?" Hermione asks, still annoyed.

"My name," Ron replies. "Just my name. Like a whisper." Hermione stands perfectly still and blushes. "So I took this and I clicked it and this tiny ball of light appeared. And I knew."

"Knew what?" I ask.

"Just knew," he replies and I roll my eyes in annoyance of the limited response. "On account of Hermione’s voice. And sure enough, it floated toward me, the ball of light, right to my chest and then - went straight through - right here." He touches a point close to his heart. I raise an eyebrow at the cheesiness but say nothing. "I could feel it inside me. It was warm, like the first sip of a good cup of tea. And I knew it would take me where I needed to go. So I Disapparated and came out on this hillside. It was dark. I didn’t have any idea where I was. I just had to hope one of you would show yourselves in the end. And you did."

"How did you see us?" I ask. "We're shrouded in protection charms."

"I thought I saw something," Harry admits. "I followed it across to the lake."

"Well that was incredibly stupid," I frown. "You should have told me. That could have very easily been a trap."

"Sorry, I didn't think," Harry responds, shaking his head. "It was my mum's patronus so I guess - I guess I was kinda drawn to it."

"Who else has a doe for a patrtonus?" Hermione asks.

"No clue," Harry says. "I couldn't see the caster, but it led my to the sword."

"I saw Harry dive into the lake," Ron explains. "I followed the patronus because I thought it was his."

"Harry's is a stag," Hermione replies and Ron rolls his eyes.

"Yes, so I've been reminded." Hermione glares at him, but she doesn't look as annoyed as she did. "When Harry didn't come back up, I assumed the worst and dived in after him. The rest is history."

I nod. "Good, well I have a theory about two other Horcruxes, but I need to check a few things first." I glance at Harry. "But even if I'm right, they're going to be incredibly difficult to destroy. We'll need to do them last." I cast a look around at them all. "Get some rest, I'll tell you if I find anything." They nod and follow me inside while I grab the book on Dumbledore before heading back outside and settling down.