The Slytherin Gem

90

Harry left with Luna and Jade through a corner, apparently the way out of the room was different every time so the Carrows wouldn't know how to get in, problem was they never knew either where they were going to end up when they left the room.

That time, they were somewhere on the fifth floor. The three of them got under the Invisibility Cloak. Harry got out the Marauder's Map and thanks to it they didn't bump into Filch. Even when Harry's mind was busy thinking about the diadem and Voldemort and trying to hurry up, for a moment his eyes couldn't look away from the little name just under his. He still hadn't gotten used to, and probably could never get used to reading Jade Malfoy instead of Jade Lias.

They soon found a circular staircase. Neither Harry nor Jade had been there before. Finally, at the top, they reached a door without a handle and no keyhole, only a bronze knocker in the shape of an eagle. Luna reached out, she knocked once. Then the beak of the eagle opened and it spoked.

"Which came first, the phoenix or the flame?"

"What do you think?" Luna asked them.

"Are you serious? Isn't there like just a password?" Jade asked.

"No... You've got to answer a question."

"What if you get it wrong?" Harry asked.

"Well, you have to wait for somebody who gets it right and that way you learn."

"Well, I'm glad I wasn't in Ravenclaw," Jade said and Harry nodded.

"Do you know the answer, Luna? We don't really have time to wait for somebody that could figure it out."

"I think the answer is that a circle has no beginning."

"Well reasoned," the voice said and the door swung open.

"How does that even make sense? I mean, that can't be the answer, can it?" Jade whispered to Harry, who just shrugged.

"I'm glad that she got it right, though," Harry muttered.

The Ravenclaw common room, which was now completely deserted, was circular and wide; it had arched windows and tall walls. Blue and bronze silks adorned the room. They had tables and chairs and bookcases like Gryffindor and Slytherin, except for the tall statue of white marble of Rowena Ravenclaw, that stood opposite the door.

As they got closer, both of them realised the diadem didn't look like the one Fleur had worn at her wedding, like Jade had been imagining it in her mind. There were tiny words etched into it. Harry actually stepped out from under the Cloak and got even closer to be able to read the words.

"Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure."

"Which makes you pretty skint, witless," a voice said, making them all jump.

Before any of them could react, Alecto Carrow had pressed her fingers to the skull branded on her arm and they froze knowing what it meant. As soon as she did it, Harry's scar burnt, his hand went straight to touch it and Jade just knew what that meant. Jade put her arms around Harry to not let him fall to the ground but she didn't take her eyes off of Alecto.

"Isn't the sweet Lias back? I missed you," she said and laughed.

Jade didn't have time to answer as Luna had stunned her and she hit the glass hard. Harry was back with them then, the pain had stopped. All that noise woke up the other students. The three of them got under the Cloak again.

The students went down to the common room and they seemed pleased to see Alecto passed out on the floor but it didn't take long to hear that voice that came from the door again.