When Peace got Screwed Over (Edited)

Horcrux Hunters Guild

"Merlins beard!" Draco exclaimed, and immediately rushed to the next trusted person to whisper the news into their ear.

Hermione gasped and turned to Ron, who she was helping study.

Not two seconds later he was tossing a paper airplane to the twins, who proceeded to move in two different directions to tell the rest.

About an hour later, everyone was sitting in an empty classroom with about thirty muffling charms on the door. Well not everyone-everyone but the chosen ones.

Harriet was at the front of the room drawing diagrams on the chalkboard while talking a mile a minute about something called a horcrux. The Diadem of Ravenclaw sat on the desk behind her.

Theo and Hermione were taking notes. Draco was paying attention, but sneaking glances at George who was frowning deeply.

Pansy was shifting about in her seat, eyes flickering nervously. Hermione occasionally looked at her girlfriend questioningly to see in anything was wrong, but pansy just waved her off. 

"- and that is why we need to find them." Harriet finished her presentation and turned to face the group.

"Tom Riddle split his soul?" Ron asked, looking horrified.

"Yeah. He wants to fuse his soul back together, but we can't let that happen. It would mean giving him all the advantage he needs to take over the ministry and secure himself and his ideals at the top, like Dumbledore did in the past."

"Dumbledore's dead." Pansy said sharply, shifting in her seat.

"And yet his work lives on." Harriet eyed her friend suspiciously. Something was off.

She would deal with that later.

"So," Hermione jumped in, "just to recap. We are looking for these horcruxes, and trying to dissuade the rest of Dumbledores forces as well as freeing anyone under love potions and studying for our O.W.L's. At this rate we could fail our exams!"

"Not if we work fast. We make good time on this, we have plenty of time to study. I'm taking my O.W.L's im December remember. Studying is absolutely part of the agenda. Now can we plan this so everyone is on board?"

"Okay. But I will need a few hours a week in which we study together. Fred and George excluded. They already passed although no one knows how."

"We're just that good." Fred grinned.

"Or did we violate academic conduct and integrity?" George asked dramatically, barely hiding his smirk.

"Whatever will become of us Georgie?" Fred asked, dramatically posing as the concerned mother in a period piece who's daughter had declared she would not marry.

"Guess we'll find out during the N.E.W.T's."

Draco had gone a little bit paler than usual, like he hadn't realised until this moment that the twins were leaving Hogwarts at the end of the year.

"How about this?" Harriet said, rolling her eyes as they strayed off topic even more. "Fred, George, Ron and Draco sniff out the Dumbledore forces, Hermione and Pansy take over the study section, Cassie, Theo, and I will go horcrux hunting. Agreed?"

"What about the ones not here?" Pansy asked, scratching her wrist. "I think they would like to be included."

"This is need-to-know and they all have their own need-to-know things." Harriet said sharply. What she didn't mention was that she felt as if anyone not in the room, Amina Cheng and Elizabeth Whitemore excluded, were too scared to get their hands dirty.

"You won't tell us." Pansy stated, disappointment colouring her voice.

"You've all been selected because I think you'd hold up fairly well under torture. Don't disappoint me." Harriet rolled her eyes.

"That's ominous." Cassie commented. "I'm guessing I'm here as a detector?"

"Yeah. No offence but you're not really what I'm looking for in a hands-on situation and I don't think you can torture ghosts."

"Touché."

The meeting went on until the school bell rang signalling their next class. Debates were held on who got what job and what if they wanted a different job. The bickering paused as the bell rang and then resumed for a full minute before they all stomped out of the classroom and headed in the direction of their chosen electives.

"You put me on a team with George!" Draco hissed.

"You're welcome." Harriet smirked.

"What? No! I - I don't think that's a good idea!"

"It's perfect. Close proximity, you can talk things through, fall in love and get together. That's how it happens right?" 

"I- no!" Draco shook his head. "That's not how it happens. Did you forget you stuck Fred and Ron in the group as well. And what happened to murdering Cho?"

"Oh, that's underway already." Harriet shrugged. Honestly, when would they realise that she thought of everything?

"What?"

"Yeah, undetectable concoction of my own. I'm writing a paper on the dangerous potential of the ingredients for the Potioneers Journal and honours."

Draco gaped. "You're sending someone to the end and making it an assignment."

"Voluntary paper and money maker, but yes."

Draco laughed. "That is... insane. Brilliant and insane."

"Thank you!"

"Can I borrow some of that stuff? For Marcus Flint?"

"Your mum's most wanted? Sure." She handed him a vial.

"And Oliver Woods captor. Thanks."

He paused. "What about Penelope Clearwater?"

"Oh, I'm dragging Ron to a chess tournament over the holidays. His mother insisted I swing by for new years. Turns out murder is how you get out of your mother's parties."

"It is? I could have done that? Who else do we need killed?"

"No one presently."

"Give me someone. Please!"

"Can't and we have class in a minute or less."

"What am I supposed to do?"

"Get George to fall in love with you and join me at the burrow?" Harriet smirked.

The blond groaned. "Let's just get to class."