Through Her Eyes

Chapter 17: Ravenclaw's Lost Diadem

Hermione frowned and moved her hand and arm, shaking her head,

"No. This didn't happen the first time. Maybe because I'm not directly related to Voldemort? Harry was a Horcrux, maybe that's why it didn't harm him?"

"Maybe. Are you feeling ok?"

"Yeah, thanks for catching me,"

"No problem," Lupin took hold of Hermione's shoulders, hauling her up onto her feet as he looked at the box, "so what do we do with it?"

"Keep it safe and away from other people. These horcruxes practically ooze black magic. I'll take it to Aberforth, he can hide it for us until we...find some way to destroy it,"

"How did you do it last time?"

"Basilisk venom,"

"What?"

Hermione winced slightly as she and Remus left the Room of Requirement, the Diadem hidden in her cloaks as she thought about said creature. She had been paralyzed for months, and it was such an awful experience...

"A Basilisk. It's a giant serpent which can kill with a single glance, and paralyze through reflections. Raised by Salazar Slytherin to protect the Chamber of Secrets-"

"The Chamber of what?"

"It's a lot of information Remus, I'll tell you all about it later-"

"HERMIONE JESABELLE BLACK!"

The howl of Lily Evans echoed through the castle, startling the couple as a bullet of red hair barreled Hermione to the floor, "I was worried sick!" She cried, looking down at her friend who was now sprawled on the floor, "Merlin, I had to actually ask SIRIUS BLACK to use his stupid map to find you. We've been looking all night long!"

"Lily, Lily I'm fine. Really," Hermione stated, smiling at the green eyed girl who was practically sobbing with relief. She blinked however when Lily grabbed her wrist, glowering at the obsidian scar,

"Do you call this alright? What in Merlin's name we're you-"

Lily stopped suddenly, looking between Hermione and Remus, both of whom looked messy and unkept, her eyes widening, "you. Did. Not."

Flushing deeply, Hermione shook her head rapidly,

"N-no,"

"Definitely not," Remus insisted, flushing the same color as Hermione as Lily narrowed her eyes,

"I don't believe you. Come on, Mione, you're going to Madame Pomfrey,"

"What! No," Hermione was hauled forcefully to her feet as Lily grasped her round the waist, "Lily really I'm ok,"

"But your hand-"

"Lily, I really just want breakfast. It was..." Hermione glanced at Remus, who was running a hand over the back of his head, "a long night,"

"You're lucky I'm not a Beater, Remus Lupin," Lily hissed threateningly, "or else one of those bats would have ended up where you really don't want it,"

"R-right," Remus swallowed, watching as Lily practically hauled Hermione by the shoulder towards the Great Hall. It was still early so the tables were fairly empty. The Marauders had claimed a small piece of the Gryffindor table for themselves, though Peter looked a bit uncomfortable being there. A Daily Prophet was between them as Lily forced Hermione into a seat, while Remus took up position next to Sirius who looked at him suspiciously,

"I see Lily found you," he said, patting the Marauders map which was hanging out of his pocket, "we were worried she kidnapped you, mate,"

"Well he is my boyfriend," Hermione grumbled, making a small plate of food for herself as Sirius glowed with pride and slapped Moony across the back,

"Ha! Told ya the dinner would work. Congrats! What about you Prongs? Have you taken Evans on a date yet?"

The redhead and raven haired boy both flushed, glancing at each other as Sirius rolled his eyes. Smiling at their antics, Hermione reached for the Daily Prophet, frowning at the front page,

'News! More Ministry members killed!

Yesterday morning, three members of the Ministry of Magic were found by the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. All of them looked to have suffered under the Cruciatus Curse, and then killed with the forbidden curse. One of them held the dark mark, while the other two were, supposedly, Auror's. The youngest Auror in magical history Alistor Moody claimed the two had been investigating a supposed Death Eater meeting place, but we're caught in some kind of crossfire. This story has yet to be confirmed, though fears within the Ministry are now rising,'

"Bloody scary, isn't it Mione?" Sirius questioned, though his voice was heavy. Biting a lip, the witch glanced to where Peter was snoozing away on his arms. She didn't know if he was actually listening in or not, so Hermione summoned a quill and began to scribble on the edge of the newspaper,

'Ears everywhere. Not safe to talk. Common Room.'

Sliding the paper to each member of the Marauders (except Peter), eyes widened as they all looked between one another,

"I think I'll go up to the Common Room," Hermione said, finishing her breakfast before standing, "I need to change my clothes before classes,"

"Well come with you, James and I forgot our textbooks," Sirius stated, "Peter, are you coming?"

There was no answer from the rat boy as the group left him at the table, heading to the Common Room. Taking up the couches near the hearth and casting a silencing charm, the conversation began,

"Peter is a mole," she blurted out, "he was a Death Eater in my time, and is the Dark Lord's closest confidant. He'll betray you all in the future, we can't trust him,"

"But he's our friend," James complained, pulling Lily closer to him on the sofa, "we can't just stop talking to him,"

"It's not like he's been very social anyway, James, it makes sense," Sirius stated, "do you know he disappears every night? I'm not sure where he goes,"

"He goes to report to Voldemort," Hermione said, feeling her injured hand and tracing the black tree under her skin, "besides, I can't have him knowing about the horcruxes,"

Hermione removed the Diadem from inside her cloaks, placing it on the table for the the group to see as she explained what a horcrux was,

"You mean...a piece of a mans soul is in there?" Lily asked, hugging James a bit closer as Hermione nodded,

"Yes. It attacked me when I got ahold of it," Hermione held out her arm as proof, "it didn't do any damage, but we need to find five others like it. Then there's the problem of destroying them,"

"Why would that be a problem?" Sirius asked, frowning, "can't we just Bombarda it?"

Hermione shook her head, falling back against Remus' chest as she rubbed her forehead,

"No, these horcruxes are protected by very powerful enchantments. They can only be destroyed by something stronger then it,"

"So what do we do?"

All eyes were on Hermione as she pinched the bridge of her nose and huffed,

"We have to slay a Basilisk,"