Something to Remember

Chapter 16 Voldemort's Mistake

**

The next few weeks at Hogwarts were most likely some of the worst Draco had had in a very long time. Rumors were traveling faster than normal at Hogwarts, and they increasingly involved Ginny and him, until eventually the gossip was that Draco had been sleeping with "the school slut", as they so infamously called Ginny. And as he obviously thought this nickname was so NOT fitting, this made the situation very difficult for Draco and Hermione. It made Hermione look like a fool; Draco, a very cruel person. Neither position was much suiting.

It was beginning to become much warmer as they entered April. Draco was quite grateful, as he'd grown sick of the cold by now. And on a happy note, students were allowed to venture around the grounds again, although they still had to be back by dusk. Draco and Hermione did not take much care to this rule, however. They spent a lot of "alone time" these days (or nights, rather, specifically mid-ones) by the lake, letting the nice air and sweet smell of it soothe them. It was a good stress reliever.

Draco could not help but miss Ginny. It was as though, somehow, some way, he understood Ginny had really just made a mistake, and was sure as hell going through enough punishment for it too, no doubt! At least Draco thought so. Regardless, Hermione would murder him if he ever spoke to her again. Plus, even worse, if people saw Draco and Ginny associating, they would assume he was cheating again, and spread yet another rumor. The only person that hung out with Ginny now was Cho Chang, who seemed to feel sorry for Ginny. Then again, Cho also seemed tired of the friends she'd hung out with before and after she and Harry had dated. It came off as though they just didn't suit her fancy anymore, because it was very shortly and then Cho and Ginny were in fact inseparable. However, nevertheless Ginny did not look any happier. In fact, she looked miserable as ever. Whenever Draco passed her, her eyes practically filled with tears.

Outside of Hogwarts, it seemed the Ministry was taking more action now. A few battles had already been won. Less people were dying. Of course, it was not a reason to celebrate. The war was not over. And Draco knew it would not be over until Harry made it over. It was a shocking revelation Draco had to keep reminding himself of. Effectively, it honestly now didn't seem to matter much to Draco if there were days when things seemed to be going well (at least as far as in the papers revealed, anyway) in the wizarding world. In the end, it would happen one way or the other, with Harry's victory, or with Harry's defeat. No in-between.

Draco had been thinking a lot about the Draught of Destruction. He wanted to ask a million questions about it to Dumbledore. But Dumbledore seemed to be avoiding Draco, Harry, Hermione and the others. Thereby thwarted, Draco took it upon himself to research it as much as he could.

He found almost nothing at first. As time progressed, though, he found bits and pieces of the legend scattered here and there. It was never spoken of in its literary context as exact fact, however, which often frustrated Draco. Then he of course just had to remind himself that only limited numbers of people knew it truly existed, and most of them were dead. In fact, Draco was pretty sure only Voldemort's most trusted Death Eaters would know something about it. Nonetheless, this much he was able to learn: Apparently, the Draught of Destruction was made by Helga Hufflepuff around the time Slytherin had left Hogwarts. It was passed down, ancestor to ancestor, until eventually it had reached the Bones Family. The Bones Family subsequently deduced to be the 'must-be' Heirs of Hufflepuff.

'... That left us with Ravenclaw, which will remain a mystery,' Draco chuckled to himself once. Draco tried to find out how Hufflepuff had conjured such a potion. Most of the text was very vague, though, in the original legend. Draco wanted to talk to Susan Bones, as he felt like she'd know something somehow ... Of course, Dumbledore had said the living Bones didn't, but somehow, someway, Draco felt for certain in his heart that Susan Bones would be of some kind of help. After some time, however, Draco had to put the books to the side as exams were coming fast up, and he had literally no time to do anything but study. It was almost a relief these days that there was no Quidditch anymore. Homework took every moment of their time, after all, during these stress-filled days ...

Then one day, during History of Magic, Draco, who typically had no one really to talk to in that class, began talking to Terry Boot. He had not talked to him really since his mum's funeral, as it had been so awkward. Terry had never been the same since, really, never again sporting that carefree, perked-up smile of his ...

"Hi, Terry. How have you been?" asked Draco, as kindly as he could. The sadness from Terry's face was virtually no different, no less aggrieved, than on the day of his mother's funeral. Such disturbed Draco to the degree that the hair on the back of his neck flew up with a chilling prick.

"Well ... I've been okay, you know," whispered Terry to Draco, as Professor Binns was lecturing them (all the while sending sharp, repeated stern looks in their direction too, no doubt). "... It's been hard." He said the last few words in an even lower voice. Terry did not look as though he was going to cry at all, but his emotions were clear on his face.

"I'm really sorry it happened, I know I've said it before," said Draco gently, trying to be sincerely compassionate. Neither of them even cared if Professor Binns saw them talking at this point.

"I know, Draco. I'll live through this. It's not my mum's fault about our bloodline." He trailed off, crestfallen a bit in the sound of his raw words ...

And it took a moment for Draco to put the puzzles pieces together. "Blimey, what? Wait! Terry, tell me about your bloodline!" Draco was right away uttering, becoming unpredictably excited. He hoped whatever he'd be hearing would be something close to the concluding thought leading his own mental hunch ...

"Did you know Rowena Ravenclaw was a Prophetess?" inquired Terry, intellectual first and foremost in his manner.

Draco nodded, briefly a spectacle of confusion. "Yes, yes I did." He had just never exactly heard anyone refer to witches as Prophetesses, but as Seers.

Terry cleared his throat silently. "Not a Seer, Draco, mind you, hear? Prophetess. Understand? Prophetesses are much, much rarer than Seers, and much more powerful. Ravenclaw, who was considered the most genius Prophetess of her time, made so many intriguing prophecies."

"I know of two," replied Draco very quietly. He wasn't even sure Terry had heard him.

"Have you ever heard of the Draught of Destruction?"

"Yes!" exclaimed Draco, much too loudly.

"Excuse me, Mr. Malfoy!" barked an interjecting Professor Binns.

"Err ... Sorry, Professor," said Draco oddly, taken aback. He immediately turned back to Terry. "What do you know about it?"

Terry looked agitatedly at Draco face-to-face for a moment, and then found himself shaking his head in reservation. "There is a lot to it. Can you meet me tonight, I'd say about the click of midnight in fact, at the top of the tallest Astronomy Tower? We absolutely cannot run the risk of being overheard ..." Terry was mumbling each word inconspicuously as he could be, and Draco fought to get in every word.

"Can I bring Harry and Hermione?" Draco asked him, hopeful.

"Yes, I think you definitely should," answered Terry receptively, nodding.

And at that they turned around and pretended to pay attention for the rest of the lesson.

**

Harry and Draco sat together outside the castle during break as Draco told Harry about what Terry had told him. Harry looked shocked and excited.

"What do you reckon? Terry is the Heir of Ravenclaw?" Harry said excitedly.

"No, he can't be. I did a lot of reading. I think I know why Voldemort killed Terry's mother ... Or rather, why he truthfully had to go through Terry's mother. If it is true, it is quite terrible what happened," Draco said very seriously, rather implicit in his tone.

"What is it, Draco?"

"Ravenclaw made a prophecy her heir would be a second-born. Terry was a first-born. So, the only logical explanation is .... His mum was pregnant with a baby that would go on to be the Heir of Ravenclaw. Thus, Voldemort then killed her and the baby sufficiently ahead of time," Draco spoke softly. If this was true, it was very horrible.

"Oh my God, Draco. That's ... Blimey, so terrible," Harry said, aghast, as well as somewhat awestruck. He was in total shock. "Two birds with one stone," Harry then said in nothing but a hollow whisper.

"Yeah ... Voldemort is a ruthless murderer, my friend," said Draco darkly. "So we need to meet Terry tonight, okay? Go ahead and brief Hermione during your Charms class today, Harry. I'd reckon best that it be news heard ahead of schedule, if you know what I mean."

Harry nodded straight back in clear-cut agreement. "Definitely."

And the bell rang for the end of break.

**

Harry mailed Sirius about their meeting that night during lunch. He had been keeping Sirius in much closer correspondence - Lupin as well, but with a little less frequency. Harry wanted Sirius to know what was going on. And besides, it was potentially perfect information for the Order. Plus, if nothing else Harry had a feeling Dumbledore wanted them to solve the mystery without him for some reason ...

And so, thus, unsurprisingly Harry sincerely hoped tonight the information they received from Terry would be the first major step to solving the mystery. He didn't get his hopes too high regardless - Harry had learned to expect disappointment in life. But he knew he'd be learning a lot tonight, and that enough would be pleasing. Still, an added bonus would be appreciated ...

It was nearly the end of Divination now. Professor Trelawney was droning on and on about Palmistry, and Harry was seriously fighting to stay awake as long as he possibly could. Harry saw Divination as basically pointless these days; in fact there was no way in hell he was going to pass his Divination O.W.L. come June. Meanwhile, Ron was snoring with his head down. Neville was shaking with fear. Lavender and Parvarti Patil looked absolutely enlightened and absolutely interested. Dean and Seamus looked as though they would not mind the bell ringing soon. The only nice thing about Divination was that the class was just the small set of fifth-year Gryffindors who'd chosen the study. And it didn't even comprise all of them either, for that matter, as the three other Gryffindor girls in their year (including Hermione) were not in it.

The bell finally rung as Professor Trelawney was preparing to make another death prediction on Harry. Harry quickly got his things together, but accidentally spilled his ink bottle in a rush. "I'll catch up," said Harry hastily to Ron, as he fixed his mess.

But as the class cleared, Professor Trelawney approached him with her hands folded together as though she was going to pray. She stumbled as she approached him. "Ah, Harry, dear, there's a good boy," she first said sweetly, as Harry, not previously noticing Trelawney's close on him, cleared the mess. Then spontaneously the self-proclaimed Diviner spun into a surreal, entranced and highly dramatized-like speaking note. "I see there's much worry in you ... You fear for the lives of your friends everyday ... You worry of the duty so terribly put on you ... The fates have told me you are right to worry."

"Thank you," mumbled Harry, totally unappreciatively. He had really still thought of her as a fraud ... Lupin did not die, and there was no proof the danger had ever been real. Still, there was that time at the end of his third Hogwarts year where she'd foreseen a vision that Wormtail would return to Voldemort and reemerge as one together, which most certainly had happened ...

"I foresaw the death of Severus Snape of course .... I chose to keep it a secret," Professor Trelawney elaborated on pretentiously, as though she spoke of the weather.

"You didn't keep it a secret when you foresaw Lupin's death, Professor," reminded Harry, breathing out, and slightly now enjoying himself.

"Dear Harry, the fates ... Err ... They work in interesting ways," countered a slightly irritated Professor Trelawney, coming across suddenly rather sheepish. "Do get on now, dearest Harry. You have much to think about."

Somehow Harry left with a grin on his face.

**

When Hermione had heard about Terry, she had been not as shocked as Harry or Draco. She had said what had happened with Terry had been very odd, and it was not completely surprising that he knew a lot. She was, however, completely shocked that he knew about the Draught of Destruction in particular.

"Does he know that the Bones family actually made it? I mean, really, what does he know?"

"For the sixth time, Hermione, he didn't say. We'll find out," said Draco irritably over dinner that night.

"Sorry," answered Hermione regretfully. "I'm just frustrated with what's going on in the outside world, you know. I want to help. I hope Terry can fill in a puzzle piece here."

"Yeah, I know me too. Oh look, I've got a letter," said Draco casually. A second year girl had just come over. "From the Owlery." And she left.

It was from his mother, and the letter came as a shock:

**

Dearest Draco,

What I must say to you cannot be said in a letter. I have something urgent to discuss with you. Please meet me tonight, after dinner, in Hogsmeade. Madam Hooch has kindly granted my wish to escort you to The Three Broomsticks. I dear hope you get this during dinner.

Hoping you are well,

Your Mother

**

"My mum is meeting me after dinner at the Three Broomsticks. Why, I wonder," said Draco at first, baffled. "She's never done anything like that before."

Hermione blushed furiously.

"What?" asked Draco peculiarly.

"Aw, you'll see when you meet your mum! Got to go to the library!" And she was off.

**

Madam Hooch was already there when Draco went outside the castle. She greeted him respectfully. "You played well against Mr. Potter, you know," She said, casually, as they walked to Hogsmeade.

"Thanks," said Draco graciously. He didn't like talking about that match much - too many bad memories of taunting.

"It was very close. Slytherin still had a chance for the cup didn't they? Of course, circumstances changed ..." She trailed off.

"I did my best," admitted Draco quietly. "But I have never beaten Harry and never will." He probably sounded more depressed than he had intended to.

"Mr. Malfoy, there will always be a better flier." Madam Hooch was bloody tactless.

**

A little later, Draco walked into the Three Broomsticks with Madam Hooch. There were far less customers than the last time he had entered when Snape had died and he had gone to confront Ginny about her avoiding him. He recognized his mum, but only because she was the one person hidden under a cloak so people would not recognize her. He had not managed a clear look at her face.

"I'll be back within an hour," informed Madam Hooch unexpectedly. "Shall go to the Hog's Head I think."

Draco joined his mother at her table.

"Hello, Draco. I have missed you much," cried his mum. "I know my letters have been brief -- Dumbledore's orders, but that is why I requested a meeting. We have much to discuss."

And at that point Draco hugged his mum. He missed her too in the time of war. There wasn't a day that had gone by he didn't worry. Their situation was so dangerous. His mum had told Dumbledore everything she knew. If a Death Eater found her ... she would be killed. And the idea haunted him every day.

"My son ..." She was crying a lot now. "I love you, Draco."

"I love you too, Mum. I have been worried a lot," Draco said softly.

"After what happened the day Severus died ... Ahhh ..." She was crying more now. "He was a good friend. Things slipped with Lucius as you know too well but we frequently corresponded."

"I'm sorry, Mum," Draco tried saying.

"It's okay, Draco."

For a few minutes they sat and spoke as Draco and his mother drank butterbeer and discussed school happenings and O.W.L.s. But then, more serious issues arose. Draco wondered whether to tell her about Terry.

"Did you know the Boot Family?" asked Draco, very, very cautiously.

"I went to school with Terry Boot's mother, I did. I did not know her especially well," replied Narcissa. "Why do you ask?"

"I can't say right now, but you will know by tomorrow," assured Draco smoothly, not wanting to lie to his mother.

Narcissa raised her eyebrows. "What is it, Draco?" Her voice was filled with alarm.

"Don't worry, Mum. It's just Terry ... more to him than meets the eye. I'll be talking to him later tonight," said a rather apologetic Draco, quickly dismissive. "But what is it you wanted to talk to me about?"

Narcissa was a bit taken aback. She did not answer immediately; her expression, unreadable. She closed her eyes for a moment and put her hands on her forehead. Then, when Narcissa did finally reopen her eyes to speak, her first (and notably prolonging) word was but a desperate, as well as rather emotive, utterance of her son's name. "Draco ... Oh Draco, my one and only beloved son, please listen to these next words of mine without casting forth immediate judgment: I, well, I have potentially spectacular news for you."

"You and Remus are getting married," Draco instantly guessed. How obvious could his mum be?

"No ... Well yes, we are ... But that's not it," tried explaining Narcissa, sounding very nervous.

"Well, then, what is it ... Congratulations, by the way, I suppose," said Draco awkwardly.

"... And I'm expecting," whispered Narcissa feebly, her tone clearly reluctant.

"Expecting what?"

**

Hermione had known for a week now that Narcissa was pregnant. Narcissa had sent her a letter. She was to meet Draco personally. And also that she and Remus were to be married. That was the obvious part. She knew Draco would take it to a shock that his Mum was going to be having a baby.

She wondered how Draco would take it. It would be hard for him, accepting this new family into his life. And being Draco, he'd be way too -- too, well, sensitive about it. Hermione worried a lot about this. She knew Draco still missed his father. She heard him in his sleep, muttering his father's name, sometimes that is, on the rare occasion that he wasn't screeching out in suffering because he'd had a horrible nightmare. He would sweat terribly and shake and wake up in the middle of night and startle her. Often, he did not return to sleep. Hermione knew many of these disturbing dreams were likely related to his complicated dilemma with his father, Lucius Malfoy. And noteworthy enough, to say all this was unsettling to Hermione would be a remarkable understatement, especially given that Draco always refused to speak of his dreams, most of which Hermione already knew were not pleasant --

It was almost as though a part of him had died. Hermione only partially understood. She did realize how difficult it was for Draco to fathom the ultimate fact that, all things settled, his father had been ... Well, he'd been his father, for the best or the worst either way. And whether he liked it or not, inside Draco also recognized that his dad -- now defamed Lucius Malfoy, who as well was the one and only father he got, notably -- had loved him his entire life, and still did. Most bothersome of all, secretly, Draco deep inside recognized that, in turn, he still loved his father back all the same, even now when he knew his father was in truth a terrible man. But, most pertinent of all, in spite of all things there nevertheless was the hard reality of it all, what in end mattered most, simply because it would forever stay unchanged: his father would remain locked-up in a jail cell at Azkaban, haunted by Dementors, for the rest of his life. It was the terrible fate of which Lucius had only himself to thank for, given that his using of Unforgivable Curses had caused mortal harm to others countless times. No one would want to imagine their own father in so much pain, least of all Draco ...

Hermione knew Draco liked Remus ... As a friend, as a mentor, as an uncle-like person ... But as a father, never. Draco would hate Remus for it, she knew it. It was the part that bothered her the most. But she tried to keep positive thoughts in her head. 'Perhaps he'll take to it well ... Sure, in another world'.

Hermione smiled to herself at the thought of Draco's reaction. She would not want to be there herself to see it. But Draco would have to come to some kind of understanding, wouldn't he? He wouldn't be seeing much of Lucius, and Remus was going to be around a lot more ... It was interesting.

To the outside world, the topic of Lucius was forbidden. Draco claimed he had no father. But he had talked briefly about it to Hermione ... It didn't matter what Draco had said. It didn't matter if Draco said he loathed his father. It didn't matter if Draco pretended he knew nothing of Lucius. It didn't matter if Draco hid the truth. Draco had a hard time dealing with emotions like that, so he simply hid them. But the truth was there, and only Hermione knew. And perhaps Harry had inkling about it. He loved his father ... Because he was his father. And nothing could ever change the fact ... No one could change unconditional love.

Hermione put the thoughts out of her head as someone tapped her on her shoulder. Hermione gasped in surprise and turned around. It was Ginny.

"Hermione, please, can we talk?" Ginny looked absolutely frightened, yet brave at the same time.

"Ginny, get away from me!" yelled Hermione, but without the proper energy. The truth was she missed Ginny very much so. She hated what Ginny had done, but she had come to understand it had been a mistake, and that she didn't hate Ginny ... Besides, she had already taken out much of her anger when she and Ginny had gotten into the brawl.

"Hermione, I'm really sorry ... for everything," Ginny said, looking at her directly in the eye, looking absolutely sincere.

"Sure you are," said Hermione, sounding quite sarcastic.

"I know what I did was wrong," said Ginny, quite patiently.

"Amazing," said Hermione sarcastically, not even looking at Ginny now. "Is that all?"

"Well, I'd like you to forgive me," said Ginny, quietly.

"Ah, I see. You think you can just say sorry and it is all over, right? We're not seven-years-old, Ginny, even if YOU act it!" Hermione raged at her.

Ginny didn't say anything, but simply walked away.

**

Draco walked inside the castle once again, extremely pale. He couldn't believe what was going on. His own mother was three months pregnant with a baby that belonged to Lupin. She was delighted as ever about it. And their marriage would be in June. She had simply had dropped it all on him.

How had she expected him to take it? Had she expected him to become giddy? Granted, before he liked the idea of them getting married, but the reality of the situation .... Well, it perhaps had not dawned on him. And a baby ... Lucius had always said he wanted no more children ... Narcissa had always wanted a girl ...

Lucius was stuck in prison for life ... Would Remus be his 'new' father? Would they all be a brand new, happy family? Would Draco be expected to embrace such an idea? Draco really didn't think he'd be able to handle such a thing; it had never been a lifestyle for him. And another baby ...

In such times, it would be so dangerous. The mark on their heads would cause a sheltered and hidden life. The baby would have to be hidden until the terrible times ended. But who knows when it would happen ... It could be tonight ... Or it could be never ...

Would Remus try to replace Lucius? Would he want him to call him 'father'? How would it all work out? Everything was moving and changing so fast, and Draco hated it ...

"Draco," spoke a cool voice, suddenly. Draco turned around. Of all people, it was none other than Celeste. "You all right?"

Celeste looked like someone who had grown a lot in a small space of time; she was taller, she had more of a figure now, and her face seemed much more developed now. Celeste had a graceful look upon her, though she looked very sad.

"A lot on my mind, Celeste," Draco said patiently, hoping to send her off.

"Same here. With my father and all." Her finality of tone sounded very grave. Draco had completely forgotten. Celeste had never known about her father being a Death Eater before the siege when Snape died. He had never spoken to her or Blaze about it ... And Celeste seemed less social now that he thought about it ...

"Oh ... I'm sorry about him," said Draco, very awkwardly.

"I didn't know he was a Death Eater," Celeste said in a whisper.

"I know," said Draco.

"I haven't seen him since the siege. The Death Eaters took him and he never came back to us. But now everyone knows my father for what he is. He's not a good man, is he?" Celeste wasn't really asking this question necessarily.

"He was a Death Eater a long time," Draco said, even though it wasn't an answer.

Celeste nodded. "I miss my dad." And she was crying now. "People hate Blaze and me now, they won't talk to us!"

"Celeste ..."

"He never showed it. He always was a good father. Why, why, is he a Death Eater?" begged Celeste.

To this Draco had little to console her with. "I'm sorry," Draco said again; that's all he could tell her.

"Me too," agreed Celeste sourly, and at that point, she left.

**

"Where is Draco?" exclaimed Harry. It was after eleven at night. Draco had not returned to them, though Madam Hooch said he was definitely back in the castle.

"I don't know, but we're to meet Terry in under an hour!" Hermione barely sounded worried though. "But, really, Draco's probably just ... just being Draco right now. Probably has to be alone."

"Ah. But I'm pretty sure he'll be there tonight, aren't you?" Harry said.

"Yes. He won't miss this. Ginny tried to talk to me," said Hermione, changing subjects.

"How did it go?"

"Not well."

"As expected."

"Yeah, I guess ... I'm not ready to bring her back into my life," Hermione said finally.

At that precise moment, Fred and George came into the Gryffindor Common Room, not realizing Harry and Hermione were sitting alone by the fireplace in the empty Gryffindor Common Room.

"We're really close, we are!" Fred said excitedly.

"Nearly there, yes, just make that bargain with the Madam ..."

"Plenty of gold to keep her happy," said George brightly, and they then noticed Harry and Hermione listening in.

"Oh, hullo, Harry ... Hermione." Fred gave a wink at Harry.

"What were you lot talking about?" Hermione asked, very, very sharply.

"Don't worry ... But I'm sure you'll know soon enough! Harry does!"

And Hermione shot Harry a very suspicious, unappreciative glance.

**

Draco had sat in the Prefect's Bathroom, soaking, for hours in thought. He realized it was past eleven now, and he would have to get going soon. But it took every ounce of energy it seemed, for him to breathe properly, much less get out of the bath. It was an escape.

"Boys," spoke a girlish voice, and Draco shuddered and shrieked loudly. Then the voice laughed very loudly. A ghostly form appeared a few feet in front of him - Moaning Myrtle.

"Moaning Myrtle! What are you doing?" Draco shrieked.

"I've been watching you, sitting here, feel sorry for yourself," said Moaning Myrtle, smiling. "It's been quite funny. Oh how can this be happening? Oh I hate my life ... I've lost my breath laughing at you!" Myrtle looked absolutely giddy.

"You don't have any breath to lose." Draco was smirking now.

Myrtle was so sensitive she began sobbing. "Oh, boys, so insensitive! Just because I'm not alive doesn't mean I don't have feelings!"

And Myrtle began ranting on and on.

"I think I can go now." Draco pulled a towel over himself and forced Myrtle to not look as he got dressed.

**

Hermione and Harry, hidden under the Invisibility Cloak, headed to the Astronomy tower, a quarter to midnight.

"Draco better be there," Hermione whispered.

"He will," Harry assured softly. "He wouldn't miss this."

"This way, now," said Hermione firmly, and they ran up to the very top of the Astronomy Tower.

Terry was there.

"You're here. But where is Draco?" Terry asked.

"I'm here." And emerging from the shadows was Draco. He looked stern almost.

"Voldemort killed my mother because of the charm placed by Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff. Hufflepuff made the Draught of Destruction and it was passed down generation by generation. But before they did, the three founders, as at this point Slytherin had left; put a charm on it that if the original Draught of Destruction was ever destroyed, the three heirs would be able to create one under very specific circumstances. My mother was pregnant," Terry explained immediately. He continued, "The second born would always be the heir, but what Voldemort didn't know was that I was the heir, I was the second-born. My mother had had a child in her years she had spent in France, but she gave it away as she was young. So I am the Heir of Ravenclaw."

"I'm willing to bet Susan Bones is the Heir of Hufflepuff, am I right?" Harry said.

"Right you are, Harry!" It was Susan Bones, who had just appeared out of the shadows. "And if we are to make the Draught of Destruction ourselves, we have very little time."

"What do you have to do?" Hermione asked.

"We must retrieve the instructions written by Hufflepuff herself in the cave of Hufflepuff in Wales, though very little know where this is, or even that it exists. Only the three of us together can get it. Then we must find the base to the Draught, which is in the Bones vault at Gringotts," Susan told them. "Terry and I have worked together and put our info together,"

"Do you know where the cave is?" Draco asked her.

"I have an idea. If we are to find it, we must go now," said Susan.

"Now, right now?" said Hermione incredulously, looking apprehensive. "Are Draco and I going as well?"

"Yes, how could we without you both?" It was Terry who spoke. "With your wits and all."

Hermione merely blushed.

"How will we travel all the way to Wales?" Draco asked in a rather rude way.

"Brooms, of course!" answered Susan promptly, as if this was the most obvious thing.

"I have a bad feeling about this ..." began Draco.

"We've got to try, don't we?" interjected Harry.

"But we'll be gone so long! They'll think we've gone missing," Hermione said, sounding quite worried and even more apprehensive.

"A price to pay, then. I daresay Dumbledore will have it figured it out, though," Terry said, thoughtfully.

"Let's get our brooms then," said Harry.

**