Where's the Canon?

Author's Notes: Thanks to my beta Liz! And also to all the M.A.C.K.ers out there! (And if you don't know what M.A.C.K. is, check it out in the V.E.N.O.M. section of FAP!)

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She smoothly applied her pink, shimmery lip-gloss and examined her reflection. Perfect manicure: check. Newly highlighted hair set in perfect, soft curls: check. Flawless complexion, a little rouge, a little mascara: check. Grabbing her Prada purse and smoothing her cotton Chanel top she strutted out of her door. In her mini-skirt and pink heels, she was off to save the day - again.

***

She pulled on her sneakers quickly and dragged a brush through her hair. Two elastic bands later, she felt it was in a secure enough ponytail, and picked up several books from various shelves and shoved them into her old schoolbag. She slipped on her jacket, swung the books onto her shoulder with a practiced air, and headed out of the door to discuss tactics and plans - they had to have a plan, of course, and she was going to be there to help them out.

***

A smug smile fixed itself on her face. She knew she was turning heads in Diagon Alley. From somewhere, a breeze blew upon her beauteous face, blowing her hair back and making her look, if it were possible, even more impressive. Now, she knew exactly where she was going, but she also knew she could take her time stunning everyone without missing anything; the boys wouldn't be able to do anything without her. When she did find them, naturally speechless due to her beauty, she sat down next to Harry and smiled at the two boys. Though, admittedly, Harry got a brighter smile; he was the hero, after all, and Ron was just a dumb sidekick buffoon.

***

She came out into Diagon Alley and hurried down the street. She spotted her two best friends sitting at a table outside the closed ice cream parlor, and waved. She began reaching into her bag and pulled out the thickest of the books, Hogwarts, A History. This act had her nearly running into a short witch that she hadn't seen. Apologizing, she sat down at the table, blushing, with Ron and Harry as the two of them chuckled a little.

***

"Thanks for coming, Hermione," Harry said, unable to look away from her gorgeous face.

"Yeah, thanks," Ron mumbled, staring fixedly at her, like a man who knows he can't have her. And, of course, he couldn't.

"Well, what would you do without me?" she responded. Then, answering herself, went on, "Nothing! So, do you two have a plan?"

"Well, I was thinking--" Ron started, but Hermione didn't seem to hear him.

"As I thought, nothing." She smiled fondly at Harry. "You always were a bit disorganized. But...you have me."

"Yeah...we have you. Thank Merlin," Harry said vigorously.

"Well, I was thinking today, you know, between choosing which manicurist to ask for, about the Horcruxes, and listen, one of them has got to be something of Ravenclaw's."

"Hermione?" Ron interrupted. Hermione sighed and looked at him. "Do you realise that, when you talk, your eyebrows go..." He waggled his eyebrows up and down and Harry stared at him. Hermione looked insulted and tears began welling in her eyes.

"Ron, if you can't help us and just have to be a horrible person and make me feel terrible, then fine! I don't need your approval - I have everyone else's! Just - leave me alone, both of you!"

And she ran off. Harry looked concerned and a little angry with Ron for a moment, then blinked and stared at his redheaded friend. Ron stared back. Harry looked in the direction where Hermione ran off and shrugged.

"Well, without her, you know, the glue of the Golden Trio..." Harry faded off.

"Yeah, without her, we really don't have much, do we? You know, sometimes, I think we were best mates in an alternate universe."

Both thought for a minute, then said, "Nah."

***

"So, what have we got so far?" she asked, plopping the book down.

"Well, Harry reckons that another Horcrux--"

"Not too loud, Ron," she chided.

"--is something of Ravenclaw's."

"Because Gryffindor's only relic was the sword," Harry went on.

"Well, I think that makes sense. But the thing is, there isn't any mention of relics from any of the founders in here," she said, tapping Hogwarts, A History.

"And if it isn't in there, Merlin knows it can't be general knowledge," Ron muttered.

Hermione shot him a dirty look. "However," she continued, taking her glare off of Ron, "I did see a reference to another book on the founders. It's in the back of Founders Four. The referenced text is called The Vestiges of the Powerful. I think the source was mainly used for the vestiges meaning stories and legends, and Hogwarts, of course, but perhaps this book mentions other vestiges, actual relics of Ravenclaw and Gryffindor and the rest."

"Sounds good," Ron admitted.

"Where can we get this book?" Harry asked.

"I... Well, I didn't quite get that far," Hermione said, fingering the binding of her book. "It's not at any bookshop I've been to."

"You've been to them all, though," Harry observed.

"Is it restricted? Is it dark?" Ron asked.

"I don't know. I can't think that it would be, but the fact I can't find it..."

"Well, maybe - Okay, what if someone - and you guys know who - didn't want that information out there?"

Hermione and Harry looked at each other and back at Ron.

"I'm going to go do some research on that," Hermione said immediately, rising and grabbing her book off the table. "I'll meet you in Three Broomsticks at seven?"

"Yeah," Harry and Ron said together.

Ron watched Hermione leave as Harry began making a list of some sorts.

"What would Ravenclaw have?" Harry asked.

"A book?" Ron suggested. "No, no, not really. Um... What about a necklace?"

"Well, Slytherin had a locket, so they'd be sort of the same."

"Bracelet? Or...wand? Or...some magical thing to make you smart?"

Harry laughed. "That sounds right."

"Hey, if I were her, I'd use a literal 'thinking cap'."

Fifteen minutes later, the two apparated back to the flat they were splitting, debating over what the best substance would have been to enhance thinking on N.E.W.Ts.