Hermione makes a timely discovery in more ways than one, which leads to an unfortunate misunderstanding and a confrontation.

Easter Hols were only a couple days away and Hermione was getting anxious to return home and see her mum. She hadn’t heard from her this week and she was starting to get a bit worried. When she’d written to her father, he’d just responded back that Severus would be allowing her to utilize his floo Friday morning, to return home if she’d rather not take the Hogwarts Express back to London.

Thursday evening found Hermione sitting in the Library studying for Arithmancy with Zacharias Smith and Cho Chang. Cho was understandably upset over the loss to Slytherin, but Hermione was quick to reassure her that she’d played well.

“You hate Quidditch, Hermione.” Cho reminded her study partner.

“I don’t hate it, persay. I just find it a brutal sport. But I can appreciate the finer qualities of the game.”

Cho grinned. “Like your wizard in his Quidditch Uniform flying on his broomstick.”

Hermione grinned back. “Well—there is that.”

Smith just sat there at the table glowering unhappily to himself. He didn’t like to be reminded that Hermione was already taken—especially not by Malfoy. The wizard had everything—money, looks and the Brightest Witch at school as his intended.

“Did Professor Vector mention when this assignment was due?” Zacharias interrupted quickly, trying to change the subject.

Cho looked thoughtful for a moment. “I don’t think she did. I got the impression we were going to go over the equations when we returned from Easter Hols.”

“That was my impression as well.” Looking over at Zacharias, Hermione saw that the wizard appeared to be a bit put out. Sensing something was off, she decided to ask him a question that she’d been meaning to put forth for the past week. “Zac, where did you get the information on the Orphic translations? Was it from a book in the restricted section?”

Smith nodded. “Kind of, there’s a book called Rituals and Rights, Calling forth the Dead.”

Hermione remembered seeing that book during her fourth year in the Restricted Section. “I’ve always been curious about ancient death rites, but I don’t specifically remember the book supplying any information that was specific in that regard.”

Zac shook his head. “Not as such, but it did contain a reference to another book that discusses the Veil and talks about it a bit more in depth about Orphic rituals in relation to calling forth Death.”

“What’s the Veil?”

Zac looked a bit uncomfortable as he discreetly erected a silencing charm. When he saw Hermione and Cho giving him curious looks, he sighed. “The Veil, from what I’ve read, is a portal between the land of the living and the dead. Theoretically you can’t travel between the two worlds, only from ours into the land of death.”

Hermione sat back and thought about what Zacharias was saying. “Is the Veil also theoretical, or is there an actual place where it exists?”

At this Zacharias rubbed the back of his head with his hand in agitation. “There was a reference that stated that the Veil has been in existence as long as the Ministry itself.”

“So then theoretically, the Veil itself could be within the Ministry of Magic?”

Zac nodded. “Department of Mysteries most likely, although theoretically, no one would know exactly where in the Department it’s located except for the Unspeakables who work there.”

Hermione’s mind was whirring in excitement. A physical barrier between life and death—a physical place where Death himself might reside?

“Where was this reference, Zac?”

Zacharias smiled at the eager face of Hermione McKinnon and replied softly. “Come on, I’ll show you where I found it.”

Hermione followed Zacharias to the back part of the restricted section, leaving Cho at their study table alone.

When they’d made their way to the back shelf in the far right corner of the restricted section, Zacharias pulled out a book and handed it to her.

Sitting down in the nearest chair, Hermione perused through the table of contents and then skimmed through a few chapters before she found what she was looking for.

The Veil is the physical manifestation of the barrier between life and death where souls reside

The passageway is not a two-way gateway between Life and Death

Only those from the land of the Living can enter into the Realm of Death

Blood and Soul are essential of Life but only one passes through and binds to Death

Death becomes the manifestation of the Soul

Only when one accepts Death, can one Master it

Hermione’s eyes widened, reading the passage over and over again...

...this was it!

This could be the way to Master Death!

She beamed up at Zacharias, before throwing herself at him and giving him a hug.

Zacharias was stunned, but he returned the hug quickly, pulling back and smiling widely before he saw Hermione’s face pale as she looked over his shoulder.

When he turned around, he came face to face with a very angry Draco Malfoy. The other wizard’s eyes were hard and cold—and Zacharias felt his stomach drop.

“Draco...” Hermione spoke out softly, but she quieted immediately when cold grey eyes settled upon her.

“Did I interrupt something?” Draco sneered.

Hermione could feel her hackles rising at the look on her wizard’s face. He was angry, and when he got like this he tended to lash out first and ask questions later.

She turned to Zacharias and said softly. “Could you give us a minute, Zac?”

Zacharias looked at Hermione first and then Draco, who seemed to be holding himself together by a tight thread.

“Are you going to be alright?”

“She’ll be fine, Smith—but you won’t be if you don’t leave right this second.”

“Draco!” Hermione admonished. “You’re making this worse.”

“Am I? Am I really? I just saw my witch—my betrothed, in the arms of another wizard. How am I supposed to take that?”

Draco’s sneer deepened, while Hermione’s heart started to race...

“You’re supposed to trust me and realize that there is a perfectly acceptable explanation! But obviously, you don’t trust me if you’re behaving this way!” Her voice started to become a bit more vocal and emotional.

Draco’s cheeks tinged pinked in anger and he went to say something, but she silenced him before he could say something she might not be able to forgive him for.

“I love you and only you, and you know this. But right now, you’re not thinking clearly and I can’t be around you.”

With that, Hermione stormed out of the restricted section, dropping the book she’d been reading.

Draco cancelled the silencing charm and made to follow his witch, when Smith decided at that exact moment to open his big fucking mouth.

“I don’t know what your problem is, Malfoy! Hermione has never once given me any indication that she’s interested in me because trust me, if she had? I would’ve taken her up on it in a heartbeat.”

Draco growled and walked right into Smith’s space, giving the other wizard a lethal look.

“You stay away from my witch, Smith. I’m not blind and neither is Hermione. I don’t know what the fuck you’re trying to pull—but it ends here.”

Zacharias just chuckled and shook his head. “Insecure much, Malfoy? Wonder why that is? Maybe it’s because you know that Hermione could do so much better than a bigoted prick who taunted her for years and then somehow, has her convinced you’re a good guy now that you’ve found out she was finally worthy...”

Draco pulled back his fist and punched Smith in the nose, causing the older boy to yell out in pain and soon there was a full-fledged fight in the restricted section. Madame Pince came quickly when she heard the ruckus and separated the students, calling for the Headmaster immediately.

Hermione at that precise moment was headed out of the library trying to hold back her tears.

She knew Draco was a possessive wizard, but seriously?

Did he really think so little of her that she would be interested in Zacharias Smith?

Tears were starting to blur her vision and before she knew it, she’d slammed into someone.

“Oi! Watch out!” She heard a male voice say.

Hermione felt herself falling backwards when a pair of arms reached out to prevent her from falling. Looking up, she saw Harry Potter standing there, holding her with a concerned look upon his face.

“You alright, Hermione? Merlin, you came out of nowhere.”

Hermione took a step back and wiped at a tear that had fallen down her cheek. Harry’s expression became a bit more serious as he considered her with sympathy.

“You look upset. Is this about your mum?”

Her breath hitched as she stared at Harry in confusion.

What could Harry Potter possibly know about her mum?

Giving him a questioning look, Harry just rubbed the back of his head with his hand.

“Sirius owled me not too long ago. He had lunch with your mum.”

“I know.”

“Well, I guess your mum told him about her illness, said she didn’t have much time left.”

Harry watched Hermione’s face pale in realization that her parents were still keeping things from her!

Merlin fuck it all!

“She didn’t tell me.” Hermione admitted emotionally, and watched Harry’s eyes widen first in understanding and then in shame.

“Godric, Hermione. I’m so sorry...I didn’t realize. If there’s anything I can do for you?”

Her breath hitched and she grabbed Harry’s arm, leading him into a classroom on her right that was, thankfully, empty.

Harry appeared a bit shocked for a moment, but then waited to see what Hermione wanted.

“Do you really mean that?”

Harry nodded. “Yeah...blimey, Hermione...you gave me my Godfather back...without that, I’d still be stuck at my Aunt’s house...so yeah.”

“You’re right, my mum is sick and I think I’ve figured out a way to help her, cure her—but there’s something I think you may have that I need to do so. I can’t give you an explanation why I need it, but I’m begging you to trust me that it’s the only thing that might save my mum.”

“Okay...” Harry said a bit unsure, “What is it?”

Hermione took a deep breath and said softly, “Your Invisibility Cloak. The one you inherited from your dad. My mum told me about it, about how your dad and Sirius used to get into all kinds of trouble with that thing.”

Harry’s face took on a skeptical look. “I don’t understand? Why would you need my Cloak?”

Hermione shook her head. “I can’t tell you, Harry. I’m asking you to trust me. I’m hoping I can return it back to you, but it has to be given freely for this to work. I would beg you to ask Sirius what he thinks....but I don’t have time right now.”

Harry grinned and pulled out a mirror from his robes. Holding it up, he called out for Sirius Black and soon enough, his Godfather’s image was reflected as he stared at both Harry and Hermione in confusion.

“Hey, Pup, what can I do for you?”

Harry cleared his throat and told Sirius everything Hermione had shared with him. When he was done, Sirius sharp grey eyes locked onto the young witch as he gave her an appraising once over.

“You’ve found them all, haven’t you?” Sirius asked softly.

Hermione’s breath hitched as she nodded once, not missing Harry’s look of confusion.

“And you think this will save your mum?”

“I don’t know, Lord Black. But I have to try and this is the only way and I think you know that too. You cared for my mum once, and I’ve just gotten her back. Please help me.”

Sirius nodded and noticed that his godson, was genuinely confused as to what was going on.

“Harry, ultimately the choice is up to you but your dad loved his friends and would’ve done anything for someone he considered a friend. He cared for Marley, and if he were here now...he wouldn’t hesitate to give Hermione the Cloak.”

Harry sighed and pushed his glasses up onto the bridge of his nose, then nodded and pulled out the shrunken Cloak from his robes and handed it to Hermione.

“Whatever you need it for, it’s yours now. Given freely.”

Hermione hugged Harry fiercely and kissed his cheek in thanks. “Thank you both. I hope this works as well.”

Harry sighed and left the room while Hermione put the Cloak into her beaded bag.

She had all three Hallows!

Now she needed to put the next step of her plan into action.

Sending out her patronus—it was with one simple message—it’s time.