only angel- harry potter

Chapter 54

Ron and Hermione exited out of the bathroom dripping wet. Hermione held the Marauder's map in her hands and Ron scanned it.

There were swarms of small dots on it with people's names underneath scurrying about.

"Bloody hell. We'll never find him on this," Ron said.

"There he is," Hermione mumbled.

"What where?" the redhead asked.

Hermione pointed to Harry's name amidst the large cluster of dots on the parchment. 

"Brilliant," Ron regarded her with appreciation.

"He vanished. Just now. I saw it," Hermione's eyebrows were furrowed as she stared back at the map with confusion.

"He must've gone into the Room of Requirement. It doesn't show on the map, remember? You said so last year," Ron glanced at her.

She looked at him with amazement.

"That's right. I did," the brunette looked surprised that he'd remembered.

"Let's go," Ron smiled as he dashed off.

Hermione looked at him with awe and a hint of surprise.

"Brilliant," she smiled.

The two of them ran across a corridor that had billows of smoke and portraits that hung askew. 

Suddenly Hermione grabbed Ron's arm and pulled him backward and gestured forward to where Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle slipped around a corner.

The two looked at each other and then followed him.

Draco stopped and faced a wall with his eyes closed as a window exploded nearby. Crabbe and Goyle jumped while Draco didn't even flinch.

"Take my hand," Draco turned towards them as they exchanged a reluctant look with each other.

"Now!" Malfoy hissed.

Ron and Hermione crept carefully to the end of the hallway and peered slowly around the corner.

Harry and Riley entered the Room of Requirement with their hands clasped together. 

Harry winced and his fingers traced his scar which burned.

"You okay?" Riley paused and glanced at him with her blue eyes filling with worry.

"Yes, let's keep going," the boy who lived resumed his pace.

"Are you sure?" the blonde asked.

"I'm fine, darling, come," Harry wrapped an arm around Riley's waist and kept walking.

The humming of the nearby Horcrux rang Harry's ears as Riley looked around looking like a lost puppy.

A vein throbbed visibly on Harry's forehead.

With his hand trembling he took his hand off of Riley's waist and pushed aside old and tattered spellbook.

"Look, Haz it's the diadem," Riley pointed to a shiny silver-colored tiara that was perched on top of a dusty canister.

Harry whipped his head towards the diadem when he heard a velvety voice.

"Well, well, what brings you here, Potter?" Draco Malfoy said.

Harry looked over his shoulder and saw Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle all staring at him with their wands pointed at him and Riley.

"You've got to be kidding me," Riley mumbled as she threw her head back frustratedly.