Betrayal of the Black

fifty-one

--------
cw : viewer discretion
is advised.
--------

"I THINK I KNOW WHERE HARRY POTTER IS," exclaimed Celestia.

Draco slowed raised his head from where he had it bowed over the map on the table, an incredulous look on his face. "I thought we gave up on searching for him when we began looking for the Horcrux."

"We did," she said, shifting nervously on her feet, "but then I remembered I never finished going through all Granger's photo albums that we picked up from her house. There are some photographs from a family trip when she was younger. It seems to hold some sentimental value to her. It's possible they're hiding out there."

"And what exactly are we going to do if we find them?" he asked, his tone too calm.

"Ask them some questions." Then she added in a mumble, "Beat them up a little so they don't get suspicious."

He rubbed a hand against his jaw, keeping intense eye contact with her, as if expecting her to retract her previous statements. Instead, she only stared right back at him.

"Why did you come to me with this instead of Theo?" he wondered.

It was a valid question. Usually, she would approach Theo first with something like this. But she knew exactly how he would react to something like this; it would be a hard no.

Ever since that werewolf had attacked her, he had become unbearably protective. Whenever they visited a Muggle town, no matter how small, he would never stray from her side. And while she loved spending time with him, it had gotten to the point where it had started to become suffocating.

If she got Draco to agree, and though Regulus would hesitate, he would listen to reason, then Theo would have no choice but to agree they go.

"Because you're my brother and you're the smartest of all of us?" she tried.

"Flattery doesn't work on me, dear sister," he responded dryly.

She snorted. "Since when?" Sighing, she moved to point at the map sprawled out on the table. "They're staying here. The Forest of Dean. I don't know how I know, but I've got this gut feeling, Dray. I need you to back me up on this. They're there. I know it."

"Give me a reason why we should go after them," he said.

"Information," she answered. "We can figure out what Horcruxes they have, which ones they have already destroyed, and if they know where the others are."

"And you think they're just going to tell us all this with a smile?"

"Doubtful. But it's worth a shot, isn't it? There's other ways to make them talk if they aren't so willing."

Regulus had told them about the Horcruxes he knew — Salazar Slytherin's locket, Helga Hufflepuff's cup, Rowena Ravenclaw's diadem. They were all grand prizes of the Hogwarts founders, sans Gryffindor for obvious reasons. But all four of them agreed there had to be more, and if the Gryffindor gang knew what and where, they were the best shot of finding them.

"Alright, I'll back you. If we leave now, we'll have time to search the forest a bit before we settle down," agreed Draco.

"Thank you. I'll go talk to Theo and Regulus. Get ready to leave," she said.

Leaving her brother in the dining room, she began her search for Theo. They had done some duelling today, specifically of magic variety. Swords and blades were always meant to be the back-up plan; they wouldn't risk getting rusty with their wands.

While they were all still getting used to having Regulus around, both of the boys were attempting in the least to try in befriend him. It was odd, trying to befriend a man in his thirties. After their duel earlier, she had seen him approach her uncle, who had been watching them per usual.