𝗲𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗮𝗯𝗲𝘁𝗵 𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗳𝗼𝘆.

forty three.

"Aberforth, you're Dumbledore's brother." Harry held up the glass piece, "you're the one I've been seeing in here. You sent Dobby."

Aberforth began to fiddle with something, "yes, where've you left him?" Elizabeth frowned, "He's dead." She felt Ron reach for her hand, the girl pulling it away. Aberforth frowned, "sorry to hear it, I liked that elf."

Harry motioned to the mirror, "who gave that to you?"

"Mundungus fletcher about a year ago-"

"Dung had no right, it belongs to-"

"Sirius. Albus told me. He also told me you'd likely be hacked off if you found out I had it but ask yourself, where would you be if I didn't?" He set down a tray of food and drink, Ron quickly snatching a piece of bread off the plate as he handed Hermione a drink.

"Have you heard from the order?" she asked, sipping her drink. "The orders done, you-know-who's won and anyone who says different is a fool."

"We need to get into Hogwarts tonight. Dumbledore gave us a job to do." Harry ignored the man's previous statement. "Did he now? Nice job? Easy?"

"We've been hunting horcruxes, the last ones inside the castle and we need your help getting in."

"It's not a job my brothers given you it's a suicide mission." Aberforth frowned, "Do yourself a favor boy, go home, live a little longer." Harry grew irritated, "Dumbledore trusted me to see this through."

"What makes you think you can trust him? What makes you think you can believe anything my brother told you? In all the time you knew him, did he ever mention my name? Did he ever mention hers?"

Elizabeth turned her attention back to the painting, the two continuing on behind her.

"Why should he..."

"Keep secrets? You tell me."

"I trusted him."

"That's a boy's answer," Aberforth began to advance, "A boy who goes chasing horcruxes, trusting the word of a man who wouldn't even tell him where to start. You're lying! Not just to me, that doesn't matter. To yourself as well."

They were inches from each other now, "that's what a fool does, you don't strike me as a fool Harry potter, so I'll ask you again. There must be a reason."

Harry frowned, "I'm not interested in what happened between you and your brother. I don't care that you've given up. I trusted the man I knew. And we need to get into the castle tonight."

Aberforth turned his eyes to the painting, "you know what to do." She smiled and turned, walking away down the flowered path in her little world. Elizabeth examined the painting, "where have you sent her?"

Aberforth kept his eyes on Harry, "you'll see, soon enough." He turned and walked away to his chest. Hermione stepped up beside Elizabeth, "that's your sister Ariana isn't it? She died very young didn't she?"

Aberforth turned, "my brother sacrificed many things Mr.Potter, on his journey to find power. Including Ariana, she was devoted to him. He gave her everything, but time." Hermione nodded, "thank you Mr. Dumbledore."

Ron stared at her in bewilderment, the girl crossing her arms over her chest. "He did save our lives, twice, doesn't seem like someone who's given up."

Elizabeth narrowed her eyes at the painting. "She's coming back, but who's with her?" The two in the painting got closer before the painting itself swung open to a passageway revealing...

"Neville."

Ron frowned, "you look..."

Neville grinned climbing out the tunnel, "like hell I reckon. This is nothing, Seamus is worse. Hey Ab," he called over their shoulders, "we've got a couple more coming through."

Finally he turned to Elizabeth, "Hey liz."

The girl smiled. Neville was alive. He was okay. She jumped onto the boy, wrapping her arm so tightly around his neck he thought he might suffocate. "You daft! What do you mean hey?!"

* * *

"Don't remember this on the marauders map."

"That's because it never existed before now, the seven secret passages were sealed off before the start of the year. This is the only way in or out now. Grounds are crawling with death eaters and dementors."

Hermione placed a hand on the wall to use as the railing, "how bad is Snape as headmaster?" Neville scoffed, "hardly ever see him, it's the carrows u need to watch out for." Elizabeth squinted, "the carrows?"

"Yeah, brother and sister, in charge of discipline. They like punishment the carrows." He motioned to his face, Elizabeth frowning. "They did that to you? Why?"

"Today's dark arts lesson had us practicing the cruciatus curse. On first years. I refused. Hogwarts has changed."

They made their way to the end of the passageway, Neville grinning. "Let's have a bit of fun, shall we?" He opened the painting door. "Hey listen up you lot! I brought you a surprise!"

Seamus scoffed, "Not more of Aberforth cooking I hope, be surprised if we can digest it." Neville just smirked, stepping to the side and letting Harry step forward.

"Blimey." The kids immediately broke into smiles, jumping up and celebrating. Harry potter was their saving grace.

They climbed down from the painting, Elizabeth being attacked as soon as her feet hit the ground. She looked up to see Luna and Padma.

After a moment the girls released her, allowing Dean and Seamus to hug the girl. Everyone took their turns with the reunion before Neville broke them apart. "Okay let's not kill them before, you-know-who."

Neville smiled, "what's the plan harry?"

The students looked at him hopefully, Harry regretting not taking Hermione up on her plan offer. "Okay. There's something we need to find, something hidden here in the castle. And it may help us defeat you-know-who."

Neville nodded, "right. What is it?"

"We don't know."

Dean raised a brow, "where is it?"

"We don't know that either." Everyone stayed silent. "I realize that's not much to go on."

"That's nothing to go on," Seamus frowned.

Elizabeth couldn't help but smile. It reminded her of the times years ago when they would playfully fight in the common room or when she would help George and Fred prank seamus.

He was making that exact face now, the one he made after getting his eyebrows blown off.

"Um it'll be small, easily concealed. Anyone? Any ideas?"

Luna spoke up, "well there's the lost diadem of rowena ravenclaw." Ron rolled his eyes, "here we go." Elizabeth swatted his arm, Luna continuing. "The diadem of ravenclaw, hasn't anyone heard of it? It's quite famous."

Cho pursed her lips, "yes Luna but it's lost for centuries now. There isn't a person alive today who's seen it."

Ron glanced around, "I'm sorry but can someone tell me what a bloody diadem is."

"It's a sort of crown," Cho explained, "like a tiara."

Suddenly the door to the room they were in opened, Ginny running in. She froze, "Harry." Ron smiled for a moment as Harry waved, "Hi there." The two held eye contact.

Ron scoffed, "six months she hasn't seen me and it's like I'm Frankie first year. I'm her brother."

Seamus smirked, "got lots of those, there's only one Harry."

"Shut up Seamus."

Neville raised a brow, "what is it Ginny?" The redhead girl frowned, seemingly snapping out of her trance, "Snape knows. He knows that Harry was spotted in Hogsmeade."

"They know he's here."