Chapter 9: The Cursed Necklace

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EXT. MAIN STREET (HOGSMEADE VILLAGE) - DAY

Students lean into a bitter wind, trudging through deep snow.

Hermione: For weeks you carry around this book, practically sleep with it...and you have no desire to find out who The Half-Blood Prince is?
Athena: I didn't say I wasn't curious. And, by the way, I don't sleep with it
Ron: [A sarcastic chortle] Yeah. Right. [As Athena glares] Well, it's true. I like a nice chat before I go to bed. Now you're always reading that bloody book. It's like being with Hermione

"Merlin! Ron's really on one this movie ain't he?" Frank chuckles, everyone laughs and agrees.

This time it's Hermiones turn to glare.

Hermione: Well, I was curious. So I went to ––
Athena/Ron: The library

"The library." Said everyone in the Hall. Hermione went red.

Athena: And?
Hermione: And...nothing. There's no reference to the Half-Blood Prince anywhere
Athena: Good. That settles it then

Hermione starts to object, when:

Hagrid: Hey, you three!

Hagrid emerges out of the trees, beard crusted in white, looking like a crazed Father Christmas. Behind him, deep in the woods, dark silhouettes –– Aurors –– can be seen. Hermione eyes them briefly, then nods to the pulsating burlap bag Hagrid clutches in his fist.

Hermione: What've you got there, Hagrid?

Hagrid tips open the bag. The trio grimace. Hagrid chuckles.

Hagrid: Stinksap. Burn the whiskers right off her chin. Trees 'ere are drippin' with it
Hermione: Stinksap? You're not sick, are you?
Hagrid: It's not fer me. It's fer Aragog. Yeh remember Aragog, don' yeh?

"How could they fucking forget." Ted said.

Ron: Spider? About six feet tall? Ten feet wide?
Hagrid: That's the one. He's taken ill. I'm hopin' ter nurse 'im back. Keep yer fingers crossed

Hagrid crossed his fingers. Ron forces a grin, does the same, shakes his head as Hagrid disappears back into the trees.

Ron: Barking. Does he not remember that raving arachnid tried to eat us? What?

Ron sees Hermione staring at the Aurors again.

Hermione: The Aurors. I know they're here to protect us, but...somehow I don't feel any safer

Just then Athena spies Slughorn, heading down towards the Village, passing a weary Flitwick coming the other way.

Slughorn: Filius! I was hoping to find you at the Three Broomsticks
Flitwick: Emergency choir practice, I'm afraid, Horace

"Bullshit." Coughed Sirius.

Athena watches Slughorn continue on toward the Village.

Athena: Who's up for a butterbeer?

"Athena is on a mission."

INT. THREE BROOMSTICKS - DAY

As the trio enter, Athena glances round, locates Slughorn at the bar, planted plumply on a stool.

Athena: No. Over here

Hermione and Ron, in the midst of seating themselves at a perfectly acceptable –– and clean –– table, see Athena seat herself at one strewn with the detritus of a previous customer –– but which puts her in direct view of Slughorn. They exchange a glance, shrug, join Athena. Ron starts to take the chair directly opposite Athena –– blocking her view.

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