Chapter 154: Locked Cabinets
The Black family library had hundreds of books divided into five shelves, two tables and few scattered chairs. The room was really dusty, Chris snapped her fingers two times and cleaned the room.
"Seems like we found Hermione's heaven." Ginny said.
"Nope. I don't think Hermione will read these." Chris said, running her fingers on a book on the shelf. "This are Dark Arts books. Look, 'Darkest Spells of all Time', 'Cursed Artifacts', "Death in Hands.' Sirius's family was really into Dark Arts."
"I've understood that, the moment we step into this place." Ginny replied, checking the books, which were already on the table. "When we started cleaning the bedrooms, first day, a weird clock shot bolts at us. Sirius, Lupin, Bill, Mom and Dad needed the entire day to stop it and throw it out. Also, remember, I told you, the day you came, some robes tried to strangle Ron."
"Yup, but I still think that was just Ron being Ron, attracting unnecessary troubles." Chris laughed.
Ginny rolled her eyes.
"So if you're still don't like my brother, then suddenly, why're you getting along with him so well?" she asked.
"Hey, it's true that I'm not a big fan of your brother, but that doesn't mean, I'll behave badly with him without any reason." Chris said, taking a book from the shelf. "Let's read some Dark Arts books, shall we?"
"I don't know.. if it's a good idea." Ginny replied looking around the books.
"We're not practicing dark arts Ginny, we're just reading about it," said Chris sitting on a chair. "... and I think, if you don't know what're you facing, how are you going to stop it? But it's upto you, if you don't want to read..."
"Well, we never know, there might something which will help us in future." Ginny said, sitting beside Chris.
Chris grinned.
"Let's see what we've here." Ginny pulled the books scattered on the table. "Who do you think was last person, here?"
"No idea. Maybe Sirius's mother or father." Chris shrugged. "What're you reading?"
"Blood Traces. You?"
"Death Defeated."
Both of them giggled then started reading the books seriously.
Almost after a hour, they got up hearing Hermione's voice. Chris and Ginny hurriedly closed the books and went downstairs.
Mrs. Weasley ordered them to clean the rest of the cabinets in her supervision. Charlie, Lupin and Leyla were joining them in this task, as the job really required a lot of concentration. Many of the objects in there seemed very reluctant to leave their dusty shelves. Lupin sustained a bad bite from a silver snuffbox; within seconds, his bitten hand had developed an unpleasant crusty covering like a tough brown glove.
"It's okay," he said, examining the hand with interest before tapping it lightly with his wand and restoring its skin to normal, "must be Wartcap powder in there."
He threw the box aside into the sack where they were depositing the debris from the cabinets; Chris saw George wrap his own hand carefully in a cloth moments later and sneak the box into his pocket.
They found an unpleasant-looking silver instrument, something like a many-legged pair of tweezers, which scuttled up Ron's arm like a spider when he picked it up, and attempted to puncture his skin; he continued screaming even after Leyla seized it and blast it with her wand. There was a musical box that emitted a faintly sinister, tinkling tune when wound, and the boys were becoming curiously weak and sleepy until Ginny and Chris understood that it must me a powerful Veela song and slam the lid shut. Then they found a heavy locket, which was hidden inside a locked cabinet. Everyone tried to open but failed, at last when Chris took it for try, she found the locket curiously familiar.
"What's wrong?" Hermione asked as she saw Chris staring at the locket. "Did you try to open it?"
"No." Chris said, still eyes at the locket. "I've seen this locket somewhere."
"But we're here for the first time and I don't think.."
"It's important, Hermione." Chris snapped out the daze. "It somehow reminds me of something or someone."
"Who?" Hermione whispered keeping an eye on Mrs. Weasley who was busy talking to Lupin.
"Weird." Chris said tracing the snake mark on the locket. "I don't understand."
"Is the locket to opened yet?" Mrs. Weasley called before Hermione can ask anything else. "If not, then just throw it in that basket."
"Sure, Mrs. Weasley." Hermione replied taking the locket from Chris's hand.
"Hermione..." Chris tried to take it back.
But as soon Mrs. Weasley turned her back at them, Hermione slid the locket in Chris's hand.
"Take it if you feel it's important." Hermione whispered. "I trust you."
Chris stared at her for few moments then grinned.
"Thanks."
Surprisingly Hermione even didn't mind the twins smuggling things. After this Chris and Ginny both agreed on, that they should show the library to Hermione.
Several times, Kreacher sidled into the room and attempted to smuggle things away under his loincloth. Kreacher muttered horrible curses every time they caught him at it, but abruptly stopped every time he noticed Chris glaring at him.
"He's just trying to protect the family things." Hermione said quietly. "We should give some of this things to him."
Mrs. Weasley protested and said that Sirius asked them to throw everything away, and they shouldn't give it to the house-elf. But then Kreacher burst into tears, so Chris, Ginny and Hermione sneaked some valuable things, like an Order of Merlin, First Class award, a large golden ring bearing the Black crest, some gold plate and coins bearing Black family name, gave it to him. First Kreacher tried to refuse seeing Hermione and Ginny, then Chris ordered him, so he took them reluctantly, except the fact that he looked less grumpy afterwards.
At last they had dinner and Chris fell into her bed.
"Oh God. I'm too tired." Ginny moaned sitting on her bed.
"Me too." Hermione said.
Chris opened her mouth to agree with them but just then a screech owl entered their room. It stopped in front of Chris, Chris pulled the letter from its leg and the owl took off without waiting.
Chris opened the letter as Ginny and Hermione stared at her.
All are lies. Harry Potter and Christina Norton are liars. They just want attention. They just want to be famous nothing else. Don't worry about them.
R.S.
Chris smirked reading the letter, then pulled out a vial from her trunk and poured two drop of the liquid, on the paper. Curiously Ginny and Hermione came towards her and looked at the letter.
"Who wrote you such horrible thi..." But the rest of the words died down in Hermione's throat, as the words in the letter started to dissolve and some different words appeared on the letter.