An Unbreakable Vow ~ Harry Potter

xxix - in which hermione is scandalized about the boys' dorms

"You cannot be serious," Hermione said, clutching at Ron's arm tightly despite her refusal to talk to him just an hour before. "In the boys' dorms?! This isn't allowed! It's breaking so many rules! How do you know it's not charmed to —"

"Relax, goody-two-shoes," Ron laughed. "The boys can't get into the girls' dormitories, not the other way around. What girl would willingly go into the pigsty that is the boys' dorms?"

"What?!" Hermine screeched, digging her nails further into Ron's arm. He winced a little.

"Knock off your arguing, will you?" Valerie said nervously. She wasn't sure what would happen when they tried to enter, but it was a risk that they were willing to take.

After much coaxing and reassurance from Harry, Valerie had confided her story to Hermione and Ron, who both agreed that they should try to meet in private to figure out the mystery of her locket and her past.

Harry tentatively edged closer to Valerie. He was very protective of her ever since she had told him about her insecurities. She had trusted him, and him alone, before she had gone to anyone else.

Valerie was comforted by his protectiveness, but sometimes it felt a bit stifling. He had given hints at romance between them, but then friend-zoned her. Sometimes, his intentions left her confused and hurt.

They finally reached the dorms. Seamus, Dean, and Neville were out at Hogsmeade. The group had decided not to go, so they were left alone.

Harry knocked, putting his ear to the door before opening it slowly. His smile brightened, and he gestured to the inside, waving his hand for the girls to follow him inside. Ron huffed and trudged behind.

The room was quite simple, with an array of beds pushed against the wall and trunks at the end of each. Red curtains with gold lions hung from the bedposts, completing the cosy atmosphere. It smelled surprisingly like cinnamon, with just a hint of boys' sweat. Not too bad, Valerie thought.

When the door finally closed, everyone exhaled a sigh of relief.

"Nothing happened, see?" Ron triumphantly said, waving a hand in Hermione's face. She scoffed.

"I guess they didn't charm it," said Harry.

"Thanks for that, I couldn't tell," Hermione sarcastically said, before brightening up again. "I found the lesson today very intriguing. Moody talked about dark magic in a way that I've never thought about before. However, I was disappointed that he gave us next to no homework."

"Next to no homework?" Ron asked, shocked. "I'd like less homework next time!"

Hermione stepped over a pile of clothes and sat down on Harry's neatly made bed. She made quite an effort to ignore Ron, although Valerie noticed that her hands were balled up at her sides. "Alright. Moody said that the spell incantation was dissero. He also said that you had to mean it when you said it aloud, just like with any dark curse. However —"

"Wait — you want to talk about the lesson after we just got out of class?" Ron complained, leaning his chin on his hand.

"Ron!" Hermione said, smacking him on the arm. "You're getting on my last nerve! Just listen! But I guess you don't like listening to me, do you? It's like the Yule Ball all over again!"

Valerie hated Ron and Hermione's fights. Her and Harry exchanged looks and placed themselves between the two, making sure to add extra distance. Finally, Hermione had calmed down enough to speak.

"If you would stop interrupting me, you'd notice that Valerie's locket looks like it should be opened. She got the locket from her father, right, Valerie?"

Valerie nodded. "It was my father's. My mother gave it to me before I went to Hogwarts. She told me that he meant to give it to me, but he couldn't be there —" Valerie stopped, willing herself not to break down in front of her friends. She couldn't shake the feeling of Harry's eyes on her, his concerned gaze piercing her soul.

"You think that the locket was sealed by — or sealed to protect it from dark magic?" Harry asked Hermione.

Hermione nodded. "That's my theory. Everything matches up. If Valerie's dad — what was his name — oh, Everett — was under the effects of imperio — then he would've sealed the locket with dark magic."

"Do you think he used dissero?" Valerie asked, the pieces clicking to place in her mind. "That means —"

"Dissero!" Ron said, flicking his wand at the locket on Valerie's neck.

"Nothing happened, idiot! Did you even listen to what Moody said? You have to mean it. Also, it's a special incantation. You have to think it in your head, as if using a nonverbal incantation, while actually saying it. Also, the movement is one of the most complicated wand gestures I've ever seen or read about."

"I only heard half of what she said," Ron whispered to Harry.

Hermione took out her wand and traced the shape of a keyhole in the air. Her clear voice rang out: "Dissero!" She looked to be concentrating intently.

Ron scoffed, crossing his arms around his chest. "See? Nothing happened."

"You can't be talking," Hermione retorted nastily.

Valerie sighed. Not this again. "Alright, I'll try. I do mean it."

"But you can't just —"

"Hermione!" Harry warned. Hermione opened her mouth, but then thought better of it and closed it again.

Valerie closed her eyes and concentrated hard, thinking about unlocking the locket that was now laying in front of her on the bed. C'mon, c'mon. Please.

"Dissero!" she said, waving the wand in a precise movement. The locket shivered, gave a green glow, and then finally opened a crack.

"Hah! You're a genius!" Ron exclaimed, leaning towards the locket. Before he could grab it, Harry stopped him, handing the locket to Valerie instead.

"Here you go."

Valerie smiled and took the locket, running her fingers over the grooves of the little snitch. She gently pushed the lock open.

Nothing. There was absolutely nothing in it. Except —

Then she was shutting the locket; then she was holding it tight to her chest, tears pricking her eyes.

There wasn't just nothing. A small picture of a young man and woman holding a small baby was locked tightly on the inside.

Ron and Hermione watched in astonishment as Harry carefully wrapped his arms around Valerie. He didn't know what she had seen. None of them had asked. But he knew. He knew her struggles to open up about her past, her struggles to keep herself together as she opened the last fragment of her father.

So she hugged him so tight, until she felt like she would be crushed by his embrace. Ron and Hermione stood at the side awkwardly before wrapping their arms around the both of them. They stayed like that for a little while, in one big hug.