They all ran towards the Weasley mansion, Ron in the lead. They reached the door and flooded through it, yelling for the Weasley parents. Draco looked in the dining room while Ron ran upstairs with Ginny. Hermione ran through the bathroom under the stairs that led to the kitchen, and Harry checked the family room. Luna simply lifted a small cushion on a chair and sighed when she did not see Mrs. Weasley. They were not there.
Hermione yelled for everyone to come to the kitchen and Harry, Luna and Draco got there first, Ginny and Ron coming down the back staircase and into the kitchen.
"It's a note written by Mrs. Weasley," Hermione said, skimming the letter and looking at Ron. "They say that they are on important business for the order, and for us to stay put."
Ginny looked at Draco. "Did they figure out the riddle as well?"
Ron grabbed the note from Hermione and announced, "Wait there's more!" He read quickly, "There's dinner in the oven and a jug of…"
Hermione rolled her eyes as Ron blushed, putting the note down. His ears were turning red. "Well then we've got to go see if we can help!"
Harry looked at Hermione, and she said, "No, Ron! Not only has Mrs. Weasley ordered us not to leave the house, but remember what Dumbledore said about going on missions by ourselves!"
"Yes!" Ron said indignantly. "He said that we shouldn't do it again by ourselves! But my mum and dad are at the castle now, so we won't be alone!"
Hermione was about to say something, but Draco stood next to Ron and said, "Ron's right. They may need our help. I mean, who knows, right?"
Luna was nodding to herself.
"But," Hermione said, as she could tell she was fighting a losing battle. "We don't even know if they're at Cold Castle!"
"C'mon!" Ron said. "They have to be! The riddle practically says that Voldemort is there!"
"Maybe not!" Hermione responded, looking at each person, eager to get some help. "Ron, why else would Dumbledore say that he wasn't going to Cold Castle?"
Ginny seemed to agree with Hermione, she looked at Ron, expecting an explanation. He simply spat out stumbled phrases before saying, "Harry, will you tell her please??"
Harry felt like he was passed a hot potato. "I- I don't know." He said truthfully. "But maybe it wouldn't hurt to check it out."
Draco, who to everyone's surprise seemed especially fond of the idea of defeating Voldemort, said, "Wait, how are we going to get to this castle? Is it near?"
No one had bothered to explain the door to him, and so for the next minute Ron explained to Draco the secret of the red door hidden in the clubhouse. That by placing a description through the mail slot, whether it be a letter, a photo or even a postcard, the door would open to that location.
"Wicked." Draco said, trying to imagine what adventures the door could be used for.
"Then it's settled." Ron said. "We're going."
********************
They arrived back at the clubhouse, Ron holding the letter Hermione had written while captured by Voldemort as it explained the scenery of Cold castle, the lair that Voldemort had lived in.
Ron opened the small, hidden door and everyone ducked to go through the opening, all arriving in an empty space where a mysterious red door stood in the middle of the room.
"Okay." Ron said as he slid Hermione's letter through the mail slot. "Wands out, mates."
He opened the door and a bitter cold air made them all flinch. They stepped through and looked around them. They found themselves in the middle of a snow covered field with purple mountains in the distance. It was getting dark and the snow under their feet crunched loudly. They looked around the door and saw Cold castle in the distance.
Ginny shivered and asked, "Ron, what about the door? Do we leave it open?"
Ron apparently hadn't thought of what to do about this, for he knew that when they closed the door, it would vanish and leave them stranded at the castle.
Hermione walked up to the door and said, "Here, let me do this."
She spoke some quick words and the tip of her wand lit up in a deep rich purple. She tapped the door frame, which glittered for a moment and then slowly stopped. She lifted her wand, still alit with the purple glow and as though passing on a purple flame, she touched the tip of everyone else's wand, each one glowing. She waved her wand and the purple lights died out.
Ron, utterly bewildered asked, "And what was all that about?"
She shook her head, "It was a pin-point spell." She said it as if it were only too obvious. She then placed a disillusionment charm on the door, so that it disappeared from sight.
Ginny gasped, "What happened to the door?"
Hermione responded, "It's still here." She grabbed the door and twisted the handle, which looked odd since it was all invisible, but the creaking convinced them that the door was indeed there.
"And the pin-point spell will cause your wand tips to glow purple when you get near to the door." Comprehension dawned on everyone.
Draco, who was deeply impressed, said, "So that we don't have to worry about anyone going in, and we don't have to close the door. Clever idea, Granger."
Hermione sniffed and wiped her eyebrow, unconcerned.
"Alright," Ron said, looking at the darkening sky. Let's get to the castle before it gets so dark that we won't be able to find it."
They traveled in a straight line towards the castle which grew in size with every step. There were no lights on inside, which gave it a very creepy appearance.
"Oh, look." Ginny said as they finally reached the castle. "The wall me and Harry destroyed hasn't been covered.
They noticed that there was a giant hole in the side of the castle. They walked towards it silently.
Draco looked at the castle, making a face that no one could read. The castle was large, indeed, but it was only one floor.
They walked into the dark castle, which reminded Harry of the first time he entered Grimmauld Place. It was very cold and gloomy. Everyone started muttering, "Lumos," and their wands lit brightly in the dark.
"Anyone know where the Owlery is?" Draco asked, looking at Harry.
Harry started walking, but his wand light didn't reach very far. "Voldemort was in a large room at the other end of the castle," Harry said, remembering vaguely that Dumbledore had led them all out through this long hall.
Luna stepped in front of Harry. "It's through that door." She was pointing at a door a bit away, her wand light barely touching the door frame.
Draco, who had found Luna to be more of a hindrance than help asked, "And what piece of furniture told you this?"
Harry shook his head, "No, really Luna. How do you know?"
She looked appreciatively at Harry and said, "I saw an owl leaving a window in that room."
Ron shrugged his shoulders at Ginny. "Well, sounds good enough for me."
Draco nodded, "It's worth a look, I suppose."
They walked towards the doorway, Hermione shaking her head in thought and Harry opened the door.
Harry, Draco and Ron jumped in, swinging their wands around to cast light on every inch of the room. There was no one there. "It's alright." Ron called to the girls who were standing outside the doorway. "There's no one here."
They walked in, Ginny in the lead, apparently afraid of the dark. Indeed, there was no one here, not even an owl.
"Great," Draco said, annoyed. "And why is it that we're here?"
Hermione stood, tapping her foot. She apparently was waiting for someone to admit that she was right all along, and that the castle was indeed deserted.
Ron felt horrible and like a fool. It must be true. He stood near a nest where an egg sat. He picked up the egg and tossed it at the wall. It did not break.
They all looked at it, Draco, Harry and Ron standing together and the three girls by the door. The egg sat, quaintly on the floor. The nest that the egg was in started to sink slowly into the stone cabinet beneath it and a loud rumbling noise seemed to be roaring under them.
Ginny, Luna and Hermione all grabbed onto each other, while the guys simply tried standing over the quaking ground. The stones crumbled and everyone fell through.