The next morning found me in a good mood again. It is amazing what love can do. I hoped I would see Ben again, but I had a very full day. I bolted off for college, noting that Hermione had come back last night after I had gone to bed; her coat was over mine on the rack. So I didn't even have to worry about Hermione.
After practice and two lectures in the morning, I had quartet practice. Janna had really worked on the Mendelssohn, and everyone had worked hard on the Ravenclaw. We polished that a lot, as there were some passages that were very tricky to keep together, but it was very rewarding, and even energizing. He hadn't really marked dynamics much, so everyone had an invigorating argument about how the music was to be played. It was getting on for mid afternoon when we realized that Samuel and Jenna were late for their violin sectional, and they had to pack in a tearing hurry and sprint away.
I kept the practice room, because James was going to the library, and I did a lot of work on both the Shostakovich and Ravenclaw before my lesson.
My teacher was quite pleased, although a little put out that I had done more work on the Ravenclaw than my Shostakovich. He liked it very much though, and suggested several alterations in fingering which really helped. He said it would make a good solo piece, standing alone as it did without orchestral accompaniment. I asked him when he thought it would have been written, but he laughed at my idea that it could have been a melody composed in medieval times. Even the basic melody, without further arrangement would have been too complicated for that era. I was silent, but the idea that the work was actually Rowena�s and unedited was gripping me more and more.
I met Ben as I left my lesson. He had been waiting outside. He kissed me and asked, �What was that you were playing in there?�
I answered, because I had thought of a perfectly innocent, non Death Eater reason to be interested in Ravenclaws. �Rowena Ravenclaw. Well, it is an anonymous arrangement of a melody she was thought to have composed.� I stopped for a moment as Ben seemed to have paled a little under his tan, and then carried on, �I was interested when I saw the name, as my father has been doing some research and we have Ravenclaws in the family tree. When I saw the book in the library, it seemed like fate. Why? Is something wrong?�
He took the snuffbox out of his pocket. �I�ve been carrying this around with me. Sort of reminds me of you. Here, look inside the lid.�
Inside the lid was engraved �Rowena Ravenclaw, 1786.� So. I had been wrong. Not the Rowena Ravenclaw, but one of her descendants � she must have had a brother or two for the name to come down. The girl in this picture could be one of my great, great, great etc. grandmothers. I grinned. �There you are. She is probably a very many great grandmother of mine. Hence the resemblance. Ben � do you really feel all right?�
�Actually no,� he admitted. �I haven�t eaten today. Do you want to hit the cafeteria?� He tried to take my cello, but I was resolute in carrying it. He looked as if he were about to pass out. We went to the cafeteria, and I sat him down at a table with the instruments and went to forage. I got him a ham salad sandwich, a cup of soup, a banana and a piece of carrot cake, and I got myself a banana to keep him company. I could probably have done with something myself, but I was on a pretty strict budget. However the prices here weren�t that bad, so I picked up two coffees as well.
Ben still looked pale when I got back to the table, but he started to look better after the coffee and a sandwich. He was starting to remind me of Hermione�s Ron with his fixation on food, but his table manners were a whole lot better. He let me share the carrot cake.
I knew he was feeling better when he said, �I shouldn�t have let you pay for all of this.�
�Don�t be silly,� I argued. �You want me to go through all your money before I go through mine? You can treat me next time.�
I gave him back his snuffbox, which I had slipped into my pocket. He passed it back. �You should keep it. Family heirloom.� I hesitated, but I really wanted the box.
�Are you sure?�
He grinned. �I have the original. You can give me a photo. It�ll be easier to put in my wallet.�
�Thank you very much.� I was touched, and absurdly pleased that he wanted a photo of me to carry around. �You should have waited until Christmas.�
�Nah. Get you something else.� We smiled at each other, and then he sprang up. �Got any time to work on the Hindemith? Or I could accompany you on the piano. Unlike you I can actually play the piano quite well.� I smiled a little guiltily. My teacher had obviously been talking to her other students.
We went downstairs and I gathered the courage to ask about the tattoo. To my surprise Ben went a deep scarlet. �Yes, I do have a tattoo, and no, you aren�t seeing it.�
�Oh go on! How bad can it be?�
He grimaced. �Pretty bad. My cousin took me out and got me smashed and I woke up the next morning with a naked bird on my arm. My mother just about went crazy. Even worse is what is written underneath her, and no, I am not showing you, even if you pay me. I am going to have it taken off just as soon as I can. My cousin thought it was hilarious until my mum told him he was going to have to pay to have it taken off.� He grinned at the thought. �So he is saving for the operation.�
I had to laugh, but no amount of coaxing would get him to tell me what was written underneath his naked lady.
So that was another problem solved. Now I only had to find out that there was nothing else that could link Voldemort to a piece of music, and then we could write the potential music Horcrux off our list.
Ben and I played until quite late, and then he asked if I wanted to go back to his place, (which I did, of course), but I had so much undone reading that I reluctantly said I should go home. This time we caught the tube together until we reached Notting Hill, and then he carried on while I rushed off to the Central line.
I didn�t have any classes the next morning, and for some reason I woke up dreadfully early again so I got up, made some coffee, found the rest of the chocolate digestives and caught up on some reading. We hadn�t found anything of Rowena Ravenclaw�s that Voldemort might have used as a Horcrux, except for the music. The others were all certain that there was something from at least three of the Founders of Hogwarts. I had been working at the kitchen table for a bit when Hermione came in, bleary eyed and wrapped in her old pink dressing gown and helped herself to coffee.
She yawned. �You are obscenely cheerful for this time in the morning.�
I looked up. �I haven�t caught you for a while. Did you get Helga�s cup?�
Hermione sat down. �Last night. I think I am going to die young.� She laid her head down on the table. I moved the butter, got up and popped some bread in the toaster.
�Tell me about it. I�ll make you toast.�
�I don�t want toast. I want to be put in refrigeration until everything is over�
I opened the fridge and took out the jam. �No, sorry. The fridge won�t hold you. You�ll have to settle for toast and some good news.�
She picked her head up off the table in time to see me inhaling the last of the digestives. �Good news sounds better than toast.� She looked disapproving. �You should eat something healthy for breakfast, not just biscuits.�
�Biscuits are easier, and I like them.� To divert her, I carried some pictures I had blown up over to her and laid them down on the table in front of her.
�You know those portraits of the Four Founders that you found in that old book?�
She nodded, propping her head up on her hand to study the pictures. As she did, her eyes opened wide.
�Well, I waited until each person walked out of their picture, and then scanned them into the machine. Look what was behind their portraits.�
Behind Hufflepuff there was a mantel, upon which the little silver cup could be seen. What looked like the locket was in a jewel case behind Salazar, and on the wall behind Godric Gryffindor hung a hunting horn and jeweled sword. Then my favourite: behind Rowena, usually hidden by her skirts, a viola de gamba leaning against a chair which had some sheet music and a quill on it. At least, in those times it should have been a viola de gamba, but it looked like a modern cello to me.
Hermione�s eyes widened, and she picked up the printouts.
�You waited until they had left the portraits and then found these in the background?� She grinned. �I always knew I picked the right study partner. Even I never thought of that.�
I smiled smugly. �Could be a breakthrough. Then you would have Marvelo�s ring, the diary, the silver cup, the locket, the horn and the viola de gamba. Perhaps Nagini is not a Horcrux as we thought after all. After all, Voldemort was able to control a basilisk, so why not a snake? Or maybe the instrument or the horn was not used. Of course, it could be just coincidence, but it is worth looking into, don�t you think?�
I buttered her toast, and slathered on strawberry jam. �Here.� I pushed the plate in front of her, and she started to eat mechanically, still thinking, but she looked awake, and happy, which she hadn�t earlier. I topped up her mug with coffee.
She leaned back and stretched happily. �Lauren, I love you! This has made my day. It does seem very likely. I can hardly wait to show the boys.�
�It might not be the answer,� I warned her. �And even if it is, we only know bits and pieces. I have the Ravenclaw music, but the instrument might be key. I am puzzled about the instrument anyway � viola de gambas weren�t really around in the medieval era, let alone cellos. They must have been very advanced in the magical world.�
Hermione shrugged. �The Wizarding world doesn�t really seem to run consecutively with the Muggle world all the time,� she pointed out �After all, in the medieval era there weren�t that many schools either. Even Eton wasn�t founded until King Henry the VIII, so Hogwarts was a very advanced school at that time.�
I took her word for it. She was probably right; it was the sort of thing she always knew.
I checked my watch. �I have to leave soon, but I suppose I am looking for an old viola de gamba? I will check our library to see if I can find anything.�
Hermione yawned. �Well, I�ll update you on the cup when you get back tonight. I don�t feel like rehashing it right now. How come you are going in so early? You don�t have orchestra until this afternoon.�
�Well, I haven�t done any real practice for ages.�
�Do it here,� Hermione suggested. Esm� is on days now, and I quite like hearing your practice in the background. Then you are around if I need to ask you something.�
That decided me. If my practice session was going to be interrupted if I stayed, I needed to be at college. �No, I have some stuff to do as well. Besides, I need to pop into the library. Give my best to Harry and Ron.�
Hermione frowned. �Well, I would if I were speaking to Ron.�
I definitely had to go. If there was another ongoing Hermione/Ron argument, I was going to be out of the house. I grabbed my cello and my bag with the disgusting Horcrux book that I had decided to pursue further, and fled. I pitied Harry having to take the flack, but he was probably inured to it by now, and I wasn�t. Evasive action always works.
It was only nine o�clock when I arrived at college, so there were tons of rooms open, and I fitted myself into one of them quite happily, and worked on both my pieces and some exercises I had been neglecting for the Ravenclaw. Halfway through the morning, Ben knocked on the window, but seeing my automatic glare, he backed off and I heard him tuning up down the hallway.
When I broke for lunch, I went to find him. I wasn�t sure how he would react after my giving him the evil eye, but I wasn�t about to feel guilty about it. My cello had really been suffering with all the Horcrux work and eating out with Ben that I had been doing, and I needed the practice.
Ben was playing with his back to the window, and I stood outside and watched him dreamily, admiring his thick brown hair and golden viola sound, until he turned around with the unerring instinct of someone who feels himself being watched. He opened the door, and I was going to start apologizing for glaring at him, but he started apologizing for interrupting me earlier first. Anyway, we ended up going to lunch together, and then on to orchestra, where I saw Alex for the first time in ages. He was moodily picking at a hangnail and it transpired he wasn�t speaking to Katy, so I guess it wasn�t the best day for romance.
During the ten-minute interval we had, Alex wanted to tell me all his grievances, and took my trying to maintain some sort of neutral ground as a personal insult so he ignored me pointedly for the rest of practice. After practice, I saw Katy looking over at me, obviously intending to come and give me her side of the story and enlist my sympathy. I packed my cello with the speed of long practice, and hared out of the hall, practically bowling John the sockless horn player over in the process. Since he called after me with a lewd comment (brass players always feel they have to act like beer-drinking Neanderthals) I felt perfectly justified in not stopping to apologize, which meant I cleared the hall before Katy had finished packing her reeds.
***********************
Over the next few weeks, Alex and Katy made up, and resumed their natural state of revoltingness. After a quarrel they go through a couple of weeks where it gets very wearing, before they are normal enough to suffer willingly. I didn�t mind quite so much as I usually did, because now I had Ben, and felt quite smugly revolting myself. Both Ben and I are more introverted than Alex and Katie though, so I don�t think we were quite as bad.
I had a lot to do, with the Horcrux searches and college and dating Ben. My cello comes first with me, and so poor Ben complained that he was suffering, but I know it was good for his viola practice, as he sometimes practiced in the room next to mine if I was adamant that I couldn�t go out. I also searched quite unsuccessfully for ancient viola de gambas, taking quite a few Saturdays to haul Ben around various music museums, a fate that (since he hadn�t a clue what I was looking for) he endured in a resigned sort of way. To be honest, I was beginning to lose interest a bit, although I still practiced the Ravenclaw piece diligently. After all, it was unlikely that I would find anything, seeing as I was a Muggle, and I began helping Hermione to look for references to Godric Gryffindor�s hunting horn in various old manuscripts instead when I could spare time from my practice.
It wasn�t until another orchestral rehearsal that my thoughts unwillingly resumed another direction. For once the cellos had very little to do, and Alex and I were mostly counting rests. At least, I was; Alex was unraveling the cuff of a new cream sweater to get it shabby - the way he liked it - and yawning occasionally. Katy had finally agreed to move in with him, and he wasn�t getting much sleep. Our conductor wasn�t particularly good or attentive, and so Alex, who was bored, when he caught Ben looking at me, slipped me a note.
�What is Ben�s tattoo?�
I lost count of my bars, and just then the cellos came in, and our mostly inattentive conductor suddenly got a burst of conscience, noticed us and glared. I was huffy with Alex when we got our usual ten-minute rest, but he thought it was funny.
�Give it a break Lauren! It won�t kill you to have made a mistake � it isn�t as if you are leading the cellos after all. What is Ben�s tattoo? It must be bad, it has been short sleeve weather for ages now, and he is still covered up.�
�So are you!� I snapped grumpily. It was true, but then even during the heat of summer Alex wore sweaters. He even wore sweaters the one time he and Katy had been to the beach. They had photographs of her wearing a teeny tiny bikini, and Alex with his arm around her wearing a ratty dark green sweater and long swimming trunks. He never went into the water, so he never took his sweater off, but I think he would have swum in it if he had to.
Alex saw I was in one of my moods, so he teased me deliberately about Ben�s tattoo until I got up to go and talk to Katy, which was exactly when our conductor came back to resume the second half of rehearsal, at which he sniggered. Honestly I don�t see how Katy puts up with him.
However he had brought up the matter of the tattoo again, which I had forgotten. It was funny that Ben hadn�t shown it to any of the other �lads� in the orchestra. There were quite a few who would have appreciated it. And some of the rumors going around had to be worse than the real thing. Alex had reminded me that nobody had seen it; which did seem a bit odd.
After orchestra, I met Ben, as I usually did. I had been going to suggest to Alex and Katy that we went out together to the nearby pub. Ben didn�t exactly interact with Alex and Katy, and was rather distant when we went out together. I wished he would get to know them properly, as I was sure if he made a bit of an effort that they would get on very well. However since I wasn�t speaking to Alex, there wasn�t much point. Ben and I went for a stroll in Regents Park instead.
Ben looked over. �Cold?�
�No. It isn�t cold. I just wish��
�What?�
I wished he would show me his tattoo. Just to remove any lingering doubts. But I couldn�t ask him. I knew he would just be annoyed and say no anyway. It was enough to make one pout.
�Can we just sit on the grass for a while and watch the water?�
Ben laughed. �If you want. It isn�t very clean though. I would offer you my coat to sit on, but I am not wearing one.�
�It�s quite warm. Why don�t you offer me your sweater?�
Ben gave me a funny look. �It isn�t that hot. Come, we�ll find a place without any rubbish. Here � this isn�t bad.�
He noticed my pout and pulled me to him, whispering in my ear, �Now, you don�t think I�d like my naked lady out in public would you?�
I suppose I hadn�t been that subtle.
We sat very close together by the lake. Ben smelled fantastic, and I could tell from the way he nuzzled into my hair that he felt the same way about me. How could I think such awful horrible thoughts about my terrific boyfriend? I leaned my head back against his, and we murmured the kind of nonsense to each other that is interspersed with kisses.
It was getting dark, and I hadn�t done anything on my viola de gamba search, and I wasn�t going to be able to do anything much now today. I felt a pricking of guilt. Finding the Horcruxes was more important than sitting on the grass making out with Ben. Reluctantly I said I should go home. �My flat mate is waiting for me this evening. We were going to do some work together.�
�You never mention her.� Ben�s voice sounded suspicious. I shrugged. So far I had managed to keep any references to a flat mate to, �the girl who shares with me� and I had never invited him back. I had never been invited back to his place either although I knew he shared with his cousin. We always went out.
�It isn�t a man, if that is what you are thinking. You know, I told you. Her name is Herm�.�
Ben leant forward. �I�m sorry, I didn�t catch that?�
I told you my brain doesn�t work very fast. I was still running on Shakespeare. �Hermia. Sorry � I swallowed at the wrong time.�
Ben pulled me to my feet. �And what does Hermia do?� At my puzzled expression, he reminded me, �You said you were working together.�
�Oh�we�re doing a jigsaw puzzle.� A jigsaw puzzle??? Where had that come from? It obviously startled Ben, who all but stood there with his mouth open. I gathered my wits and my dignity. �I know it sounds odd, but we do that most Fridays. Have a girls� night in with a bottle of wine and a pizza and put in a bit of work on a puzzle. I have been neglecting her for you.�
Ben�s expression said that I really needed to get out more. �I see,� he said politely. I could see that putting a jigsaw puzzle over his company was a bit hard for him to swallow. I tried to back track a little.
�I would have told her I couldn�t make it tonight, but you didn�t say anything about going out, so�� I trailed away.
�Well, can�t I come back with you and help? I am quite good at jigsaw puzzles. At least, I used to be, back in kindergarten.�
�No! No, definitely not.� I realized I had sounded a bit sharp. �It is supposed to be a girls night only. I would have to ask Her..mia,� I coughed, �Before I brought you back with me. How about next Friday instead? Unless you want to do something else?� Which I devoutly hoped he would. I couldn�t see Hermione being crazy about being called Hermia and doing jigsaws all evening instead of working on the Horcrux search. Also it would be a bit difficult to get the flat tidied of everything that shouldn�t be seen.
�Well, we�ll see.� I couldn�t see his expression in the dusk, but Ben sounded disappointed. �I suppose I had better see you back to the tube.�
�I�m sorry.� And I meant it. �What about tomorrow? Do you want to do something?�
Ben looked a bit more cheerful. �Well, they are doing Wozzeck at the English National Opera, and I have standing passes. Do you want to go to that? They have some good viola bits. We could wander around the old bookshops around Trafalgar Square first or perhaps grab something to eat at Covent Garden. I have a weakness for the baked potatoes there, and then we could wander on down to the theater.�
Him and his stomach. I arranged to meet him at the market in the later afternoon, and went home, my heart singing. I was only half way back home when the doubts began to creep in. Hermione hadn�t told me not to use her name, but it was unusual. For some reason, I didn�t trust Ben enough to given him Hermione�s name. And it was the wretched tattoo business. If only I could get a look at that tattoo! And what a mess I had managed to get myself into. Now he would be expecting to do jigsaws of all things next Friday, unless I told him �Hermia� wanted to keep it girls only. I sighed heavily. I would ask Hermione the best thing to do.
Ben couldn�t be a Death Eater. Death Eaters were purebloods and there was no way one would contemplate going out with a Muggle. When I looked into his eyes, I saw genuine affection. He really liked me. I thrust the doubts to the back of my mind, and recalled his last kiss, which kept me pleasantly occupied until I got home, and found the others waiting for me. I was late.
Harry and Ron were waving their wands on the sofa, working through a pile of what I had come to recognize as Defensive Curses books, and Hermione was barely visible between towers of fusty smelling tomes.
�Hey, nice one!� Ron greeted me, waving his hand toward the pictures I had printed off a few weeks earlier. They had been Spellotaped to the wall for a while now. Harry grinned, and nodded.
�Looks like you may have been right. Hermione found a reference to �the Ancient and Aweful Objects� that the founders possessed. It is hinted that they may all come from Atlantis or something. The horn and cup are mentioned, and also the �Instrumente of Rowene� which is a �Special Magic� and �Of Great Unusuallness for the Age�. The locket is not specifically referred to as a locket, but as a �Chain of Great and Unusual Value.� The painting of it is really detailed though � you could almost pick it up.�
�Well, I drew another blank at finding the viola de gamba today,� I said. I wasn�t really telling that much of a lie, but I felt my face redden anyway. It went over Ron�s head, but Harry and Hermione both shot me second glances. �Well, I didn�t really have time to look,� I confessed, as Hermione looked at me suspiciously.
She nodded, but looked faintly disappointed, which made me feel even guiltier. I took out the Horcrux book from my bag (I hadn�t so much as glanced at it today) and took it over to the table by Hermione. I couldn�t repress a shudder at the disgusting feel of it, and the familiar feel of nausea overcame me, before I sternly took myself in hand.
Hermione looked over at me sharply. �What is the matter?�
I grimaced. �Just this book. It makes me feel very sick.�
I was unprepared for their reaction. Harry was at my side in a couple of seconds, only beating Ron because Ron tripped over the coffee table. Hermione had promptly knocked over a tower, and was extinguished beneath a shower of books.
�I thought you looked at this,� Harry said accusingly to Hermione, picking up the book.
�I did!�
�Hang on mate, no use blaming anybody. Lets have a decko then.� Ron took the book from Harry. �Looks OK to me.� He ran his wand over it.
�Well, it feels all slimy and rotten,� I protested. Both Ron and Harry looked at me, and then at the book again.
�Maybe it has a Muggle repelling charm?� suggested Hermione. �I didn�t think of that. I was just looking for curses.�
Harry whipped open a slim volume that lay half buried underneath Hermione�s fallen tower, and flipped through it. �Here we go.� He read some words out, and waved his wand over the book. Immediately it shone orange. All three of them looked at me.
�What?�
�Are you sure you can�t do magic?� asked Hermione. �It has a Muggle repelling charm on it.�
I knew I couldn�t. I knew quite a lot of magic now, from watching the three work, and I must admit that once when Hermione had dashed out of the room, leaving her wand on the table, I had tried a couple of things with no success.
�Well, it disgusts me,� I pointed out. �I only made myself pick it up because I saw the word �Horcrux� on it. Otherwise I wouldn�t have touched it if you had paid me.�
Harry whistled. �Well, we�d be in trouble if all Muggles were as strong-willed as you. Theoretically you shouldn�t have been able to touch this. Here, I�ll take over this book, and you can try these. Ginny found them misfiled at Hogwarts and owled them to us.�
I felt quite smug at being called strong willed, but I was relieved not to have to deal with that slimy book any more. I took the books that Harry held out. They all dealt with musical instruments, and one ancient crumbling manuscript had �Rowena Ravenclaw� on the flyleaf.
�Fair trade?� asked Harry. �There aren�t any pictures of the instruments, but you�ll recognize any description better than I would.�
I hardly heard him, because I had already plunged into the book, which was fascinating. I only just heard Ron mutter something about bloody women and their books before I couldn�t have heard anything more if I had tried.
That was a late night. Since I was the only person with a credit card, I phoned out for Chinese. Harry found the Horcrux book as fascinating as I had, and Ron managed to transform the side table into a boat and back. Hermione sniffed and pointed out that he wasn�t able to tell if it was waterproof or not in the middle of someone�s living room, so I knew they weren�t speaking again.
Just after midnight, I found the description of Rowena�s viola de gamba. It was a four stringed instrument, and from the description it sounded remarkably like a modern cello. It also had the music that I had found in the library in a very old fashioned form on the page. I couldn�t make much sense of the old music notation, but this was a magical book, so I assumed one would be able to listen to it. I called Ron over as Harry and Hermione were both reading. He obligingly got out his wand and started the music for me. The sound of the viola de gamba flowed out into the room. Only it didn�t sound like a medieval instrument. It was rich and full-blooded.
Hermione peered around her columns, which by this time looked like they were ceiling props.
�What is that? I thought you were playing.�
Harry�s glasses fell off and he shot upright. So he hadn�t been reading after all! He had the grace to look shamefaced as he yawned and groped for his glasses again.
I listened and was thrilled. The piece was note for note exactly the way I had learned it, with some variations in tempo and dynamics. So it was a very good candidate for a Horcrux. But would Voldemort have just used the tune, or would he have found the original instrument? And if it had just been the tune, what instrument would he have used? Would it be the viola de gamba in the picture?
Hermione and I had an animated discussion, and then I noticed Harry was asleep again, so we broke up the conference, as it were. We went upstairs and threw down some blankets and the boys stayed over. I rather wondered where Ron was going to sleep, since Harry was still sprawled on the sofa, but I didn�t let it bother me. He was Hermione�s problem and I was tired.