Chapter 306 - Platonic (2/2)

”And you are still looking for them. Is that where you've been going when you've been leaving the school, Professor?” asked Chris.

”Yes and no,” said Dumbledore. ”I have been looking for them but I am also visiting the places where Malgino lived and grew up before he attended Hogwarts. I have also visited a few places he went after he left Hogwarts. Though I have to say, I didn't expect very much from those places considering the amount of time had passed after that.”

”You have?” Chris gaped at Dumbledore.

”Yes, Christina,” Dumbledore nodded. ”But I am afraid I am not so close to the secret of Malgino as much as I am to Voldemort's. But there are hopeful signs for the next Horcrux.”

Chris leaned back on her chair feeling a little better. If they were close to the next Horcrux then they will soon found out about Malgino.

”And if you do find the next one, sir,” said Harry quickly, ”can I come with you and help get rid of it?”

Dumbledore looked at Harry very intently for a moment before saying, ”Yes, I think so.”

”I can?” said Harry, thoroughly taken aback.

”Yes, you both can,” said Dumbledore smiling as he saw Chris opening her mouth. ”I think I will need your assistance.”

****

”Hey,” said Chris sitting beside Harry in the common room.

”Hi,” smiled Harry.

It was the first day of the Easter holidays and Hermione, as was her custom, had spent a large part of the day drawing up study schedules for Chris, Ginny, Colin and Luna for their O.W.L.s.

While Ginny, Colin and Ron sat near Hermione talking and watching her tapping each little square on their schedules with her wand so that it flashed a different colour according to its subject, Harry and Chris sat near the window.

”Well, umm — Harry, I was just —” Chris sighed. ”Look, I'm a little uneasy about the whole Slughorn thing. I just want to ask, can we go back to being friends, like we were before?”

”Yeah,” Harry said after a moment. ”Sure. No problem. The Slughorn thing was not that weird. I mean, you were just helping me, weren't you? I am very thankful for that and we're good, don't worry.”

”Great,” Chris smiled.

”Chris, what do you think?” Hermione said holding up the schedules.

”Lovely,” Chris said sliding up to them.

Yeah, keep things platonic and everything will go back to normal. That's it!

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To be continued. . .