Lion,Tiger and... dragon - 4

The room was much neater than in the Pensieve memory, but it was unmistakably the same. In fact, several of the polished display cases contained some of the orbs and celestial globes he remembered, and in one sat the jeweled mirror that Hepzibah had used repeatedly to check her appearance. Harry suspected the mirror didn't reflect the whole truth, which is probably what had appealed to Hepzibah.

"Ron," Harry called. "Bring that Spell Detector in here, would you?"

He stared around the room, an odd feeling of déjà vu overpowering him as he listened to Ron's clomping footsteps moving closer toward the sitting room. Every instinct in Harry's body told him there was something here. He was tense and alert, and he had the uncomfortable feeling of being watched.

"What is it?" Hermione asked, following Ron into the room. "Oh, this is the same room, isn't it?"

"You can feel it too, then?" Harry asked, relieved.

"Feel what?" Hermione asked.

Harry furrowed his brow. "You knew this was the same room. I thought…" Harry mumbled, his words trailing.

Hermione shook her head. "No. I remember it. The architecture is the same even if it's been painted. I recognize those windows, and the fireplace is slightly off-center."

Harry blinked looking around the room. She was right; the fireplace was off-center. He was again amazed at Hermione's ability to pick up obvious details that he somehow always overlooked.

"Where's Ginny?" he asked.

"She said there was no point in all of us searching the same room, so she kept looking in the entry hall. She said to call her if we find anything," Hermione replied.

"There is loads of magical energy here," Ron said, looking around with the Spell Detectors, "but I don't see anything Dark."

"Keep looking," Harry said grimly. "It's here." He knew it; he could feel it as certainly as if Felix Felicis was telling him.

Harry moved towards the center of the room, imagining the scene in his mind. He could see Hepzibah sitting at her table; Riddle moving towards the locket, drawing his wand. Hepzibah's eyes widened in fear, perhaps realizing too late that she was in trouble. She tried to grab the cup and the locket, but Voldemort would have Banished them from her grasp. They would have flown off the table and landed….here.

Harry opened his eyes, the vision in his mind's eye vanishing as he found himself standing in the corner of the room. A section of the wall was covered with a large, intricately carved wardrobe. He began to shiver, as if a strong, frigid gust of air had blown through him. He could hear Ron and Hermione speaking in the background, but he'd completely tuned out their words and was focused instead on the distinct hum he could hear around the wardrobe.

Using his wand, he moved the large piece of furniture away from the wall and began inspecting it, running his hands all along the rough, painted surface. Muttering to himself, talking through the same movements he'd seen Dumbledore make several months ago.

It was no use; the wall didn't have that same energy. It had vanished the moment he'd moved the wardrobe. Again using his wand, he levitated the wardrobe back in place. Immediately, his shivering returned as his senses heightened.

"What is it, Harry?" Hermione asked, moving next to him.

Harry didn't answer. He began running his hands along the outside of the wardrobe. The vibrations shook him to the core.

"Is there something inside?" Ron asked, putting his hand to the knob and trying to pull it open.

"Watch it," Harry hissed, shoving Ron back.