The Lost Diadem

As Neville Longbottom appears through Ariana’s portrait, he is obviously bruised and beaten. Before he left, Neville told a few more Hogwarts students that Harry is at the Hog’s Head with Aberforth; more students will be arriving through the portrait. Harry is amazed that this secret passageway into Hogwarts wasn’t recorded in the Marauder’s Map.

Harry is anxious to search Hogwarts for the Horcrux, so he stays only for a moment to thank Aberforth for saving his life. Then he follows Neville into the portrait with Ron and Hermione. Neville informs Harry, Ron, and Hermione about the negative happenings at Hogwarts as they approach. The new Death Eaters who teach at Hogwarts have been torturing students and teaching them how to do the illegal Cruciatus Curse. The Death Eaters are also the ones who beat Neville as punishment for talking back.

Back when Harry created Dumbledore’s Army (the “D.A.”), Hermione created some fake Galleons that would dictate the changing times of their meetings. Now Neville and the other Hogwarts students in league with Harry are using the coins to communicate with each other. The Death Eaters have been torturing Neville and his grandmother for Neville’s involvement with the D.A. Even though Neville’s grandmother is on the run, she is proud of her grandson at last.

As Neville, Harry, Ron, and Hermione enter the castle, they don’t recognize the room. It is the Room of Requirement: a perfect place for the rebels of the D.A. to hide now that many of them have decided not to return to Hogwarts as students. The members of the D.A. rejoice at the fact that Harry is with them and that the current stories are true: Harry did, in fact, escape from Gringotts on the back of a dragon.

Harry is interrupted by a serious pain in his scar that alerts him of Voldemort’s doings. Voldemort has realized that one of the Horcruxes (the ring) is gone and knows that Harry is searching them out and destroying them. Harry has no more time to rejoice with his friends. He must find the Horcrux at Hogwarts.

Everyone is ready to help Harry. In fact, they thought they would be going to battle for control of Hogwarts immediately. Instead, Harry tells them that they are looking for something to help them destroy Voldemort and that it has to do with Rowena Ravenclaw. Luna reports that the item is most likely Rowena Ravenclaw’s “Lost Diadem;” all they have to do is find it.

As the gang begins looking, Cho Chang suggests that a few of them begin at the statue of Rowena Ravenclaw, which is wearing the diadem. Luna takes Cho Chang and Harry into the Ravenclaw Common Room. The three examine the tiara and the diadem, which contains a few words etched into it: “Wit beyond measure is man’s greatest treasure.” However, they are caught by one of the Death Eaters, who immediately summons Voldemort.