Revelations and Romance

Revelations and Romance chapter 3

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3: Quidditch and Sir Robert

January 6th

On Thursday morning, before breakfast, Harry and Ron came down to the common room and saw a group of Gryffindors reading something on the noticeboard. Ron, with his greater height, was able to read it over people's heads, and told Harry that Angelina had put up a notice about the Quidditch trials next Tuesday afternoon, continuing on Wednesday afternoon if necessary. All the candidates had to tell Angelina before Tuesday that they wanted to be in the trials, and which position they were trying for.

'That'll make it difficult,' said Hermione, who'd come down to the common room while they were trying to get close enough to read the notice. She'd heard Ron telling Harry what it said. 'It'll be dark not very long after the trials start. I wonder why she doesn't do them on Saturday?'

'Because everybody wants to go to Hogsmeade on Saturday,' said Fred, who'd sneaked up behind Hermione. Ron saw there was another new notice on the board. 'And Ravenclaw have booked the pitch for Sunday, to train new players.'

'Oh, it's Charms last thing today,' said Harry as the three of them went down to the Great Hall for breakfast. 'I wonder if Professor Flitwick will have finished checking the headband.'

'I bet he's changed the colours to blue and bronze, the same way he changed Hannah's robes' colour at the Yule Ball. Agh! Now I'm mentioning that stupid Ball!' said Ron.

'You're cracking up, Ron,' said Hermione. 'You need proper treatment -- like some hydrotherapy.'

Harry laughed and shook his head at them. 'Don't you two ever stop?'

'We like not stopping,' she replied.

The first double-lesson of the day was History of Magic. Professor Binns started by testing them on their background reading. Harry put his hand up for some of the earlier questions, the fifteenth century ones, in hopes that Binns would tire of him answering, and not ask him any of the sixteenth century questions, as he hadn't finished the reading. Hermione, of course, tried to answer every question, and Binns called on her quite often, when no other pupil had their hand up. Ron let the other two get on with this, but then got a shock.

'Now, Mr Weasley,' said Professor Binns. He rarely got pupils' names right, so that was a shock in its own right. 'Would you favour the class with the name of the first Minister of Magic?'

Ron froze. He'd done hardly any of the reading, put off by Hermione mentioning that the Malfoy family were in the book. 'Ah, mumblebis Malfoy,' he said, hoping that getting the surname right would be enough for Binns to assume his mumble was the correct given name.

Hermione was looking at him in complete disbelief. It was all right for her, memorising all those names, thought Ron.

'Nonsense,' said Professor Binns. 'Does anybody else know?' Hermione instantly put her hand up. 'Yes?'

'Sir Robert Weasley,' she said clearly.

Now Ron was looking at her in complete disbelief. Had she just said what he thought she'd said?

'I cannot understand why you would find that name so hard to recall, Weasley,' said Professor Binns sternly. Ron felt his face going red as most of the class were looking at him.

After the lesson, the three of them walked to the Transfiguration classroom.

'I can't believe you didn't even bother to do the reading!' Hermione said.

'I was put off the book when you said there were Malfoys in it, and one of them was the first Minister of Magic!' Ron snapped back.

'I didn't! I said he was close to becoming Minister, and that you'd find out all the details when you read it for yourself!'

'Oh. So, am I related to that Weasley?'

Hermione shrugged. 'I don't know. Ask your dad -- or read about all the years in between him and you.'

'I'll ask Dad,' said Ron. Hermione rolled her eyes.

Transfiguration class passed without incident, except for McGonagall glaring at Ron, who was muttering about 'friends' who didn't give people the simplest of hints.

At lunch, Ginny was sitting next to Fen and Colin Creevey. Harry found himself looking up from his plate at her more than he'd intended. Voldemort's still a danger, he reminded himself fiercely.

Hermione had Ancient Runes after lunch, but the two boys had a period of free study. They sat in their usual places in the common room. 'You and Hermione were really arguing after History,' said Harry. 'Are you two ... I mean, there's no problem between you two, is there?'

Ron sighed. 'It depends what you call a problem. I still love her, if that's what you mean.'

'Good.'

'It's just that sometimes I can't stand her. She must have realised I hadn't read any of that after she said there were Malfoys in it. Why couldn't she have mentioned that there were Weasleys in it too, and they were rubbing the Malfoys' noses in it? I'd have read that just for fun!'

Harry couldn't suppress his smile. 'Do you think that's why your families hate each other?'

'Because one of us beat one of them to become Minister? It could be.'

'I don't know anything much about my family's history,' admitted Harry.

'Nor do I,' Ron confessed with a grin. 'I don't know anything about anyone before my grandparents. I just wish Dad had told me that one detail when I was younger; then I'd have answered that question today.'

Harry looked at his watch. 'It's about time for Charms, anyway. I want to know about the headband.'

'Is it OK if I take your Cloak with me? Just in case Hermione and I make up again.'

Harry sighed in exasperation. 'You love her, you can't stand her, but you're hoping to go to the Prefects' bathroom with her again. Yes, all right.'

They didn't have a chance to talk to Professor Flitwick during the lesson. Harry sat next to Ron and Hermione, as usual, and marvelled at the way Hermione kept putting one hand up in the air to answer questions, without making it obvious that the other one was holding Ron's. (They'd kissed and made up again.) After the lesson, Harry approached the Professor, with the other two behind him.

'Ah, yes, Potter,' said Flitwick. 'Now, let me see -- here it is. There is just one minor thing wrong with it, I have to tell you.'

Harry looked at him in alarm.

'This red and gold colouring is completely wrong. It should be blue and bronze.'

Ron laughed, and Flitwick turned to look at him, smiling. 'That's just what I told him you'd say, Professor,' said Ron, still grinning.

'That's a shame. It must mean I need some newer cliches. Well, here you are, Potter. No curses on it at all.'

'At least now we know that,' said Hermione, as they walked along the corridor. 'I wonder why it took so much longer to check the broom?'

'Probably because this is smaller,' Harry said. He was feeling relieved. He much preferred the idea of having shy fans to having sworn enemies. 'Anyway, it's Quidditch practice now -- I'll see you at dinner.'

After a tiring but satisfying practice session, Harry returned happily to the castle. As dinner had already begun, he brought the Firebolt and his bag of Quidditch robes into the Great Hall, where he propped the broom carefully against the wall behind him, with the bag beside it, before he sat down to eat.

Ginny came and sat with them again at dinner, and took a good look at the Firebolt. Harry had taken off his headband, and was trying to loop it round his wrist. Raine had followed Ginny in, and was going to say something when she saw what Harry was holding. 'What's that?' she asked. Harry told her, and added that it was a mysterious gift. 'It's not cursed or anything, is it? I mean, by the Dark Lord or someone?'

Harry explained about Flitwick checking it.

'Oh, good,' she said. 'Can I see it? That thing on the front looks odd.'

Harry held it out to her. She took it, and looked at it more closely. 'Oh,' she laughed, 'it's a Snitch. It didn't look right when I saw it before. Oh, what now?'

She turned round to look at the Slytherins at their table.

'How can you hear anything from over there?' asked Ron curiously.

'They're complaining again. You'd think nobody was allowed to have friends in other houses,' she said bitterly. 'Oh -- nearly took this over there!' She handed it to Harry, then went over to join the other Slytherins.

Ginny watched her go, frowning. 'She's too nice for that house. I wish she was in one of the others. Nobody in Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw would mind her being friends with Gryffindors. You can't change houses, can you?' She turned back to the others.

'I've never heard of anyone doing it,' said Ron.

Ginny sighed, and looked at Harry, who was looking closely at the embroidered Snitch, wondering what Raine thought was odd about it. 'Oh, put it back on,' she urged. He did, lining up the Snitch so that it was at the front. 'It fits just right -- doesn't feel tight at all. It was comfortable while I was flying, too,' he said.

'It keeps the hair out of your eyes a bit better, too,' said Hermione.

'I wonder why Raine was worried about curses on it? I know I did, but why did she?' said Harry.

'She's very cautious about things like that. I think her parents brought her up that way,' said Ginny.

'Oh, right, because they're Aurors.'

After dinner, Harry and Ginny went straight up to the common room, while Ron and Hermione went to the Prefects' bathroom, leaving Ginny wondering where they were. In the common room, Harry and Ginny sat next to each other again, watching Crookshanks washing himself on Hermione's chair.

'Harry, do you think they're spending too much time together? I mean, it'll affect their O.W.Ls.'

'I don't know if Ron's thinking much about O.W.Ls,' said Harry with a grin. 'I'm sure Hermione won't let anything stop her getting more than even Percy did, though.'

'I just don't think it's natural. Ron's being too nice.'

'You should have seen them after History today then!' Harry told her what had happened. 'Do you know anything about that Sir Robert?'

'I've never heard of him. I don't know if we're related or not.'

Ginny got out the Tarot cards again, to do her Divination homework. 'Did you know you still have your headband on?'

'Oh -- I'd forgotten. It's comfortable, anyway. I'll leave it on and see if my secret fan says anything.'

'I thought I was supposed to be your secret fan!'

'But you told me, and now it isn't a secret any more,' said Harry.

Just under an hour later, Ron and Hermione came back into the common room. They sat doing their homework and shooting glances at each other every few lines. If they both looked at the same time, they giggled at being caught.

'They're being really odd,' said Ginny.

'Maybe they'll tell us what it's about later,' said Harry, hoping Ginny would think he didn't know either.

'Maybe,' said Ginny. 'While they're ignoring us, I forgot to ask you -- how was Quidditch practice? Oh, and why do you only do practice on Thursdays now? You used to do it every evening.'

'Angelina's not quite as obsessed as Oliver was,' he told her. 'She wants to study for her N.E.W.Ts, too. Also, she knows that we used to get really tired after Oliver's long practices, and she thinks we play better when we're awake.' He added, 'And it was a good practice session. I caught the Snitch eight times before Angelina got fed up.'

'Do you think I could become a Beater next week? I'd like to follow the twins. Ron wants to be a Beater too -- or a Chaser.'

'Or a Keeper,' added Harry. 'I think you'd be a better Chaser, unless you're a lot stronger than you look.'

'Because I'm short, like Mum, you mean.'

Harry shrugged. 'So am I. I'm not nearly as tall as Ron, and I think Hermione's got a bit taller than me now.'

'Really? I suppose that's true.'

'Beaters need to be able to hit the Bludgers really hard. I don't know how strong you are, but you certainly don't have the sort of bulk and muscles the twins have.'

Ron and Hermione looked at each other and giggled.

'You don't know a spell to build a wall between two chairs, do you?' Ginny asked.

'I must've missed that class.'

'That's a pity. If they couldn't see each other, maybe we could get a conversation out of them.' Ginny picked The Lovers out of the Tarot, and looked at Ron and Hermione. 'I wonder if you can do a reading for two people at once?'

Ron and Hermione looked at her.

'Are you going to talk to me now?' Ginny asked.

'Sorry, we're just enjoying each other's company,' said Hermione.

'When you get to my age, you'll understand,' said Ron.

'The weekend after next?' Ginny asked, teasing.

'Why that weekend?' asked Harry.

Ginny put the card back into the Tarot deck, and didn't answer him. 'Is that headband still comfortable? You've been wearing it for a while now.'

'I wore it during practice, so I ought to put it with the stuff to be washed. It worked to keep the hair out of my eyes though, and I forgot I was still wearing it, so it's that comfortable.' He took it off and noticed something. 'It doesn't have my name on it. I'll have to do something about that before it goes to get washed.'

'Have you got any name tapes you could put on it?' asked Hermione.

'What's a name tape?' asked Ron.

'No, my aunt and uncle got name tapes for Dudley's clothes. Then they just threw an indelible marker at me and told me to get on with it,' said Harry.

Hermione laughed. 'I've got some spares in my trunk -- I could change the name if you want.'

'Oh, yes please.'

'I think I'll practise,' she said, closing her eyes and holding up her wand. 'Accio name tape!'

She opened her eyes and saw a small piece of cloth flying towards her from the stairs to the girls' dorms. She caught it, and put it down on the table.

Ron looked at it. 'How do you get the writing that neat?' he asked.

'They're done on a machine,' said Harry. 'They must make millions of them before the start of each school year.'

'How do you put the name on yours?' asked Hermione.

'Mum has a quill that she uses -- it makes the ink water-proof.'

Hermione tapped the tape with her wand, spoke a charm, and the threads rearranged themselves from 'Hermione Granger' to 'Harry Potter'.

'You've got to tell us how you do these things!' said Harry, amazed. 'It's just as neat as when it was your name.'

She grinned. 'Where's the headband?' He passed it to her, and she carefully placed the tape on it, then tapped it again with her wand, making it stick to the headband.

'You're incredible,' said Harry.

*

Friday began quietly. Hermione had double Ancient Runes, while Harry and Ron had free study. After that, they met up for DADA.

Professor McCardle looked at her notes. 'Half of you really do need to continue practising blocking. I can't allow you to move onto the next stage until I'm certain you can manage to block almost every time, it's just too dangerous. Finnigan and Thomas, I believe you are ready to start blocking more dangerous spells, so I'll talk to you about that once the rest of the class is under way. Potter and Miss Granger, no doubt you want to resume your attempts to kill each other.'

She said the last with a smile, but the others in the class, who hadn't realised what Harry and Hermione were doing in Wednesday's lesson, stared at them, and there was a buzz of chatter. Ron grinned at the two of them.

'Yes, please,' said Harry with a grin. Hermione echoed him.

'Very well, you may continue trying to maim and slaughter each other.'

It took both Harry and Hermione a couple of moments to get their composure back, but then they resumed their duelling and blocking as they had been doing in the earlier lesson. Professor McCardle kept an eye on all four pairs, after instructing Seamus and Dean in the more advanced curses that she wanted them to work on next. Ron and Neville were still not blocking most of each other's Rictusempra curses, and she gave them additional advice. Lavender and Parvati were having the same difficulty as Ron and Neville, and got the same advice. She said no more to Harry and Hermione, merely watching them in apparent fascination, mixed with concern.

Ron continued having problems blocking Neville, and at the end of the lesson Professor McCardle told them she was going to try pairing Neville with Lavender next time, and Ron with Parvati. She praised Seamus and Dean's blocking, and awarded them five points each, to their delight. Then she came over to talk to Harry and Hermione.

'You both seem to have learnt well from the Triwizard Tournament. I would not expect to see fifth-years duelling like that. Fifteen points for each of you.'

Harry and Hermione both grinned at that. The Gryffindors went downstairs for lunch. Ron wasn't happy.

'You two are duelling so well you get fifteen points each, and I can't even block Neville's spells. Neville, of all people!'

'I don't think Neville is nearly as bad at magic as he seems,' said Hermione. 'He seems to have a lot of power, but not much control, so his curses just break through blocking attempts.'

'Oh, of course,' said Ron sarcastically. 'And the other day he wasn't feeling himself when Harry was blocking him, until McCardle switched us round, and then he broke through all my blocks, no problem.'

'Maybe you just need more practice,' suggested Harry.

'Practice! You don't even understand what the problem is!' shouted Ron, who then stormed ahead of them. When they reached the Gryffindor table, he was already sitting next to Fred and George, and there was no room for Harry and Hermione near him. They sat down beside Ginny instead.

'What's wrong with Ron?'

Hermione told her what had happened and what Ron had said.

'"You don't even understand the problem"?' echoed Ginny. 'What's he talking about?'

Neither Harry nor Hermione could answer her.

'We've got DADA next, but we don't do duelling in it,' said Ginny.

'You're lucky. We've got Potions next, and then Herbology. Well, Herbology's all right,' said Harry.

'We had Potions before lunch,' said Ginny. 'Reversed lessons. Oh, and Herbology first thing this morning.'

'Just as long as you don't finish off with Ancient Runes,' joked Hermione. 'That was my first lesson of the day.'

'Almost.' Ginny laughed, and passed her her timetable.

Hermione laughed too. 'Somebody must have been feeling bored when they made these out.'

'Why "almost"?' asked Harry.

'I don't do Ancient Runes, but if I did, it would be then. I do Muggle Studies instead,' said Ginny.

'Your father's influence?' asked Harry.

Ginny nodded.

Ron avoided speaking to either Harry or Hermione during the Potions lesson. He was working at the same desk as Neville, which was a mistake, as Snape reserved most of his criticism for the two of them.

'So, Weasley, you have decided to add your ineptitude to Longbottom's?'

Draco Malfoy was smiling broadly at the sight of Ron being yelled at by Snape. Harry wished he could punch the other boy.

'There is hardly any mistake possible in the brewing of potions which has not already been made by one or both of you, but I see that you have now managed to discover one more. Perhaps you could focus this misplaced ingenuity towards the task of getting something right?' He pointed to the chopped toad horns on the desk. 'Is it really so hard to put all of the ingredients into the cauldron?'

The two of them could do nothing right in his eyes. As they left to go to Herbology, Ron was visibly annoyed, and Hermione caught up with him.

'Snape's an idiot,' she began.

'Don't bother me! Go back and talk to Harry!' he snarled.

She stopped, shocked, and watched him stride down the path to the greenhouses. Harry caught up with her, and they started walking together. 'I heard that. I wonder what's bothering him? Are you all right, Hermione?'

'I am really.' She looked round to make sure nobody else was close enough to hear her. 'That's the first time he's shouted at me since we started sleeping together. Do you think he wishes we hadn't?'

'I really don't know. I doubt it. He was certainly happy enough about it over Christmas, wasn't he?'

Hermione laughed. 'Yes, he was.'

'I wish he'd talk to us. It can't be all that important, whatever it is.'

They'd reached the greenhouses now, so had to stop talking. Ron was working with Neville again, and avoiding Harry and Hermione. Since Neville was good at Herbology, and Professor Sprout tended to praise him, it looked as if Ron was calming down. Ernie and Hannah were working together as usual, but were being more restrained than in the earlier lesson.

At dinner, however, Ron sat with Fred and George again. Harry and Hermione sat by Ginny and Fen. Ginny was concerned about Ron, but they still couldn't say anything to reassure her.

Professor McGonagall came down to the table. 'Potter, Granger, I want to see you in my office after dinner.' She gave no further information, but returned to the staff table.

'What have you been doing?' asked Ginny in surprise.

'It must be something to do with duelling in Dark Arts class,' said Harry.

'It might be something to do with our being Prefects, and tomorrow's Hogsmeade visit,' Hermione pointed out. 'McCardle gave us points for our duelling, so I don't see how it could be anything bad about that.'

'True,' said Harry. 'I was forgetting about Hogsmeade tomorrow.'

After dinner, the four Weasleys went up to the common room, while Harry and Hermione went to McGonagall's office.

'I suppose you know why you're here,' she began without preamble.

'Something about tomorrow's Hogsmeade visit?' asked Hermione.

'No. There are rumours that the two of you were unusually close over the Christmas holidays. In fact, that the two of you chose to sleep together, spending most of the day in bed together.' She looked at the shocked expressions on their faces. 'Now, I know that Potter wasn't even here all the time, and that I saw you doing your homework or playing chess in the common room, so it certainly can't be entirely true. As Prefects, though, you have to set a good example to other pupils, so I am bound to ask you if there is any basis at all to these rumours?'

'What?' exclaimed Hermione. 'Who's spreading these stupid rumours?'

'I can't tell you that. Have you anything to say about it?'

'Yes! I've never slept with Harry!' snapped Hermione.

'Coincidentally, I've never slept with Hermione either,' said Harry. 'I said at Christmas that rumours like this might endanger Hermione's life, and Professor Dumbledore didn't disagree when I said I'd curse anyone spreading these rumours.'

'You cannot curse other pupils, no matter what rumours they spread!'

'If a pupil is helping Voldemort like this, I can, and I will. Why didn't Professor Dumbledore tell me I couldn't, if he disagreed?' asked Harry.

Hermione ignored Harry's question to make her own point. 'This is stupid. You can't possibly believe this. Besides, even if we were sleeping together, you handed out and collected the permission slips for contraceptive potions. I wondered about those -- nobody said anything about why they were handed out. Is the idea to encourage pupils to sleep together? Does the school want to discourage pupils from sleeping together? Is the point of those slips to make sure that if pupils aren't discouraged, at least they won't become pregnant and make the school look bad? Why aren't pupils told anything about the reason for the permission slips?' Hermione was too angry to be as polite as she would usually have been to her Head of house. 'Are Prefects meant to explain about them, although nobody's bothered to tell us? Are we supposed to set an example by using the potions and sleeping together to prove that they work, perhaps?'

McGonagall seemed quite taken aback at Hermione's obvious anger. 'Clearly, I should have phrased my question differently.' she said weakly. 'But you are not to curse anybody!'

'You're not going to answer me about the potions, are you?' Hermione asked.

'It's Lavender and Parvati spreading these rumours again, isn't it?' asked Harry, after waiting a moment in case Hermione's question got an answer.

'Let's not be nasty to them, Harry,' said Hermione. McGonagall wasn't sure she liked Hermione's grin. 'Remember the trouble they were having in Dark Arts? We could help them.'

'How?' asked Harry, grinning back at her.

'Well, they were having such trouble blocking each other's spells. We could give them some practice. We could use the curses we were using in the lesson.'

'I suppose we could. Nice and helpful, that's us.'

'I know perfectly well what you mean, as Professor McCardle told me why she'd awarded you two so many points in today's lesson. You are not to do this,' said Professor McGonagall.

'If we only knew who they were, instead of guessing, we could give them detentions. As Prefects, we should show them what a good example is,' said Hermione.

'Do you expect that approach to work?' asked McGonagall, frowning.

'These rumours could be threatening Hermione's life. I said they'd have to stop somehow. You don't want your favourite pupil to be killed, do you?' said Harry. He was hoping that referring to Hermione like that might lighten her mood.

'Very well. Yes, your guess is right. I did hear the rumours from Miss Brown and Miss Patil. You may give them detentions. I apologise to you both for thinking that there was any basis to them. You may return to your common room now.'

'You're still not going to answer my question though. Never mind,' said Hermione, visibly annoyed.

Harry shrugged, opened the door and waited for Hermione to leave first.

The two of them walked back up the stairs toward Gryffindor Tower. Harry glanced at Hermione. 'You look angrier than Ron did after Potions. But at least I know you've got a good reason, and I agree. Shame she knew what we meant about helping them.'

'I'm just fed up with those two. I'm not even going to say anything to them when I get up there, I'm going to calm down first.'

'We could glare at them and see if they get Petrified.'

Hermione laughed. 'Did you have to kill that Basilisk? I mean, you could have kept it around for emergencies, since you're the only one in the school who can control it.'

'I'm surprised you can joke about it.'

'It's almost three years ago. I suppose I still shouldn't. I won't when Ginny's around; I saw how she reacted to Ron's joke, and he didn't even mean her.'

'What was that about contraceptive potions? I've never heard of those.'

'Most of our year probably got permission slips for them last summer,' she explained. 'The school won't give the potions to pupils under sixteen, and it won't give them without a signed permission slip.'

'Why didn't I get one? Oh -- because I won't be sixteen during the school year?'

'I suppose not. You must have realised Ron and I were using something, or were you expecting me to get pregnant?'

Harry blushed. 'I just thought you'd be using some Muggle method. I didn't really think about it, I was just sure you knew what you were doing and I didn't need to know what it was.'

'I wish she'd answered the question. I'd really like to know if Ron and I are doing anything the staff would disapprove of.'

'So you'll stop if you are?' teased Harry.

'No,' she admitted. 'I'd just be happier if I knew.'

'I hope you never find out. I don't think I could cope with you two getting much happier.'

'You watch out, or I won't wait for you to be ready to block in our next DADA lesson!'

They'd reached the Fat Lady. 'Goosefeathers' said Harry, and the portrait opened to let them in. They could see Ron and Ginny sitting in their usual chairs, with Crookshanks under the table again, and went over to join them. Ron glanced up at their approach, grabbed the parchments he'd been working on, and went over to where the twins were working on their homework.

Hermione slumped into her chair, looking forlornly after Ron. Crookshanks jumped up onto her lap and meowed at her, as though sensing her distress. Harry sat beside Ginny, and asked, 'Did he say anything to you about what's wrong?'

'I asked him, but he just said he didn't want to talk about it.'

'He's hardly spoken to either of us since Dark Arts. I wish he'd tell us what's wrong, this is just stupid.'

'What did McGonagall want to see you about? Was it about Hogsmeade?'

Harry told her the conversation.

'She didn't!'

'She did,' confirmed Harry. 'I don't know why she believed there might be any truth to it.' He didn't tell her he was also wondering why McGonagall still hadn't realised which stairs Ron came down on the morning of New Year's Day. Nor did he feel he ought to ask her if she knew about the permission slips Hermione had mentioned.

'Forget calming down,' Hermione said, putting Crookshanks onto Ron's empty chair and jumping to her feet. 'I'll talk to them now.'

'I'll come with you, to make sure you don't wind up in Azkaban,' said Harry. Ginny giggled.

Hermione glared at the two of them. 'Stop trying to put me in a good mood! You can do that after they suffer.' She strode over to where Lavender and Parvati were sitting, followed by both Harry and Ginny.

'You've been spreading gossip again. Are you too blind to see that it's Ron who I've been kissing, for one thing?' she snapped.

'We know you love Harry, and Ron's just playing along to put us off the scent,' said Lavender.

'You're stupider than you look, then,' said Ginny, irritated by the implied insult to her brother, and forgetting she also hadn't believed Ron and Hermione were really in love when they first told her.

'You're also in detention every afternoon before dinner next week,' said Hermione. 'Both Lavender and Parvati.'

The other two girls' jaws dropped open, and they watched in silence as Hermione stalked back to her chair.

'You should have heard her other idea,' said Harry. 'And, if you do this again, maybe you will.' He and Ginny followed Hermione back over to their chairs.

'What was the other idea?' asked Ginny, when they'd sat down.

Harry told her Hermione's suggestion for helping the two girls with their Dark Arts.

'Oh, I like that one,' said Ginny.

'You just don't want to get Hermione annoyed at you,' he teased.

'Of course I don't! Not with her duelling skills.'

After this, they got on with their homework quietly. Hermione had calmed down after giving the two gossipers detentions, and seemed a lot happier. Harry noticed, though, that she frequently looked up in Ron's direction.

After a while, Fen came over to see them, looking concerned.

'Hello,' said Ginny. 'Do you two know Fen Maris?'

'Hello,' said Harry and Hermione.

'You know Harry and Hermione, don't you?'

'Yes. Er ... it's Hermione I wanted to talk to,' said Fen nervously.

'I won't bite your head off,' said Hermione.

'All right. It's about the Quidditch trials next week. Lavender wanted to try to become a Chaser, but now she can't because of detentions.'

'So she'd like it rearranged? All right, I'll think about it. If she's any good, I don't want to damage the team's chances.'

'Oh, thanks -- I'll go and tell her.'

'How does anyone know about the detentions anyway?' asked Ginny, when Fen had gone back to where Lavender and Parvati were sitting. 'Any teachers, I mean.'

'These badges are enchanted,' said Harry. 'If you touch them while you talk about detentions or taking points off, a quill somewhere writes it down.'

'Oh!' said Ginny admiringly. 'So you don't have to go and tell McGonagall or anyone. That's clever.'

'I think I will rearrange her detention. I do want the Quidditch team to have the best players,' said Hermione.

'Do you think she'd be any good?' asked Harry.

'Probably not,' she said. 'I don't remember her flying particularly well in Flying lessons. But this way she can insist on embarrassing herself in front of the whole team.'

Ginny giggled at Hermione, who smiled back at her and went over to Lavender. She was still smiling when she came back. 'I gave her exactly what she wanted.'

'She didn't look very happy when you were telling her,' said Harry.

'I think she wanted to go to Hogsmeade tomorrow, not be doing detention with Filch.'

'Tomorrow?' asked Ginny.

'She asked me to rearrange it -- it's too late today, so tomorrow was the earliest I could rearrange it to.'

'She is either going to make up the worst possible gossip she can imagine, or give in completely after this,' prophesied Harry.

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Next chapter: A Hogsmeade visit, Ron yells at Harry and Hermione again, Fred and George do something nice, Crookshanks eats something he shouldn't, Hermione explains about the DADA duels, and Voldemort still hasn't attacked openly. If it all fits in.

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