The Princes of Fire & Ice

CHAPTER III: Points of Authority
 
I owe him little duty and less love.
~Henry VI, part 1~
 
Rebellion lay in his way, and he found it.
~Henry IV, part 1~
 
Ron sat in the common room watching Seamus and Hermione “study” with almost morbid curiosity. They had finished doing some research on love potions long ago and now Hermione seemed to be tutoring Seamus in Muggle Studies. Their positions hadn’t changed since Harry had left, except for now Seamus had slid down into the couch next to Hermione. He had one knee pulled up and leaned his elbow on it as he listened to Hermione. She was now sitting cross-legged with her face turned to him, obviously animating something to him.
 
“Um, Ron?”
 
Ron started, looking up to follow the voice. It was Ginny. She gave a little laugh at his reaction and plopped down next to him. Looking over at Hermione and Seamus, she smiled secretly.
 
“Ah, Hermione-Seamus gazing, are we?”
 
“Is there anything I should be looking for?” he asked rather distraughtly. Ginny gave him a weird look and then glanced back over at the two.
 
“Well… I think it is clear they are both flirting. I mean, I think originally Seamus was flirting – he initiated it. We all know he needs help in some of his classes, but really… the laughing and the cozying-up… But, then again, Hermione is responding quite well. She is laughing and she hasn’t moved from his side all night.”
 
Ron looked at her in horror.
 
“Ick,” he said. Ginny laughed again.
 
“I think Snape knows more than we do.”
 
“Oh?”
 
“Yeah, I heard about your assignments. Giving Crabbe and Goyle the Wit-Sharpening potion? That proves he has a sense of humor. Hermione and Seamus getting a love potion? Maybe he has a sixth sense.” She winked conspiratorially at Ron, who was now pretending he was going to be sick.
 
“Well, what about Dean and I – getting the Polyjuice Potion?”
 
Ginny gave her brother a look.
 
“I don’t even want to know…”
 
“Hey!” Ron exclaimed indignantly, but then a softer ‘hey’ followed as he thought of something. “What about him pairing up Harry and Malfoy – and giving them the strongest truth serum?”
 
Ginny shuddered.
 
“I really don’t want to think about that. In fact, it’s late – I’m going to bed.” With that she leaned over and lightly kissed Ron good night on his forehead in a sisterly fashion and hurried up the stairs to the girl’s dormitory.
 
Suddenly the combination of ‘Malfoy’ and ‘it’s late’ caused him to glance up at the clock. Quarter to midnight. Harry had been gone almost three hours. How long could it take to finish a truth potion? Definitely not that long – even with the obligatory arguments he was sure Harry and Malfoy would go through. But… Malfoy was the best potions student. He should be able to whip up a potion in and hour or less, and one would think he’d want it done even faster if it meant he could escape Harry that much sooner. And as for Harry, he had already done most of the research. This should have been a quick meeting.
 
Well, maybe they discussed the match today, like Harry seemed to be hinting at.
 
But, no, Ron scrapped that thought. Malfoy would never reveal anything to Harry. That conversation was dead in the water. As was his theory on Harry’s tardiness.
 
“I wonder what’s holding Harry up?” Ron mused aloud. Seamus turned to him and raised his eyebrows.
 
“Interesting choice of words, Ron,” Seamus said lightly.
 
Hermione gave a little laugh at Seamus but then some concern filled her eyes.
 
“He’s working on his potion with Malfoy?”
 
“He can’t still be, though,” Ron said. “I mean – three hours?”
 
“Maybe Malfoy’s holding him up…” Seamus ventured.
 
“Seamus!” Hermione exclaimed horrified. Seamus gave an evil laugh in response.
 
“Ugh,” Ron whispered. “I was trying to avoid that.”
 
“Sorry,” Seamus said, though he didn’t look it. “Where were they meeting?”
 
“In the storage room of the Astronomy Tower on the fifth floor,” Ron said.
 
“The Astronomy Tower?” Seamus said with a glint in his eye. Everyone knew that the Astronomy Tower in Hogwarts was more a making out location than a study area.

Hermione and Ron ignored him.
 
“Maybe we should go there,” Hermione suggested. “Check up on Harry. Make sure he’s okay.”
 
“Yeah,” Ron replied. “We could use Harry’s cloak.”
 
“Okay, go get it. Let’s go!” Seamus piped up. Ron gave him a strange look. “What?” he continued defensively, a glint of boastful amusement in his eye. “You just wait, I’ll prove myself.”
 
“Later, Seamus, later…” Hermione said wryly, to both Ron and Seamus’ surprise. Seamus actually blushed (which was usually really hard to do!)
 
“Anyway, Finnigan, so far this isn’t some big adventure,” Ron said, pushing away the dirty thoughts and images he was getting of Hermione and Seamus. “We are just going to the storage room-”
 
“Then, let’s go!” Seamus repeated again with so much enthusiasm – if that was the appropriate term for it– that Ron shrugged and ran up to get the cloak from Harry’s trunk. After all, he knew from experience that it was difficult but possible to fit three people under the cloak and sneak around the school grounds.
 
He rummaged around in the trunk for a few seconds before locating the cloak and then ran back down the stairs with it tightly gripped in his hands. Hermione and Seamus were waiting for him by the Portrait Hole and they quickly sandwiched themselves together with Hermione in the middle so Ron could drape the cloak over all three of them. Without a second glance they all tiptoed out of the portrait hole and headed for the Tower.