Chapter Nine
"Quidditch!"
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters. All characters are creations of Joanne K. Rowling, © 2007, to whom I am deeply indebted. I make no money from any of this. I'm just taking her world and tweaking it a bit. ALSO, I used some of the text from the Philosopher's Stone and that most definitely belongs to J.K. Rowling.
Note One: A big thanks to the_scribbler for being my awesomesauce beta/editor!
Note Two: I want to thank every single one of you who has reviewed this story so far. It really means a lot to me that you've taken the time to send a review, even if it was just "Great chapter!" So… thank you!! You guys keep me motivated.
Note Three (IMPORTANT!!): There will be NO chapter next Thursday! A lot of my extracurricular activities are merging together this month and I simply don't have the spare time. This means, unfortunately, that Her Story has to be put on the back burner for a couple of weeks. Sorry guys!
EDITED 06/13/2011: Some dates changed and minor edits.
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5 November, 1991
November arrived in full force and Hermione found herself busier than ever. The teachers seemed to think the first years had had enough time to settle into life at Hogwarts and became relentless, giving them mounds of homework each lesson. Hermione couldn't believe that she was actually finding herself struggling a tiny bit. She still was able to finish her homework as soon as it was assigned, but she had so much to do that she wasn't able to find the time rewrite the notes from her lessons. She was also spending a lot of time with Harry and Ron in the past few days and that was taking up precious revision time as well, but Hermione didn't find herself caring all too much about that.
Harry was having a harder time than Hermione. He had told her that Professor McGonagall had put him on the Gryffindor Quidditch team (Hermione nearly had a heart attack at this, everyone knew that first years weren't allowed to play Quidditch!) and had to practice in secret. Unfortunately, Ron accidentally let it slip one night while Harry was at practice that he was the new Seeker. By the end of the next day, everyone knew who Gryffindor's new Seeker was. Poor Harry was already stressed out about his first ever Quidditch match and, now that people were going up to him to either wish him luck or pray he didn't fall off his broom too soon into the match, his anxiety was mounting. All that added pressure plus the copious amount of homework he was getting was making him a little high strung.
As Harry's first Quidditch match neared, Hermione found herself doing little things to help make the homework a little easier for him. Professor Binns and a few other teachers had started to assign many chapters to read weekly and Hermione had taken it upon herself to reread the chapters and write up a synopsis for Harry. She knew with Harry's vigorous Quidditch schedule (the team captain Oliver Wood was relentless, making them do last minute practices almost nightly now) he would never have the time to read all the chapters, much less study from them.
Hermione decided to write up the notes in secret, she knew that Ron would try and con her into doing the same for him - he already managed to convince her to look over his homework when she had offered to do it for Harry. She didn't mind doing it since it showed that Ron was starting to get serious about school, but asking for her to write out extra notes for him would be drawing the line.
Currently, Hermione was in the empty common room finishing up the last note for their History of Magic exam on Monday. She had decided to give the notes to Harry when he returned from Quidditch practice that night but didn't think that they would be out this late. Her eyes itched from tiredness and she rubbed them, yawning loudly. Raising her arms over her head Hermione stretched, groaning, and allowed herself to rest her head on her textbook.
Hermione woke to someone nudging her gently. Her eyes shot open and she sat up, looking around in surprise - she didn't remember falling asleep. Harry was standing beside her, looking exhausted and frozen to the bone but he had an amused smile when she turned to look at him. "What are you doing?" he asked.
"I, um," Hermione cleared her throat and began to gather the pages of notes together. "I wanted to give these to you."
"What are they?" Harry asked, sitting in the chair beside her. She handed him the notes and he flipped through them, looking confused.
"You've been really busy lately and I know you don't have the time to do the required reading we keep getting assigned," Hermione said quickly, feeling her face start to heat up. She didn't know why she was getting embarrassed. "So I wrote those for you. If you read them, you'll do fine."
"Wow, Hermione," Harry whispered, looking up at her. "This is… thank you."
"You're welcome, Harry. Just don't tell Ron," she added quickly. "I don't have anything against him but I know he'll start to bug me about me doing the same for him and -"
"It'll be our secret," Harry interrupted, winking at her.
"Thank you," Hermione sighed. She glanced at Harry, frowning. He had stopped shaking but still looked like he had a chill. "How was practice?"
He shrugged. "Aside from the weather and Oliver obsessing over every possible play Slytherin might do against us? Good."
"That sounds… pleasant," Hermione winced. "He isn't pushing you too hard is he? If he is, we can always go to Professor McGonagall."
"Its fine," Harry shook his head with a small grin. "I really do love it and this match means a lot to Oliver…" He trailed off. Licking his lips, he looked sheepishly at Hermione, "Can I tell you a secret?"
"Of course," Hermione nodded immediately, leaning forward.
"I'm terrified for Saturday," he confessed quietly, looking guilty. "Oliver and the others keep saying I have this skill, but what if I'm complete rubbish when it really matters?"
"Harry," she sighed, wanting to comfort him. He looked so sad and alone at that moment. "You won't be rubbish. Even though you were breaking about a dozen rules when you followed Malfoy during the flying lesson, it was clear to everyone that you had a natural talent."
She watched, amused, as Harry's cheeks began to redden and he shifted. "Thanks, Hermione."
A sudden idea hit her. She smiled, "Wait here, I have something for you."
She got up from the chair and ran up the stairs, quietly opening the door and entering the dormitory. The soft, feminine snores of her dorm mates greeted her as she padded to her trunk. She opened it and grabbed the large book, closing her trunk and exiting the room. She felt anxious about giving him a library book that was in her name but knew that it would help calm Harry's nerves. She returned to the common room and handed Harry the book.
"Quidditch through the Ages?" he read, looking at the cover.
"I took it out of the library for some help when I found out we'd be having flying lessons," Hermione explained. "I figure you need it more than I do right now. It has a lot of great information about the history, rules, fouls, and even has game-play tips during matches."
"This is brilliant," Harry breathed, opening the book and flipping through it.
"Just don't go losing it," she said seriously. "I'm on good terms with Madam Pince and I don't want to change that."
"I'll take good care of it," he promised, grinning at Hermione.
"I know you will," she replied, yawning. "Anyway, I think it's time for bed. I'll see you in the morning, Harry."
"Good night, Hermione," Harry said. Hermione expected him to get up as well and was surprised when he leaned back into his seat and started to read. Shaking her head, she made her way up the stairs.
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6 November, 1991
Hermione narrowed her eyes, frustrated at the board in front of her. Ron was grinning at her from across the table as he waited for her to make a move. After a few minutes, she directed a knight to an empty square only to have it squeak an insult at her. Ron's grin grew wider as his pawn body slammed the knight Hermione had just instructed to move and it smashed into little white pieces.
"This game is barbaric," Hermione grumbled, crossing her arms.
"You're just saying that because you suck at it," Ron grinned. "It's your go so stop stalling."
"I don't know why you insisted on playing me," Hermione said, instructing a pawn to move. "These pieces don't even listen to me!"
"That's because you-"
"Don't you dare finish that sentence," Hermione warned. Ron chuckled as his own pawn smashed Hermione's. She groaned and flopped back into her chair. "You win, I give up."
"Come on, Hermione," Ron coaxed.
"Are you two finished?" Fay asked, coming up to the table. Shae and Dean followed behind her.
"Yes, we are," Hermione said quickly before Ron could say anything. "What do you need?"
"We have an idea," Shae began, smiling brightly, "and would like you two to be in on it."
"What kind of idea?" Ron asked.
"For Harry's Quidditch match," Fay said, sitting on the arm of Ron's armchair. "He's been stressing and worrying for the past week and we want to do something to calm him down."
Hermione grinned and looked towards Ron, who was also grinning. "We're in," Ron announced, clearing the chess board.
"What did you have in mind?" Hermione asked.
"We can't think of anything," Fay shrugged. She nodded towards where some sofas and armchairs were unoccupied and got up, leading the rest of them over. "We were thinking you could help come up with something."
"It should be something that Harry can see during the match," Hermione said, recalling Harry's confession to her last night, "something that'll give him a boost of confidence."
"Like a banner?" Dean asked.
"I like that!" Shae nodded. "And it can say something like… Potter for President!" Hermione snorted and rolled her eyes; Shae was always coming up with silly little sayings like that.
"He'd get a kick out of that," Ron laughed.
"What will it be on?" Fay asked, grinning.
"I have a white bed sheet Scabbers chewed through," Ron suggested. "It'd be big enough for Harry to see it while he's playing."
In the end they decided that Dean, who announced he was good at drawing, would draw the Gryffindor lion underneath Potter for President. Hermione wanted to be a part of making the banner so she told everyone about a charm she knew to bewitch the slogan to make it flash between red and gold.
Ron and Dean got up and hurried to the boy's dormitory to grab the ruined sheet and Dean's art supplies he'd brought from home. They returned after a few moments and helped everyone clear a space so the sheet could be spread out on the floor. Hermione used a severing charm she had read about to get rid of the corner where Scabbers had destroyed the bed sheet as Dean laid out his supplies on the floor, staring at his canvas.
"Don't worry about messing up," Hermione said, watching as he dipped a thick brush into some black ink. "I know a spell that can erase ink."
"Thanks Hermione," Dean grinned up at her and then started writing `P' in an elaborate font.
Dean turned out to be an extremely good artist, surprising everyone by finishing his drawing of a lion (which looked amazing) in just under an hour and a half. They agreed to bring the banner up to the girl's dormitory to dry - Harry would see it if they left it in the boy's and it was also at risk from Ron's rat.
The rest of the week flew by quickly and it was soon the Friday night before the big match. The banner for Harry now twinkled red and gold merrily and was stored in Hermione's trunk for safe keeping.
Harry sat in his armchair, fidgeting uncomfortably as he tried to watch Ron and Seamus play wizard's chess. Hermione could tell that he was a nervous wreck, continuously running a hand through his ebony hair so much that his usual unruly style looked completely wild. She knew he was itching to read Quidditch through the Ages but Professor Snape had confiscated it earlier that day when they went outside during lunch (Hermione tried to ignore the clench in her stomach when she replayed what had happened in her head).
"I can't take this," Harry mumbled, standing up. "I'm going to go ask Snape for my book back."
"Good luck with that," Ron snorted, studying the chess board. Seamus was apparently a tough opponent.
"You better get that book back," Hermione said, shaking her head. Her gut twisted painfully at the thought of having to go to Madam Pince and telling her a teacher had confiscated a book.
Harry nodded and, with a grim expression, walked out of the common room. To keep her mind off of Harry getting the book back, Hermione pulled out a piece of parchment and began to write a letter back home.
`Daddy, Mum, and Vi,
How are you all? I'm so sorry I haven't been writing as much as I said I would, our teachers are really piling on the homework. But we're learning a lot of really neat things to make up for it! After Wingardium Leviosa, Professor Flitwick showed us the Incendio spell! It's a really cool spell that sets things on fire. We're working on the wrist movement for that but I'm a little nervous for when we actually learn how to do the spell… I know some of the students will release their inner Pyro! Luckily Professor Flitwick said he'll be teaching us the counter spell for it next.
Harry's first Quidditch match is tomorrow, so expect another letter soon telling you all about it. I've read a lot about the game but I expect the real thing is much more. I'm also a little scared; I don't want anybody to get hurt tomorrow - even the Slytherins. They fly really high and if they fall… I'd rather not think about that… changing the subject now.
I can't believe Christmas is just over a month away! It feels like the term just started but at the same time it feels like I haven't seen you in forever! Ron and Harry are staying at Hogwarts for Christmas and asked if I would be too but I declined. There's absolutely nothing that will keep me from coming home. I expect we'll be having family over for the holidays so I'll have to work on some sort of story to tell them. I know I don't want Claire finding out I'm a witch - more things for her to tease me with.
Oh, when you pick me up from Kings Cross can we go to Diagon Alley? I want to get Christmas presents for my friends and there's nowhere for me to get them here at Hogwarts.
I love and miss you all,
Hermione.'
Hermione looked over her letter, trying to think if there was anything else she should add when the portrait swung open and Harry came flying into the common room. Hermione dropped her letter once she saw his expression and jumped up from her seat. "Snape didn't refuse to give the book back, did he?" she fretted, going over to him.
"Never mind that," Harry said quickly. Ron noticed Harry's expression and excused himself from the game with Seamus. Harry led them to a corner and glanced around the room.
"What happened?" Ron asked.
"Snape tried to get past that three headed dog," Harry whispered.
"What?" Hermione and Ron both gasped.
"Remember how we saw him limping earlier today?" Harry asked. They nodded. "I went to the staff room to ask Snape for the book back but he wouldn't answer the door. So I decided to just go into the room and get it back," Hermione opened her mouth to scold Harry for entering the staff lounge without permission but Ron shushed her, "but I didn't even get the door open halfway when I heard Filch and Snape talking."
"What's that got to do with his limp?" Ron asked.
"They were talking while Filch was bandaging Snape's leg. It was all bloody and mangled!" The more Harry explained what he had seen, the lower his voice went. Hermione and Ron had to lean in to hear him clearly. "His exact words were `how are you supposed to keep your eyes on all three heads at once!'"
"That's why we saw him heading away from the dungeons on Halloween," Ron said, his eyes widening.
"Snape wants whatever that dog is guarding," Harry nodded.
"Hold on," Hermione said. They had told her earlier that they saw Snape sneaking away when all the teachers were supposed to go deal with the troll. "I know that Snape isn't the nicest person around, but for him to try and steal whatever it is Dumbledore wants kept safe?"
"You think all teachers are saints, Hermione," Ron said with a roll of his eyes. "I'm with Harry on this one."
"But why would he want to steal it?" she challenged.
"I don't know, but I wouldn't put it past Snape."
"Ron-"
"Hermione," Ron said, sounding exasperated, "Snape bullies everyone but Slytherin and it's no secret that he's bitter towards Dumbledore because he keeps getting denied the Defence Against the Dark Arts position."
"If anything, Snape has all the right motives to steal from Dumbledore," Harry stated, agreeing with Ron. "And I'll bet my broom that it was Snape who let the troll in on Halloween as a diversion!" Hermione sighed and shook her head, knowing it was no use. She knew that once they had decided on something, Harry and Ron wouldn't listen to a thing she said.
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9 November, 1991
After breakfast the next day, Hermione, Ron, and the rest of the first-years made their way down to the Quidditch pitch for the first match of the season. Ron had grabbed the banner and wrapped it around his neck, wearing it like a cape and proudly marching in front of the group. His display seemed to excite the other students, and they started cheering and whooping as they made their way down. This spurred Ron on more and he suddenly took off running towards the pitch, yelling, jumping, and whooping as the banner fluttered madly behind him.
"Ron!" Hermione yelled, laughing. The excitement was rubbing off on her as well and she took off after him, laughing and cheering with the rest of her group as they ran with her. She was excited about the Quidditch match, there was no denying it. It was definitely a dangerous sport but, as Fay had pointed out to her, there would be teachers in the stands watching to make sure nothing serious happened to the players.
Hermione could see Sally-Anne walking with another Hufflepuff ahead of her. She grinned and ran faster to catch up with them, "Sally-Anne!"
Sally-Anne jumped and turned, her face going blank when she saw Hermione. "Hi, Hermione," she said dully.
"What's wrong?" Hermione asked, not liking the way her friend was staring at her.
"Nothing," she replied. Sally-Anne grabbed her friend and turned away from Hermione, walking down to the pitch.
Hermione stood there and watched, confused, as the two Hufflepuffs walked down to the stadium. She had never seen Sally-Anne act that way before.
"Come on, Hermione!" Fay squealed, grabbing her arm as she ran past her. Hermione forced herself to forget about Sally-Anne's attitude as she chased after the brunette. This was Harry's big day and she was going to be there for him one hundred percent.
Panting from their run, the first years made their way up to the top row and began to set up. Ron untied his cape and handed it to Seamus and Fay. The two of them wanted to be the ones to hold the banner first when the game started. Hermione didn't mind, she'd be too busy cheering on Gryffindor to want to hold the banner anyway.
Slytherin arrived and sat across the stadium on the other side. Once they had settled, the energy in the stadium intensified. Everyone was yelling and supporting the team of their choice (Gryffindor being shouted a lot louder than Slytherin) and the older students were cursing and yelling insults at each other.
"Attention ladies and gentlemen!" A hush fell over the crowd instantly as the Weasley twins' friend Lee Jordan got on the loud speaker. "Welcome to the first Quidditch match of the season - Gryffindor versus Slytherin!" The noise that came from the stadium was thunderous and Lee had to wait a moment until he was able to be heard again. "Let's get this match started! Introducing…"
Lee introduced the Slytherin team first (inciting boo's from the Gryffindor side) and then started on the Gryffindor team. Hermione screamed and jumped with everyone when Harry was introduced as the new Seeker. Seamus and Fay jumped up and down, waving the banner wildly as the Gryffindor team flew by them. The teams flew around the stadium once and then hovered near the ground in the middle of the pitch. Madam Hooch walked up to the pitch with a maroon coloured ball (Hermione remembered reading that it was called a Quaffle) in one hand and her broom in the other. Hermione was too far away to see what she was doing but a whistle blew and the Quaffle was tossed up into the air. There was a loud crack and two black balls came whizzing at the players from opposite sides of the pitch.
For a moment, all Hermione could make out was the blur of scarlet and green as the players got into position. Gryffindor was in position of the Quaffle and the Chasers were making their way over to the Slytherin goal posts which were on the other side of the pitch. Since they were too far away for Hermione to see clearly, she looked up to see Harry circling the field from above the rest of the players, keeping out of the way and staying alert.
The game went on for a while with Gryffindor leading thirty to nothing when a large figure loomed over the first years. "Budge up there, move along."
"Hagrid!" Ron squeezed into Hermione to make room as Hagrid took a seat beside him. Hermione had only met the friendly giant a couple of times but from what she knew of him, she liked.
"How are you, Hagrid?" Hermione asked.
"I'm good. Bin watchin' from me hut, but it ain't the same as bein' up in the stands." Hagrid smiled and patted the pair of binoculars that was resting around his neck. "Any sign of the Snitch?"
"Not yet," Ron shook his head. Hagrid grabbed his binoculars and looked through them.
Hermione's stomach gave a nervous lurch when Harry suddenly went into a nose dive - he had seen the Snitch. Everyone began to cheer and scream as the Slytherin Seeker came up beside Harry, the two of them neck and neck as they raced across the pitch.
"Come on, Harry!" Fay screeched, dropping the banner and gripping onto Hermione's arm tightly. Harry's broom was slightly in the lead and he was just reaching out to grasp the Snitch when the Slytherin captain blocked Harry's broom with his own. Hermione screamed as Harry was sent careening off in a different direction, almost slipping from his broom.
"FOUL!" Fay bellowed, her eyes blazing.
Madam Hooch blew her whistle and could be heard yelling angrily at the captain. She allowed Gryffindor a free shot with the Quaffle but the Snitch had disappeared.
"Trust Slytherin to try something like that," Ron growled angrily. Shae nodded in agreement.
With the Snitch nowhere in sight, all focus returned to the Chasers trying to score points. Hermione had to look away when one of the Weasley twins (she had enough trouble distinguishing them when she was face to face with them so there was no way she could figure out who it was) hit the black ball called a Bludger at the Slytherin captain and got him right in the nose. She had a feeling that it was revenge for what he had done to Harry.
"What's wrong with Harry's broom?" Dean said suddenly, pointing up.
Everyone looked up to see Harry being jerked around roughly on his broom. "Was his broom damaged from being hit?" Shae asked.
Hermione shook her head, her hands covering her mouth as the broom's movements got more and more violent. She quickly grabbed the binoculars from Hagrid's grip and looked through them, ignoring Ron and Fay asking what she was doing. She scanned the crowd with them, trying to find someone with their wand out; she positive someone was charming Harry's broom. As she passed over where the teachers were sitting, Hermione felt her stomach turn to ice and she gasped. Once Professor Quirrell shifted out of the way, she could see Professor Snape staring up at Harry, muttering constantly under his breath.
"Ron!" she moaned, shoving the binoculars at him. "It's Snape!"
"What are we going to do?" Ron hissed, going white. Hermione looked up in time to see Harry's broom buck violently. Harry was vaulted over and clung on to his broom, struggling to get his legs wrapped around it. The Weasley twins were circling beneath him, clearly ready to catch him if he fell.
"Leave it to me," Hermione said. She shoved past Ron and Hagrid and hurried down the steps. When she hit the corridor she sprinted around to the other side of the stadium where she had seen Professor Snape sitting. There was a door that led to the stairs going up to the stand and then a narrow passage way to get behind them. Grabbing her wand, she clutched it between her teeth and started crawling through the passage way. If she could climb up to where Professor Snape was sitting, she would be able to stop him.
Hermione ducked underneath a wooden beam and grinned when she saw the bottom of Professor Snape's robes. Taking her wand, she pointed it at the hem of his robes and whispered, "Inflamarae lacarnum." Blue flames shot out from her wand and onto Professor Snape's robes, catching them on fire. Hermione crawled back out to the corridor as she heard Professor Snape yelp and a commotion broke out above in the stands.
Hermione scrambled to her feet and ran to the doorway, looking up. She saw Harry regain control of his broom, swing his legs up to sit back on it, and take off towards the ground. As he got closer to the ground, his eyes widened and he clapped his hand over his mouth. He fell off his broom about two feet from the ground, rolled a couple of times, and got shakily onto all fours. Harry heaved, coughed, and suddenly raised the Snitch into the air, shouting.
"Harry," Hermione moaned, collapsing onto the ground. She shook her head as the rest of the Gryffindor team swooped down around him and Lee was yelling that Gryffindor had won one hundred and eighty points to sixty, her heart fluttering madly.
Hagrid invited Hermione, Harry, and Ron for tea at his hut after Harry had gotten himself cleaned up. Hermione could still feel herself shaking as they slowly walked down to Hagrid's hut, her mind reeling at the fact that a teacher would attack a student.
"It was Snape," Ron told Harry immediately. "Hermione and I saw him cursing your broom."
"Rubbish," Hagrid scoffed. "Why would Snape do a thin' like that?"
"Because he hates Harry?" Ron suggested, rolling his eyes. "And he knows that Harry knows he tried to get past that three headed dog on Halloween." Ron froze, his eyes widening as Harry and Hermione whipped their heads around to glare at him.
"How d'you know abou' Fluffy?" Hagrid asked warily.
"Fluffy?" Harry gaped. "That thing has a name?"
"O'course he has a name," Hagrid replied, looking slightly insulted. "He's mine after all."
"Where did you get him?" Hermione asked, looking horrified.
"I got him from a Greek chappie I met down in the pub las' year. I lent him to Dumbledore to guard the -" Hagrid cut off, realizing what he had said.
"To guard…" Harry coaxed.
"Never yeh mind!" he bristled. "That's top secret and yeh shouldn't even know about Fluffy."
"But Snape tried to kill Harry!" Hermione cried, growing frustrated. "I know a jinx when I see one, Hagrid. I've read all about them. You have to maintain eye contact and Snape wasn't blinking."
"And I'm tellin' yeh yer wrong!" Hagrid insisted. "I don't know why Harry's broom acted like that, but Snape wouldn' try and kill a student! Now listen to me, all three of yeh - yer meddlin' in things that don't concern yeh. It's dangerous. Forget about that dog and forget about what it's guardin'. That's between Professor Dumbledore and Nicolas Flamel -"
"So there's someone called Nicolas Flamel involved, is there?" Harry said quickly, grinning victoriously.
Hagrid looked furious with himself and stomped off towards his hut. "Tea's cancelled," he called from over his shoulder.
The three of them stood there. "Who is Nicolas Flamel?" Ron asked, turning to Hermione.
"I don't know," Hermione said, shaking her head. "It sounds familiar, though."
"Nicolas Flamel, Nicolas Flamel…" Harry repeated to himself, frowning. "I know I've read that name somewhere before."
"Should we check the library?" Hermione suggested. "Finding out who he is could help us figure out what Snape is after."
"I think we should," Harry said, nodding. "Let me go put away my broom and then we'll head there."
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23 December, 1991
Hermione, Harry, and Ron spent as much time as they could in the library, searching through the books to find Nicolas Flamel. It was an extremely challenging task, though. Since they had no idea who he was, they didn't know where to begin so they just started going down random isles and picking out random books. They couldn't spend much time in the library either, Madam Pince had been growing suspicious of them when they started arriving almost daily and kept a watchful eye out. When they were in there for more than two hours she would go to them and demand to know what they were reading and what class it was for before kicking them out.
Not that they had all the time in the world to search through the library - the teachers were still piling on homework and that took up most of their evenings. November trickled into December without any progress on finding out who Nicolas Flamel was. Harry was getting increasingly frustrated, commenting every time they went to the library that he knew he had read the name before. Hagrid refused to talk to them about the subject and had taken to walking away from them when Hermione or Harry would ask for the slightest hint.
Hermione felt disgruntled, pulling out some books to bring home and read during the holiday and stuffing them in her trunk. She knew she was going to have to do homework throughout the holiday (which she didn't mind at all) but she had wanted a chance to spend time with her family. But with no progress on finding out who Flamel was she'd have to spend more time during her holiday to read. Viola wasn't going to like that at all.
"All packed?" Fay asked. All of the girls in the dorm were going home for Christmas and had their trunks all packed and ready to go.
Hermione shut her trunk and turned to Fay, "Ready." She grabbed her jacket and went down the stairs to the common room - their trunks would be taken down to the train for them. Harry and Ron were lounging on the sofa by the fire, watching the people going home for the holidays leave out the portrait hole. "Well, I'm off."
"Have a good holiday," Harry waved.
"You too," she replied. "Don't forget to use this time to search for Flamel."
"We will, Hermione," Ron replied, rolling his eyes. "But remember this is a holiday, you can't expect us to spend all of our time looking for Flamel."
"As long as you spend some time searching," Hermione retorted, putting on her jacket. "Happy Christmas, you two."
"Happy New Year!" Ron called out to her as she exited the common room. Hermione shook her head and laughed, joining Fay as she made her way down to the Entrance Hall.
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End Note: Sorry for the short chapter, but you got a cute little Harry and Hermione scene so that should make up for it.
See ya in two weeks!
Kelci
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