Chapter - 60 : Crossed Wands and Unspoken Truths part - 4
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Padma gave Hermione her present before they went down to get Harry for breakfast. It was fun to watch her friend's face change colours as she read the title of the book - Twelve fail-safe ways to woo your wizard. When Hermione started displaying purple tints in her colour scheme, Padma lost her battle with laughter and handed over her friend's real present. It was still a book, though Hermione appeared to appreciate 'a score of offensive spells to even the score' far better than her first offering.
Padma was behind her friends as they walked into the great hall and was pleased to see her prediction was coming true. Hermione's hand was, as usual, through Harry's arm. This appeared to be the perfect angle for the sapphires of her bracelet to catch the light and sparkle.
Padma thought young witches possessed skills for sniffing out shiny, sparkly things that would rival any niffler. When those shiny, sparkly things were worn by another young witch, the poor little niffler might as well stay in its burrow because it became a no-contest. There were students in the great hall who couldn't read instructions off the blackboards in classrooms yet could tell you what Hermione Granger's bracelet said.
When Neville approached the Ravenclaw table with a gift for Hermione, the Knut dropped that it was her birthday. She was delighted with her new book on noble houses and their customs. A red-faced Neville was eventually persuaded to sit beside the trio, but not before Hermione had hugged him and kissed her friend on the cheek in thanks.
As usual, Roger had watched the by-play between the friends. He also couldn't help but notice every witch at the table staring at Hermione's birthday present. "Hell Crow, you're making the rest of us guys look bad here. Just how are we meant to match that?"
Harry really liked Roger's joking nature, and answered right back in the same vein. "Well Davies, I don't see what's wrong with letting everyone know I have a great best friend."
The entire table heard the humour in his voice, they also understood there was steel underlying that humour.
A newly returned Chambers sat at the other end of the table, head down and not looking or talking to anyone. Her parents had been livid when they heard what happened, her father was all for contacting the parents of the other girls involved to arrange some collective action against this upstart who'd harmed their children. The Prophet had changed everyone's views, or rather their report on what happened to the Malfoys did.
The purebloods were learning a variation on the golden rule - those that HAVE your gold make the rules!
Few, if any, felt secure enough in their own wards to trust having their fortunes stored at home. There was also the added problem of those witches and wizards with access to their home. Gringotts protected fortunes not only from robbers but those family members who would think a share of said fortune should rightly be theirs. It was easy for the Gringotts account holder to define exactly who could do what to their vault - telling your brother / mother / greedy in-laws / obnoxious cousins that they weren't welcome in your house had far more significant ramifications. All sniggering at Draco's respectful behaviour soon stopped as pureblood after pureblood received the same message from home - do not antagonise Harry Crow.
Minerva sat at the staff table and watched over her charges. Her eyes usually focused mostly on her lion cubs but she found her gaze more and more being drawn to the Ravenclaw trio. Mr Longbottom's acceptance into this group was also very pleasing. Augusta tended to wrap young Neville in cotton wool, making good friends was exactly what the young lad needed.
The deputy headmistress couldn't help but think young Harry was surrounding himself with good people. She approved wholeheartedly of his close friends and Master Pitslay had impressed the hell out of her. William Weasley was in her unbiased opinion, one of the finest young wizards to have come through Hogwarts in a long time.
Her correspondence with Barchoke was also refreshing. His entire aims were centred around what was best for his son, and he was more than prepared to back that up with gold when needed. She'd listened with great interest to the tale of what had happened after their astronomy class last night and was finding her opinion of Harry matching Pomona's. He may be the son of James Potter but he had none of the faults his biological father had at the same age. Now if only Severus could get his head out his arse and see the boy was far more like Lily than James, they may be able to avert a confrontation that couldn't end well.
-oOoOo-
When Professor Weasley asked them both to wait behind, Hermione started to run through the entire lesson in her mind to discover what she'd done wrong. Bill played along with her fears at the start.
"Miss Granger, you can thank your best friend for your current predicament." His wide smile would have half the witches in the castle dropping at his feet, Hermione was just pleased this meant she wasn't in trouble with a professor. "Your mum and dad wanted me to wish you a Happy Birthday, oh and give you this."
Hermione was so touched by this, she didn't notice Harry moving behind the professor's desk. "How was Harry responsible for you seeing my parents?"
It was Harry who answered her. "Well, it was actually my father. When he discovered what I wanted to get you for your birthday, he realised I needed your parents' permission first."
Hermione was beginning to wonder if this was a goblin thing again, did giving someone a bracelet signify something more in there culture? That was until she saw what Harry had in his hands.
"Happy Birthday Hermione. I didn't name him yet, figuring I would leave that up to you."
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(P).(A).(T).(R).(E).(O).(N)
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