It was late August, and it was hot. Hugo was with the Potters at a nearby river, and Rose Weasley was reading. She had been reading her schoolbooks cover-to-cover so many times in the past week that the new spines were already relaxed and worn in a way that she knew usually occurred only after six months of reading. But this was the first time that she had opened The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts. As she flipped through the contents, she was amazed to see the name of chapter 10: "Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley, and Hermione Granger" She opened the book, and began to read. Then, when she finished the chapter, she padded down the stairs to the kitchen, still carrying the book.

"Mum, could I talk to you?"

"I'm in the living room, what is it?" Hermione Weasley closed her own book on her finger, so as not to lose her place, just as Rose came in.

"Mum. What's this about?" Rose handed her The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts, which was open to chapter 10. Hermione found a bookmark, closed her book for real, and began to read. After the first paragraph, she stopped.

"Ah, this, eh?" Hermione smiled, but her eyes were sad. She could never help tearing up at the memory of the year she was 17. "I'm glad you read this before you got to school. It'll help if you know all of what happened, as others might."

"But I don't know all of it!" As Hermione looked at her in surprise, Rose continued, "I only know most of it, I guess. You've told me that biographers never really get into the heart of things. But, could you te—" She broke off, as her mother started to shake her head. "Pleeease?"

"Bloody hell, Rose, you don't want to hear it!" When Rose looked skeptical, Hermione continued "I'll tell you someday, if you really want to hear it. That version in your book is about a PG-13 version of an—oh never mind, it's a muggle thing. Movie related, but we won't get into that…" She grinned suddenly, and Rose grinned back, both remembering the time when Hermione had tried to explain the movies to Ron. "But, I promise that if you still want me to, I'll tell you sometime when you're older. But, please don't tell Hugo yet. He's not ready."

"Deal?" Rose looked at Hermione suspiciously.

"Deal." Hermione stuck out her right hand, and Rose shook it.

September 1st

"It's me," said Ron. "I'm extremely famous." Ron said, and the children laughed. As she was doing so, Rose caught her mother's eye. Hermione smiled slightly, and mouthed "Remember, don't tell Hugo." As the train began to move, Rose nodded, and waved until the steam made visibility impossible. Then, she ran to find a compartment.