Hermione found she did not share many courses with her new friends, them being second and third years and herself being in her first year at university. There was, however, one course they did all share together, an elective which had as of this year become mandatory in light of recent events; A History of Dark Wizards & Witches.

Much of course content for the first month or so consisted of things Hermione recalled from Hogwarts' History of Magic coursework. Although they went into far more detail here, and in all honesty, Hermione had forgotten much of the specifics of that class. For the most part, the lecture covered the ideologies of various dark wizards and their inherent flaws.

Professor Mallor managed to make history significantly more interesting than Professor Binns had, though the bar was quite low. Even so, once she'd begun sitting near them, Hermione couldn't help but notice that Cho, Rolf, and Aveline all looked disinterested in the material. She couldn't exactly blame them either. Studious though they all were, each of them had their own academic trajectory already picked out. Rolf was, of course, studying magizoology, Aveline had healing, and Cho was in charms development. To them, this was an unwelcome distraction from their usually very focused schedules.

However, when the course came at last to more recent figures, attitudes changed. For the last week, they'd been talking about Gellert Grindelwald, who had threatened to destroy the International Statute of Secrecy and incite war with muggles. Rolf was far more attentive in these lectures. Aveline, meanwhile, seemed mainly put off by them. Today was no exception.

Cho and Hermione had hurried out of the lecture hall as soon as the class ended, as was their usual habit, hoping to get ahead of the large group of students finishing class at this time headed to the dining hall for lunch. Unfortunately, and not for the first time this week, the two realized upon exiting the room that they'd left Aveline and Rolf behind.

Cho sighed. "Suppose we'll just wait up for them?" Hermione nodded, and the two leaned up against the wall, watching students pour out of the hall ahead of them. Finally, once the torrent had subsided to a trickle, Rolf and Aveline exited, both with sour looks on their face.

"Hermione, your parents are No-Majes, yeah? What do you think of it?" Hermione looked over at Aveline, trying to determine if she was supposed to know what was being referred to.

"Erm, it?"

"The Statute of Secrecy, do you really think it's necessary?" Aveline asked, her brow furrowed deeply. Beside her, Rolf looked ready to pull his hair out.

"Oh, I've… never really thought about it?" Hermione saw that all eyes were now on her, so she tried to choose her words as diplomatically as she could. "I suppose I think it's important."

"Of course it's important!" Rolf shouted before Aveline could get a word in. "It protects us! We were being burned at the stake by No-Majes before we had it!"

"It protected us three hundred years ago, you dummy, "Aveline shot back "Hermione's parents are No-Majes. My grandparents all are. They're certainly not volunteering to have anyone burned. Why is it so hard for you to accept people have changed?"

"Well," Hermione spoke up, wishing she hadn't a moment later intense stares turned again to her. "I do know some muggles that hate magic. The ones who took care of Harry; they were awful to him because he was a wizard."

Rolf looked smugly up at Aveline, who was now grimacing. "Look," she sighed before continuing. "I'm not saying it would be easy, or that everyone would instantly accept us. People will always find piss-poor reasons to hate each other; I know that better than most. But I don't think it's reasonable to assume we'd instantly be at war, especially not considering all the good we could do."

"Like what?" Cho asked, breaking her silence in the conversation.

"Like…" Aveline paused to think for a moment. "Like, imagine a No-Maj has broken their back. They have to spend huge amounts of money on treatment, go through enormous pain, spend ages in a hospital, and they're lucky if they ever walk again. Now, if I were allowed to treat that same person, they'd be on their feet feeling perfectly well, maybe just a bit of an ache at worst, by the next morning."

Hermione had to admit, Aveline did seem to have a point. It wasn't quite as simple as Aveline made it out to be, of course, but there was something to the argument. Hermione looked to Rolf and Cho, who both apparently had no rebuttal either. "But with the statute in place," Aveline continued, "I'm not allowed to help that person. How is that not obviously stupid?" Aveline surveyed her friends, looking poised to rebuke another point made against her. When she realized she had in fact silenced everyone, she relaxed her stance. "Sorry if I was a bit intense. Let's eat, yeah?"

Glad to have something to agree on, the four began walking briskly towards the dining hall. Unfortunately, their recovering spirits took another hit just as soon as they turned the corner. There just a little way down the hallway stood a tall, tan skinned, angular man who immediately snickered upon seeing the group. Hermione did not recognize him, but her three friends all released an audible groan.

"Hello hello, my favorite classmates," the man thundered in a brash American accent. "Have you missed me?"

"Terribly," Aveline said absolutely flatly, crossing her arms as she did.

"Well, aren't you forgetting your manners. I see you have a new member of your group, aren't you gonna introduce me?"

"Yeah, sure." Rolf stepped forward a bit and began making introductions with abrupt gestures. "Colton, this is Hermione Granger. She's our friend. Hermione, this is Colton Stryker. He's the worst."

"Honestly," Colton shook his head, apparently feigning disappointment. "There's no need for such rudeness. Cho," the man now turned to Cho, who seemed to stiffen at being singled out. "I'm sure you missed me while I was on my expedition. Perhaps I could tell you all about it over coffee?"

Hermione was taken aback by how casually this man had apparently asked Cho on a date as if it was by now routine for him. Which she supposed perhaps it was. "Sorry Colton," Cho's reply was stiff though not impolite. "I think I'll have to pass."

Colton rolled his eyes. "Gosh, Cho Chang. One of these days I'll really just have to slip you some love potion, huh?" At this, both Cho and Hermione shuddered.

"Right, well," Rolf shoved his hands into his robe pockets. "If you're done making jokes about drugging my friend…"

"Oh, come on, Rolfy." Colton took a step closer to the group, prompting everyone, Hermione included, to take a step back. "I know you're just jealous because you didn't get to go on my magizoological expedition. You must want to hear about my trip though, right? Sorry to say I looked all over for your weird Sandy Dung-Beetle and didn't-"

"Dragon!" Rolf snapped. "It's the Saharan Sand Dragon! And it's out there I'm telling you! I'm going on an expedition in the winter term, and I'll show you! Come on, guys." Rolf marched straight past Colton. The three young witches followed in tow, and with their backs now to Colton, they heard him call out once more.

"Really Rolf, with manners as bad as yours, I don't see how your boyfriend tolerates you."

Rolf whipped around instantly, one hand on his wand and the other clenched in a fist. "Why you-" he began, but was cut off after just one step, when both Aveline and Cho grabbed the back of his cloak tightly.

"Don't," Aveline said. "Just because he hasn't gained a shred of maturity since we were twelve doesn't mean we have to act like children too."

Rolf seethed in silence. Colton, on the other hand, laughed heartily. "You're lucky you've got them," he declared. "You wouldn't last a second against me in a duel." And with that, Colton departed, leaving the four alone in the hallway.

"Told ya he's the worst," Rolf grunted, brushing off Aveline and Cho's arms from his cloak and turning back around.

"You weren't kidding, he's an absolute git," Hermione agreed. "What did he mean by 'boyfriend?'"

Rolf appeared incredibly unprepared for the question, but it was Aveline who answered for him. "Nothing."

With that, she veered off from the others, walking briskly instead in the direction of the dormitories. Rolf looked back and forth between Hermione, standing beside Cho, and Aveline, who showed no signs of stopping. "Sorry Cho, Hermione," he called as he started to back away in the same direction. "Catch up with ya later!" And with that, Rolf started running off after Aveline, leaving Cho and Hermione to have lunch with only each other.

"Explain to me the holiday again," Cho demanded, a mischievous grin growing across her face.

Rolf heaved a loud sigh as he waved his wand, rearranging some kitschy decorations on his dorm room wall. "I've told you a hundred times, Cho. It's Thanksgiving! It harkens back to the early days of America when there were pilgrims and those funny hats with the buckles and such. It's a day for being thankful!"

"Annndd… what shtuff were they pilgrims thankful for again?" Cho asked, stifling giggles between words by burying her face in Hermione's sleeve.

"They… you're just having fun with me, aren't ya Cho?" Rolf squinted at the giggling witch, then rolled his eyes. "Yeah, you are."

"No fair!" Cho pointed dramatically at Rolf. "You can't legilimeninems me when I'm tipshy." Cho then leaned in heavily to Hermione's shoulder, causing the younger witch to bristle slightly from the heavy contact.

"Cho," Hermione said gently, shifting a bit to put Cho's head in a more comfortable position and taking a sip of her own drink. "I think you're a bit past tipsy."

Cho's expression became grave. "How dare you, Hermionee."

"I'll second that," Aveline said as she walked towards them from across the room, levitating a few platters of side dishes onto the table as she went. "You're drunk, Cho. Though I'm pretty sure I know why."

Before Hermione had time to grow concerned over Aveline's cryptic words, Rolf's voice echoed through the room. "All right, my friends, the moment you've been waiting for! Dinner is prepared!" And on the center of the table, Rolf lowered down a large plate on which sat a big round… egg? Cho began giggling again.

"What exactly is that?" Hermione asked, somewhat afraid for the answer.

"That, my British friend," Rolf spoke with great pride in his voice, "is the traditional main course of the Thanksgiving meal; tofurky."

"…Tofurky?" Now Aveline was stifling back laughter as well.

"Okay, well, the traditional main course is turkey," Rolf clarified. "But obviously we won't be having that, so this is our far superior substitute. Tofu in the shape of a turkey!"

And now Hermione was laughing too. "This is meant to be the shape of a turkey? Is it edible?"

"Of course it's edible!" Rolf looked taken aback by the very act of posing the question. Though to both right and left, Cho and Aveline were looking at Hermione and shaking their heads. "And no, Hermione, you can't sneak off to the dining hall," Rolf said, having apparently discerned Hermione's thoughts. "Not like Cho would even make it past the common room in her state.

"Anyway, now's the best part of the evening. Before we dig in, we all say a few things we're thankful for. Hermione, would you like the start us off?"

"Oh!" Hermione hesitated a bit, not quite sure what to say. She had some passing familiarity with the holiday, however, so she was able to come up what she felt was probably a fairly standard list; her family, her friends, both new and old, her health. Aveline and Rolf seemed satisfied with this and gave similar answers with their own unique inputs. Then they all looked nervously at Cho.

"W-why are you all looking at me like that?" Cho asked, "I shan't be that embarrassing. Uhhmm…" Cho looked around the room, apparently seeking inspiration. "I'm thankful for my friendsh, annd… and Battuta, cos I'm really happy here." Hermione felt herself smile a bit at this, genuinely glad Cho had found such happiness after the tragedies of her earlier school life. "And Hermione, for hanging out with us, cos she's the best." Rolf and Aveline both now grinned a bit and raised their glasses. Hermione felt her cheeks redden a bit, though she tried not to overreact as attention focused on her for a moment. "Even though she won't break up with her dumb fake boyfriend."

Now Hermione's face went completely red, and so she pushed her face into her hands. "Yeah, Hermione," she heard Aveline say playfully. "Break up with your fake Hogwarts boyfriend."

"I will," Hermione groaned, then jolted a bit, realizing what she'd just said. "Or, I dunno. I need to talk to him."

"You do," Rolf agreed. "But tonight is about festivities, not boy trouble. Anything else Cho?"

"Oh, uh…" Cho thought for a moment before coming to one final thing, which had Rolf concealing a scowl before she said it aloud. "The alcohol, for makin' it tolerable to eat this weird tofucky."

To this, Aveline raised her glass high and then downed her entire drink. Rolf shook his head but smiled despite himself.

Hermione ambled through the dorm hallways, Cho and her arms strewn over each other's shoulders for balance. Not trusting her own slightly inebriated judgment, she followed a guiding light towards the older witch's dorm.

"You know it's sort of a silly holiday, Thanksgiving," Cho spoke softly right into Hermione's ear. Exhaustion and alcohol combined had given her voice a sort of dreamy quality that reminded Hermione a bit of Luna, Cho's fellow Ravenclaw. "But it's also kind of nice. I like the idea of it all… 'Cept that tofurky."

"Honestly Cho, it wasn't that bad," Hermione objected.

"You're far too nice to Rolf. You'll only encourage him," said Cho, who paused a moment before continuing. "You know, I meant what I said."

"What, that you hate tofurky? I believe you."

"No silly," Cho giggled again, a noise Hermione found she was growing to enjoy very much. "When we were talking about being thankful, and I said you're the best." Cho gave her friend a nudge with her elbow. "You are. I'm sorry we were never really close back at Hogwarts. I actually…" Cho stopped walking suddenly "I actually think I hated you a bit, didn't I? I mean, not hated, but back when Harry and I dated, he would always just talk about you. And then there was what happened to Marietta, which I don't really hold against you anymore, but…"

"Oh," Hermione ran her free hand through her hair unconsciously. She had never been given this version of events and felt a bit anxious hearing it.

"And you know, that was my sixth year, after everything with Cedric, and so many of my friends suddenly wanted nothing to do with me, and…" Cho's expression was rapidly becoming more and more despondent, so much so that Hermione realized she hadn't seen Cho as sad as this since said sixth year at Hogwarts. "I'm not crying," she said aloud, though Hermione figured Cho was speaking more to herself than her companion.

"Cho, I never held anything from that year against you, you know," said Hermione. "Ron and Harry used to give you grief about being too emotional, but I did try to stick up for you. Really, after everything you'd been through, how could anyone not be emotional?"

Cho sighed, though Hermione was glad to see she was now smiling again, if only faintly so. "Of course you did. And meanwhile, I was seething at you because I was a complete git." Cho now laughed a bit despite herself. "I'm sorry Hermione. Really, we should have been friends then."

"I'm sorry too, I should have reached out. I'm glad we're friends now though." Hermione looked over at Cho, who was already back to her usual beaming self. "Though to be honest, I can't help but think it's the alcohol doing some of talking for you tonight."

Cho frowned a bit, and for a moment Hermione worried she had caused some actual offense. "Hermione," Cho spoke deliberately so as to sound as clear as she could. "I will have you know that I have sobered up quite a bit, and I still truly mean every word I said." Hermione raised an eyebrow, not fully convinced. "In fact!" Cho now lifted her arm and began to squirm out of Hermione's grasp. "I can walk just fine on my own."

"Can you, Cho?" Hermione said, subtly grabbing her wand in case she should need to cushion her friend's fall. Cho stood up straight and nodded, though she was swaying back and forth as if she were on a boat. Noticing this, Cho made one deft motion and grabbed Hermione's hand with her own, interlocking their fingers before Hermione even fully registered what was happening.

"There we are," Cho said, looking now quite delighted with herself. And then she was off, pulling Hermione behind her, following the guiding light which had kindly waited for the two witches.

"By the way," Cho spoke up again after a minute or so of pleasant quiet, "I'm sorry about the other thing I said. The 'fake boyfriend' thing."

"Oh, that was fine Cho."

"Nah, it was insensitive. I know you two have been through a lot together, regardless of where you're at now."

"Well, I do really need to talk to him. I honestly feel like such bloody coward, Cho. Why can't I just work up the nerve?" Hermione huffed. Cho said nothing, but Hermione felt her friend's fingers trace circles on the back of her hand. It was a simple gesture, but oddly comforting, and for a few moments Hermione only focused the pleasant movement and the softness of Cho's skin. "Logically, I know the longer I put it off, the worse it'll be, and the more likely we actually will break up."

"I could help you? Like, moral support?" Cho offered.

"No, I'd better do this myself. Thanks though." Hermione thought for a moment, then said, "I suppose Ron and I will talk when we're back in Britain for the holidays."

"Oh, about that!" Cho turned on her feet all too fast, making both witches wobble a bit from the sudden movement. "I meant to ask you. You're certain you'll be going back for Christmas?"

"I… well I haven't made any plans, but I assumed I would. Why?"

"It's just that the rest of us are planning to stay at Battuta like we usually do since…" Cho trailed off. "Actually, I probably shouldn't say. But if you'd like, it'd be nice to have you here with us."

Hermione promised she'd think it over, feeling she probably should wait until she had made some progress with Ron before making any commitments. The two continued in brief silence for the last part of their walk before finally arriving at Cho's door.

"Well, thanks for walking me back, Hermione." Cho and Hermione were now standing in front of the former's door, face-to-face and with one hand still interlocked. Hermione nodded in reply and wondered how exactly to go about making her exit.

Cho lightly pulled back her hand, and in the same moment leaned to give Hermione a swift kiss on the cheek. Hermione took a sudden step back and raised her hand to her cheek as the other witch giggled once more. Cho opened her door, and as she stepped inside took one last look at Hermione, looking like she'd somewhat shocked herself as well.

"Now that," Cho said with a wild smile, "was definitely the alcohol."