Hello lovely readers!

I do apologize for how long this update took me to get out to you. Unfortunately, my real life felt the need to knock me for a loop. It's been a rather upsettingly tense time. I think I'm back on the wagon though so I ought to be able to get back to a semi-normal updating schedule.

Originally, I was very reluctant to go year-by-year but I couldn't quite figure out how to flow the story without being super choppy without doing so. This and probably the next few chapters will likely be predominantly Simon centric with pop-ins from our other characters. I'm ballparking this story to reach 10-12 chapters now. Much larger than I had originally anticipated but I'm following the muse at this point.

Anyway, here is Chapter 4 in all its glory. I hope you enjoy it and look forward to reading reviews!

ABD

Simon Says

Chapter 4

The first in-person tutoring between Simon and Hermione was scheduled for mid-afternoon on a Wednesday in mid-August at a muggle diner not too far from where he had discovered her to reside. The first thing that Simon noticed was that the girl arrived on her own. The next was how tall the tiny witch was. At nearly fourteen, she was already quite near his shoulder in height. Still a little thing, though. Knees and elbows, she was.

The final thing that he noted, is that she was watching him quite warily.

"Simon?" She asked, timidly.

"Miss Granger, pleasure to finally meet you love," Simon nodded in greeting. He frowned as the girl nervously perched herself onto the stool opposite himself. He watched as she studied him intently before nervously placing a scrap of parchment onto the table and nudged it in his direction.

Concerned at her behavior, he lifted the sheet from tentatively from the table and quickly scanned what proved to be a copy the article scripting his Wizengamot appearance following the first war, the list of known crimes included. He raised his gaze to the girl.

"I had thought your name sounded familiar," She stated, nervously, as though she expected him to be angry that she had found and brought the article. That she was questioning him.

"Ask your questions, Hermione," Simon encouraged, gently.

"You're a Death Eater," she said, more statement than question.

"I am," he confirmed, carefully pushing up his left sleeve to reveal his hated Mark. Hermione shifted uncomfortably in the chair, eyeing the door for her exit. He carefully placed a careful hand over hers and met her gaze. "Ask your questions, I'll not hide the answers."

"Why?" the girl asked, her voice was tinted with a sense of desperation. "Do…do you truly believe that I'm a mistake? A freak?"

"I've yet to lie to you, Hermione Granger, and I do not intend to start," Simon chided firmly. "I was not a willing recipient of this Mark, I did so because I had to. I do firmly believe that Magic makes no mistake which means I absolutely do not believe you to be a mistake nor a freak. Whomever has called you such should be strung up by their toenails."

He smiled as he watched her lips twitch at the comment, "But you're a Death Eater. The article…it lists your crimes?"

"Unfortunately, there are a great many things that are not listed in that article that are on my hands," Simon admitted as he stared at the article, unwilling to deceive the girl. He sat back heavily into his seat in silence until she also held a warm tea. "I was very much unwilling in taking the Mark, Hermione, but I took it nonetheless. At the time, my choice was the Mark and servitude or my own grave. I was sixteen at the time and I'll admit to having more self-preservation than bravery. I had managed to avoid becoming involved in the more horrifying aspects until I had completed Hogwarts. By the end of our seventh year the war was already in fully swing. My reluctance was quite the running joke amongst the Death Eater circles."

"It became a game among the more devoted to break me, I think," Simon said, thoughtfully. "There's only so many times one can be placed under the Imperius Curse and forced to commit unimaginable tasks before your self-hatred becomes so strong that you allow it to guide your actions and you simply quit fighting your own inner Darkness. I'm not a good man, Hermione, and my hands certainly aren't clean. There was only so long that I fought it. There was only so long before my actions, regrettably, became my own. I am certainly not proud of my actions. I'm no Lestrange or Doholov. I won't boast about my body count or my most gruesome kill. But I am not an entirely innocent man. It was a bloody war and I have enough self-preservation to have wanted to survive it."

"I trust you enough to take your word, Simon," Hermione said, though it was clear to Simon that she wasn't entirely comfortable with the explanation. "Am I safe putting my trust into you?"

"I won't lie to you," He said, meeting her worried gaze, seriously. "The Dark Lord will return. It's simply a matter of time and your friend Potter is right in the middle of it all. And I will, unfortunately, be called to retake my previous place. As will your Professor. And we will return because the alternative is a very painful death."

"Wouldn't death be preferable, though, rather than be forced to torture and murder innocents?" Hermione asked, attempting to understand.

"While it's a very noble outlook, it's a very impractical one." Simon said, chiding her gently for the idealist mentality. "It would be a very difficult indeed to bring down the one who's chosen to corrupt and desecrate Magic if I'm dead. Not to mention that, as isolated as my existence has been, I quite like living."

"You mean-"

"I mean, Hermione, that the Dark Lord has taken something so very integral and twisted it beyond imagination," Simon said, firmly. "I'm not the bravest man by nature. He's destroying the very fundamentals of what Magic is. It would be against nature to stand by and do nothing. I did that the first go around and it cost me quite dearly. So yes, I intend to do my part stop him from the inside."

Hermione was studying him very intently. "And Professor Snape?"

"Severus Snape had his awakening well before I did, but we are on the same page," Simon confirmed.

"Then why is he often so awful?" She immediately looked guilty for asking the question.

"I told you to ask your questions, Hermione, don't feel bad for doing so," the wizard smiled. "Severus has always been a very surly man. It's a part of who he is. However, I'd like you to stop and think for a moment why Severus might want to be seen as awful to Mister Potter. Think about what we've discussed so far."

Hermione tilted her head in thought, "He often references Harry's father. I'm guessing they didn't get along?"

"James Potter was a good man," Simon shrugged. "However, he and his friends tended to be quite the bullies in their youth and Severus was often times their prime target, and the reverse was true as well, I suppose. No, there was little love lost between Severus Snape and James Potter. However, you need to stop looking at the obvious for your answers and look deeper. His dislike for James Potter actually has little to do with his reactions to Harry Potter."

The girl looked decidedly put out over being told she thinking obvious. He hid his amused smirk behind his cup at her pout and watched her expression change to one of thorough focus. He wouldn't give her the answer, she was bright enough to come to the proper answer on her own.

"Well," she began, idly spinning her cup in front of her as she put her thoughts together. "You had said that He isn't really gone. And I've done research and I know you're not the only Death Eater who managed to avoid being sentenced to Azkaban." Simon tried his best to stamp down the automatic wince at her blunt statement. "I know many of them have children who are at Hogwarts with us and are likely still quite sympathetic to their cause." She paused and glanced up to him to check where she was at with her current thought process.

"You would likely be correct," Simon nodded, encouraging her to continue.

"So it would probably be something to write home about if their Professor was friendly with the boy who ended their leader," Hermione said thoughtfully. "But that doesn't explain why he's generally awful to everyone but Slytherin."

"Keep working at it Hermione," the wizard said with approval. "You're on the right track."

Hermione frowned in thought, studying him intently as though there was some tell that might give her the answers that she sought. "Well, he's made certain that he's not very well liked by the majority of the student population. I'm sure a teenager's opinion of him doesn't really matter much to a grown wizard though."

"Think of it this way, Hermione," Simon said, deciding to give her a nudge in the right direction. "Professor McGonagall is a highly respected witch and known throughout our entire society for being exacting but unfailingly fair. Would you have any sort of hesitation of Professor McGonagall approached Mister Potter and instructed him to come with her? Would Mister Potter question her instruction?"

"Of course not," Hermione said, immediately.

"Would you or Mister Potter hesitate if the same instruction was given by your Professor Snape?" He asked.

The girl froze, offended at first at the implication that she would disrespect her Professor but then he watched as the pieces began to settle together in her mind. "There's no way. I mean, I wouldn't hesitate but I've also come to learn there's more than meets the eye. But there's no way the majority of students would go anywhere with him without ensuring that at least a handful of others knew where they were going. There's very little trust for fairness with Professor Snape."

"So given what we already know," Simon said. "That the Dark Lord is eventually returning, and he will. And that there's essentially a spy network among your classmates and their parents. What does that tell us? Put it all together."

"He's intentionally made himself hated," Hermione said, awe growing in her voice at the Potion Master's seemingly flawless skill at manipulation. "So that there should never be an opportunity that a student will trust him enough to go anywhere with him. So that there's virtually no chance of him being called to bring a student to him. Especially Harry. That's actually quite brilliant."

"Severus has always surpassed expectations in the realm of intelligence," Simon confirmed.

Hermione leaned forward, her forearms against the table in eagerness. "How do you intend to stop him? With just the two of you?"

"That is where our lessons come in, actually," the wizard said thoughtfully, pleased that he didn't have to guide her to the question. "Our overall success at putting a stop to the Dark Lord is going to rely quite heavily on you, should you choose to help."

"On me?" She repeated, eyes wide. "But what can I do?"

"Severus has been forbidden to train Potter in anyway," Simon stated. "For some reason, the Headmaster seems to believe that your friend ought to be able to maintain his innocence as long as possible. While, in an ideal world, that would be an admirable stance to take. However we do not live in an ideal world. And leaving your Mister Potter untrained is dangerous for us all."

Hermione tilted her head, taking in the information. "Harry lost the guise of innocence when he was forced to kill a professor in first year and a basilisk last year. It's awfully naïve to believe otherwise, isn't it?"

"It is indeed," the wizard agreed. "Which is where you and our lessons come in. This next year I suspect our lessons will take on a different direction. We will continue with our regular purpose but I would like to start your instruction on things that you can passively pass onto Mister Potter. You will train him for what is coming. But you must do it in a way that he doesn't realize he is being prepared. Is that something you feel that you are capable of doing?"

He watched her thoughts and emotions play across her face and saw the moment her decision had been made in their favor. "The first thing of our lessons is imperative that you learn if you wish to move forward. It's not something I suspect Mister Potter will have a knack for if my conversations with Severus are anything to go on. However, we can only continue these lessons if you take this lesson very seriously."

Hermione sat up eagerly, trying to show that she was taking it very seriously. She watched as he carefully produced two very large books from a bag on the floor that had gone unnoticed until that point and pushed them across the table to her. Her hands grasped the books eagerly and studied the covers before glancing up to him with a curious expression asking the questions for her.

"You will begin by learning Occlumency and how to protect your mind," Simon said, firmly. "It is imperative that knowledge of these lessons stays unknown. Only the three of us, you, Severus, and myself, will have knowledge of our lessons. As heir to an Ancient and Noble house, it was something that I was taught from a very young age. Severus is a mind arts prodigy. You must become proficient at this skill as well, in order to protect all of us."

Hermione nodded in understanding, "I'll start reading this evening."

"Good," Simon smiled. With a considerably warmer tone, he looked at her seriously, "Be careful this year, Hermione. I don't know if you follow the Prophet during your holidays from school but be careful and stay alert. Keep yourself and your friends safe. And try to keep me in the loop."

The pair lingered only a short while longer before bidding farewells and going their separate way. Simon had a sinking feeling that this year would be as rough for the girl as the previous two had been but he'd truly hoped otherwise. For her sake.

August quickly trickled away and Simon eyed the calendar with frustration as September 1st arrived. After the letters from the previous year and Severus's account that that there would be Dementors following the train and stationed at the school that year, Simon was quite antsy to receive the letters from both Hermione and Severus that had both arrived and survived the first night of those demons. Never was he more grateful that he had been spared the horror of Azkaban.

Simon,

I hope you haven't worried yourself too much. I've successfully made it to Hogwarts. There was an incident on the train, I don't know if Professor Snape has told you about it yet or not. The Dementor's stopped and boarded the train on the way to Hogwarts. They effected Harry awfully. Simon, I think he heard his mum when she was murdered. It's awful what those creatures are able to do. I felt like I did as a little girl again. Alone and unwanted. And Azkaban has thousands of them? However does anyone survive it?

I'm very grateful you managed to escape that fate.

We were lucky that we happened to be sharing the compartment with the new DADA professor. His name is Remus Lupin. Did you know him? What should I expect from him as a teacher? The last two years weren't very good so I'm hoping for positive news on this one. I imagine you must have known him. Professor Snape seems to be very aware of him and not in a positive way. You went to school at the same time, right? Why does Professor Snape hate him so?

I hope you are well and I look forward to further correspondence. Don't isolate yourself too entirely this year.

Hermione

SA-

Lupin is back at the school and Black is still on the loose. This very well be a year for the books.

Encourage our friend to take better care of her own health. She's apparently incapable of remembering to do so herself.

-SS

Hermione,

I will be sending more reading material for you to further our lessons. However, I will not be sending them until I receive word that you are at least attempting to take better care of yourself. Whatever have you gotten yourself into this year?"

Simon

Simon,

Thank you so very much for the books! I very much look forward to reading them. I'm sorry I couldn't send you something more exciting than chocolates but I hope you enjoyed them!

The boys are angry with me again. Harry received a broomstick from an anonymous sender. I thought it was quite unsettling, what with Sirius Black on the loose and apparently after Harry. I told Professor McGonagall and she took the broom to test it for any tampering. They're so angry with me over it. I was just trying to make sure that Harry stayed safe.

Draco Malfoy insulted a Hippogryph and it attacked him. It was just a scratch but I'm sure you're very aware of the ways of the Malfoy. So now I'm attempting to help Hagrid put together a defense for Buckbeak (the hippogryph). It's upsetting how little legislation is available in defense of creatures.

I'm not supposed to tell anyone, so please, if we can keep this last bit between us, I'd greatly appreciate it. This year is when we get to choose the elective courses that we want to take for OWLs. Well, you see, I kind of chose all of them. Headmaster Dumbledore was able to get special dispensation to allow me a time turner for the year in order to attend all the classes. Don't worry about me though, I'm being very careful with spending my time. I've got a very detailed log of every time I use it.

Yes, I know I probably ought to have told you much sooner and I am sorry for keeping you in the dark but I was attempting to hold to my instructions.

I hope you've had a Happy Christmas!

Hermione

Hermione

A time turner? You're quite serious aren't you? I trust that you're at least using the damned device to give yourself a chance to sleep and eat properly? If your answer isn't a resounding yes, I suggest you make it a yes starting immediately. You must take care of yourself, Hermione. Your health and wellbeing are far more important than any exam score could ever be.

I am very sorry to hear that the boys are giving you difficulty again this year. You're a far better friend than most to continue to stand by the pair despite the consistent mistreatment. Keep your chin up, they'll come around.

I've sent with this letter a couple books that I found among my library regarding creature rights and precedence. Unfortunately, as you say, I'm all too aware of the 'Ways of the Malfoy', I would caution you to prepare yourself for the worst even as you hope for the best.

Happy New Year,

Simon

SS-

Keep an eye, if you would. The old man is far more meddlesome than you might care to imagine.

-SA

Simon remembered the end of term being a rather bittersweet feeling during his own time as a student in Hogwarts. However, very few times did he recall feeling nearly as anxious as he did for the end of term, currently. That little witch was going to be the death of him, he was quite sure of it. Only that witch could tangle with a fully grown werewolf, free a fugitive, rescue a condemned hippogryph, all under the very large and observant nose of the much feared Hogwart's Potion's Master and treat it like just another obstacle in the way of perfect exam scores.

It had been some time since he had witnessed Severus quite that furious as well, for that matter. Simon was sure that he would not be the one to inform his friend of the little witch's time turner usage. He was not intending to put himself on the receiving end of that rage fueled tantrum, friend or no.

Simon leaned back into his chair from behind his desk, rubbing his hands tiredly over his face and into his hair. For being almost entirely isolated, his social interactions were so very exhausting. A quick glance at the clock told him that the Express should be reaching London right about then. The most recent letter from Hermione was spread across his desk, the thorough detailing of her most recent escapades written precisely on a very long sheet of parchment. Generally, they attempted some sense of brevity in their correspondence while she was in school both out of respect for her study schedules and to limit anyone around her from becoming too nosy.

So far, even Potter and Weasley hadn't found her regular letters to be suspect.

Severus had at least indicated that she had made suitable progress on her Occulemency lessons. That was encouraging.

Simon jumped when he heard a door slamming down the hall and quickly rolled up the letter and placed it securely into one of the desk drawers. Best not to let the surly Professor know of her involvement in his current misery.

The wizard in question blew through the doors of Simon's study and lowered himself into a chair on the opposite side of the desk with an air of simmering anger. Simon tried to smother a smirk but the scowl on the Potions Master's expression told him that he hadn't quite succeeded. "Alright there, Severus?"

"Potter and Miss Granger insist that Black is innocent," Severus stated, his tone surprisingly calm considering the energy that was flowing from his person.

"We had questioned that ourselves over the years."

"If they are telling the truth than that means Pettigrew is both alive and on the loose."

Simon tried to ignore the feeling of dread that traced his spine, "And he's clearly been shunned by his school friends, unsurprisingly."

"The man is as predictable as he is cowardly," Severus confirmed.

"If our suspicions are correct," Simon said slowly.

"Then we need to pick up the pace Miss Granger's, and so Mister Potter's, training," Severus confirmed.

Simon nodded in silent agreement. "What has the old man had to say?"

Severus snorted derisively, "I'm quite certain that any theories he has will be kept clear of me. However, he believes that Black is innocent of betraying the Potters. He never saw any indication that Pettigrew is still alive, regardless of what the students claim. He's not senile not matter how well he has learned to play the part."

"Has Lucius attempted to reach out to you?" Simon asked.

"I speak with him semi regularly," Severus confirmed. "Usually regarding Draco's antics. He's been very mum about anything regarding the Dark Lord following the instance with Miss Weasley last year."

The two wizards fell into a contemplative silence. Neither wanting to think further on the reality of the near future but neither seemingly able to think of anything else. Simon hesitantly pushed his shirt sleeve up past his elbow and studied the glaring Mark closely. It had yet to change from the faded horror that it had been for the last twelve years but he would certainly be keeping a close eye on it in the coming months.

"What are your plans for Miss Granger," Severus asked suddenly.

"Get a feel for how comfortable she has become with Occulemency, for start," Simon said, thoughtfully. "Put a bug in her ear to talk with Pomfrey about learning some basic healing. Test what Lupin did for them with Defense and attempt to bring her up to par if she isn't. Since the beginning of the lessons, I've attempted to get her to think objectively and approach her questions from as many possible aspects. She's very book oriented, despite what I've told her about Magic and Intention. Perhaps that's something I'll attempt to break her of."

"Just don't break her too badly," Severus commented. "Many of my college's still expect book reasoning rather than logical reasoning, after all."

"She's far smarter than you give her credit for, Severus," Simon insisted. "Young and untried, perhaps but she's not unintelligent."

"No, she's not. However, she fails to utilize her intelligence. That is where she will always limit herself if she cannot break herself from the habit," the dark wizard argued.

"Very well then, how would you suggest I go about teaching her to use her intelligence?"

"These are your lessons," Severus said snidely. "Far be it from me to tell another how to instruct."

Simon snorted inelegantly, "Of course not."

The summer passed fairly uneventfully with frequent visits from Severus and letters to and from Hermione. He had even managed a handful of meetings with the young witch at the same small shop that they had originally chosen to meet at the previous summer. So far all of their lessons were theoretical and discussion based. He had yet to breach the topic of moving forward with some more practical lessons. What location to use for the practical lessons was his largest obstacle. Obviously, being the Lord of Avery Hall such a thing should be obvious however, there was something decidedly uncertain about inviting a teenage witch unaccompanied to his home, no matter how appropriate the intentions. It was unlikely that he would be able to convince Severus to play Chaperone.

He knew the little witch would be as affronted over his caution as the other proud muggleborn he once knew would have been. Simon knew the power of reputation in the Wizarding World, however, whether he liked it or not. While it was true that their lessons were meant to be kept in secret anyway, it didn't assuage his guilty feeling at all that he would be destroying the girl's strong reputation should their meetings come into the public awareness.

With his mind spinning at the various implications of whatever he decided to do, Simon began to draft the newest in their series of letters. He resolved to lay the entire of the scenario out for her. She was a smart girl and was coming a long wonderfully at understanding nuances and intricacies of situations. Hopefully, she would have the ability to look at the situation objectively and they could come to a suitable agreement that would cover all of their bases.

It was early August, about two weeks prior to the much anticipated Quidditch World Cup, when Simon found himself in the company of someone other than Severus or Hermione. He was composing yet another letter to Hermione, complete with detailed lesson plans for the duration of the summer when Linky, one of his family elves, popped into his study to announce a new arrival. Simon frowned but gave permission for the elf to escort their unexpected guest to the study. Unannounced visitors were rarely something to look forward to. As such, Simon carefully put away the letter and stowed his wand out of sight but within easy reach.

Moments later the door to his study opened and Simon warily watched as Lucius Malfoy approached the desk. It was decidedly uncomfortable, and if he were honest quite infuriating, to watch the unwelcome wizard waltz into his study with the air of distain. "Lucius, I can't say I was expecting company this afternoon."

The blonde wizard sat himself into one of the receiving chairs and carefully arranged himself just so before he stretched the silence just long enough to toe the line of rudeness. "I apologize for showing up unannounced," he said, not sounding the least bit sorry. "How have you been fairing old friend? It's been a number of years, hasn't it?"

"Nearly thirteen, actually," Simon said, shorty.

"Has it been, truly?" Lucius said in a mocking tone. "Ah yes, the last we spoke was just before we were carted off to the Ministry's holding cells. You all but disappeared afterwards. One would think you'd gone into hiding."

"Not as much," Simon shrugged. "There's hardly anyone I cared to continue association with."

Lucius nodded in mock understanding before continuing snidely, "I would suspect that grief and bloodied hands would cripple a lesser man."

Simon allowed his eyes to narrow slightly at the obvious insult but refused to rise to the baiting, "Alright, Lucius, you've played your games. Neither of us care enough for the other's presence for this to be a simple social call. Why are you here?"

"There's to be a gathering the night of the World Cup," Lucius said casually as though he were talking about an actual gathering and not the sort that both men knew he was actually referencing. "Your presence is formally requested."

"I'm afraid that I must decline, I'm already expected elsewhere. Commitments, I'm sure you understand."

"Choose your allegiances wisely, Avery. Surely you've heard the whispers? Surely you've noticed certain developments."

"None of which improves my opinion of you, Lucius. Your threats lost their potency many years ago," Simon dismissed. "If that is all, I'll have one of the elves see you out."

"Very well, I would suggest you consider your option and choose correctly," the blonde wizard warned. "He forgave your weaknesses once, I doubt He would be quite so forgiving a second time. I'll see myself out."

Simon watched the other wizard exit with narrowed eyes. "Linky, please make sure that our guest doesn't take any detours on his way out." Once the elf had left to follow Lucius's exit, Simon pulled a piece of parchment and jotted an abbreviated description of the blonde's visit and sent it off to Severus. If he was in regular contact with the Malfoy's, he probably already knew of this gathering but it didn't hurt to warn the man just in case.

Once that note was enroute to the surly wizard, Simon set to finishing the letter to Hermione though he wrapped up the letter with a date and time for a meeting the following day. It was her nature to be in the middle of trouble so it was inevitable that she would somehow be caught up in whatever Malfoy had planned for the World Cup. Simon would be damned if he said nothing and allowed her to be sent unprepared.

"You think it's beginning again," Hermione said, tone curious.

"I do," Simon confirmed. "Severus and I suspected it following what you've described at the end of your last year. Our marks are gradually darkening and there's very few explanations as to what would cause such a thing."

"Do you know who's likely to be involved?"

"Don't you start attempting to become a vigilante," Simon warned. "You, Potter and Weasley do a fine job of getting yourself in the middle of chaos without even trying. I shudder to think what sort of nightmares you would find if you actually went looking for it."

"So what good is warning me to be on my toes if there's absolutely nothing I can do about it?" Hermione frowned in frustration.

"Because warning you can be the difference between being caught unaware and being harmed and being able to get to safety," he said, firmly. "While intelligent, you are a fourteen year old witch. You are not equipped to deal with the depravity that these individuals are, not only capable of, but would happily utilize against a proud muggleborn such as yourself. There's no shame in keeping yourself safe."

"I'm not a coward," the girl scowled.

"It is not cowardice to know and respect your own limitations, Hermione," Simon scolded. "It is foolish and irresponsible to disregard your limitations. That is what gets you and those around you hurt, if not killed. There's no true honor in pride."

"So you would have me just run away and leave them to their depravity? Even knowing they're likely harming someone?"

"Yes, I would," Simon confirmed. "Because not only will the vast majority of our Ministry and the International teams' security forces be at the event and are trained to handle such events but also because I would rather you survive whatever madness is planned."

"Your plan," Hermione scoffed. "Of course, you need me to see your plan through. Apologies for putting your plans in jeopardy, to hell with my conscience."

"In part, yes. I have dreamt of truly being free for longer than you've been alive. So yes, this whole bit running as planned is crucial," Simon said, tone seriously. "But my concern is also for you in your own right. You are a brilliant witch, Hermione, and I very much look forward to you becoming the woman you've got all the potential to become. I'll be damned if I sit back and watch you throw it away recklessly because of a sense of misplaced pride. You've got the fortitude of all four Hogwart's houses. I would see you use your cunning and self-preservation just a little bit more, if you would."

Hermione eyed him speculatively, as though attempting to read how much truth was in his words. "I won't leave Harry to do it on his own."

"And I'd not ask you to. I would only ask that when you can get out of a situation, you get out of it. If possible, avoid direct altercations until we can train a bit more. These annual letters that you're in grave danger is enough to drive me to an early grave," Simon half-joked.

"If I'm not allowed to throw potential away on misplaced pride than you're not allowed to throw your potential away on misplaced worry," she teased.

"My dear girl, where you're concerned it's hardly misplaced," he grinned. "You and your mates have quite the knack for attracting trouble."