'I tell you Mione, he's been a right nightmare. Won't speak to anyone, hardly talks to me just grunts and glares all the time… it's annoying.

You leaving hasn't helped, just abandoned me, what kind of friend does that…'

She folded the letter and placed it on her table. That was enough from Ron for one day, like hell he was going to try guilt trip her when she felt happy to have left when she did, he wasn't going to ruin it for her… no way.

By the sounds of it he hadn't listened to her words she spoke the day before last, he was still angry at the world and everyone in it, something that, as far as she was bothered which was very little, he could stay that way.

If that was what potentially greeted her then she had half a mind to write a quick note to Ginny and tell her she would see her on the train. There was no way she was dealing with that for the remainder of her holidays.

She had enjoyed the peace that being at home brought. Just being able to go anywhere she wanted without the overbearing presence of Mrs Weasley to make sure none of them went where they weren't supposed to, and best of all – no cleaning.

It also gave her the time to think clear, something she seldom could surrounded by a small crowd. She still had to find a chicken.

Since agreeing to do this one thing for him, it had forced her to gather what she could on Basilisks… a hard feat considering there was very little to go on. Sure there were pages dedicated to their physical appearances, their attributes and of course what made them so dangerous.

But there was virtually next to nothing on breeding. From what she had been told by the large snake, it hadn't been like anything written down that she had read in the one book she had found on the subject, something which led her to the conclusion that what had been published in books wasn't the real truth.

A glossary perhaps but not what really counted. So trying to find the true instructions was mission impossible as the only people ever to have bred the dangerous reptiles and wrote down their findings, their words had been lost long ago and as they weren't exactly a published author, it made her job harder.

Slytherin hadn't left anything behind. Well he had, but not on how to grow your own basilisk, having already hatched one he didn't see the need to have another and so the only things he left were just some ramblings in a journal that Nídhogg kindly revealed to her in a casual conversation one day.

She couldn't believe he had literally been sleeping with a school founders last words and not having told her, as she climbed back inside his hidey hole and searching around in the dark for a while, before realizing she had her wand.

She glanced to her bed, and underneath where the journal in topic lay. With what had been going on the past few days/weeks she hadn't actually had a chance to read it yet, though it wasn't all that big… in fact it looked only about fifteen pages long, she knew there would be information in there that the likes of which no book would ever be able to comprehend.

She had read the first two pages before quickly hiding it whenever her Mother came in, it was only with everything that followed delayed her from reading anymore. So deciding to read it back in school, in places only she knew about, was the best choice. In all honesty she didn't know why she had taken it; if she wasn't going to read it fully she might as well have left it with its snaky guardian. But the fact that it was there, untouched for centuries, she knew that because he had told her so.

Contrary to what he had said on the likes of Riddle, during his time in school and in the chambers, whilst he was there trying to learn everything he could about his ancestor… amassing any information about the house founder he could get. He hadn't actually bothered to ask the snake.

Yes he had demanded that he tell him what Salazar was like, having been the only living thing to have stood before him as he drew breath he was the only one with the knowledge he craved. But for all his zealous monopolizing on the pure-blooded muggle-born hater, he had dismissed the notion of the snake knowing anything more than what he had told him.

Because of that, Riddle never knew about the journals that lay hidden away in his sleeping den. Another unknown fact about snakes – especially magical ones, they – like kneazles, was a great judge's of character. They would immediately know who was trustworthy and who was not, so on hearing Riddles thoughts about those of non-magical origins he knew right away that he was not to be trusted.

He might have held the blood of his beloved master, but that was where it ended. There were other things about the cruel boy that told him he was dangerous but the way he spoke. The cold, malicious steel in his voice was the biggest giveaway.

Hence why he only told what was asked of him, and because he didn't ask anymore, he went throughout the school years never knowing of the diaries of which he would have surely killed for.

Hermione hadn't asked. Like Riddle, she too had no clue of what he held in his possession, it was only due to him asking the enormous task that he spoke of them. But unlike the task that she had taken on, he had known that she wouldn't use whatever lay in the pages for her own gain.

Unlike the sadistic boy though, he had been around her long enough to know she wasn't like him at all. How they acted and presented themselves might have held the slightest of similar aspects, but when it came to loyalty she had him beat.

The fact that she had saved him from possible death was proof of that, he wouldn't have, he had just seen the snake as another power tool to use against those he disliked, to inspire more fear and keep control. She had given him a choice and regained his sense of purpose, even going as far as to befriend him when the one she had stopped from using the sword protested.

It was with all that he felt no fear in letting her know about his old masters journals. That informing her wasn't going to bring untold horrors it might have with him.

He also hoped that there was something in there that might help. As he had no thumbs or could read, he knew that if there was any chance of getting the process right then it might have lain within its pages. But with her having only read two, it looked like it was going to be a matter of simply waiting.

The only reason why she was even looking for a chicken was because he told her that upon tearing his way through his egg he had seen a few. Having asked Salazar what they were before the founder came to the conclusion that one snake was enough. He had been planning more and so kept a couple of hens down in the chamber for future use.

But now seeing as they were surplus to requirements he allowed the newly hatched basilisk to eat them, along with the toad. That was all he could remember and so she wrote it down in her notes, from the information she had been given she worked out that in order to ensure that she got a snake and not some weird, creepy Frankenstein mix of both, she had to take the egg and place it under the toad as soon as it was laid.

Of course that was just conjecture until she actually had the chicken but so far it was her best theory and so with that, put it to one side in order to work on her bigger problem.

She was still writing when shouting had her throwing down her quill and leaving her room. Making her way downstairs she followed the sound until she reached the source.

"Yes?"

Minerva looked up from where she was sat, a smile on her face. "I have something to tell you."

Hermione gave her a small look before shrugging and moving into the room, coming to sit next to her. "What is it?"

Turning to look at her, the older witch still with her smile replied. "As you know now, it's coming up to fifth year." Hermione nodded silently wondering why she felt the need to state the obvious.

"As such… fifth year is when I make the decision on who is the prefect for Gryffindor house." Still silent she nods again, but a slight bubble of excitement starts to build the more she speaks.

"Something that I have been doing these past few months, since last year to be honest, and… well, I think we both know who one of them will be."

Hermione still remains silent, even as Minerva reaches over and takes a letter from the other side on the stand, with a smile that's more proud then formality she gives it over to the younger girl. Hermione takes it from her and feels the badge that lingers inside, along with the official letter as she places it on the side and moves.

Minerva starts to laugh as she's soon engulfed in a hug as Hermione wraps herself as much as she physically can around the older woman and clings tight. Once the hug becomes too long she pulls back but still stays close to her as she leans up and kisses her cheek.

"Thank you."

Taking a glance at the letter Minerva cuts her gaze back to her. "Need I remind you though that while I know my choice in picking you was never doubted, you have to uphold everything that comes with this role?"

Refraining from scoffing, the younger girl nods. She's seen the prefects before, she knows just how draconian they were and so knew how to act.

"I'm also a little worried."

"Why?"

Moving back a little she reaches for the letter and holds it in her lap. Minerva glances at the unopened envelope before replying. "Because by choosing you, others might assume it's a simple case of nepotism,"

At that she does snort. The older woman arches her brow as Hermione responds still holding the letter. "I doubt half those idiots know that word means. And the other half isn't going to argue with what is ultimately the best and really only choice."

Minerva's smile turns into an amused smirk. "Is that so?"

"Well, who else did you have in mind?" Minerva falls silent at that, on coming to make her choice, a small part of her niggles guiltily as she hadn't given it a second thought. In her mind the younger witch in front of her was always going to be prefect, and judging from the knowing look she is getting Hermione knew it to.

"Fine, I'll admit. But only because I have seen the work ethic and personal behaviours of both Miss Brown and Patil and there really was little choice."

"What about Faye?"

"Do you want me to rescind the offer?" She smirked as Hermione clutched her letter tighter, a petulant look adorning her face as she shook her head.

"They want this, they will have to pry it from me… also screw them, they know as well as I do that I really am the better out of that lot. They won't say a word should they think it unfair."

'I'll make sure of that' was left unsaid as Minerva nodded her head.

"So who is the other?"

"Well… I was thinking of Mr Weas—"

"No."

Minerva again arched her brow at the sudden outburst. Hermione faced her determined as she shook her head. "There is no way I am having Ron as the second prefect."

"I wasn't aware it was a choice you had a say in my dear." The younger girl frowned deeper as she replied.

"Yes, but if you don't want me to quit right here, right now… I can say my piece."

Minerva sat gaping slightly, unable to believe the audacity of the younger witch. But slight curiosity as to why she was so vehemently protesting when she last heard, they were not arguing or even nasty to each other.

"Might I ask why?"

Hermione nodded straight away. "Aye… he's lazy, rude, inconsiderate, unhelpful, petty, biased and so will without a doubt abuse his power against Slytherin's… hell to even those he simply doesn't like. Quick to temper so those that argue back will undoubtedly set him off… need I go on?"

She didn't. Minerva held up her hand stopping her, a look of annoyed resignation on her face as she stared at her, "I get it dear; you've made your point. So who would you have in replacement?"

It took her a few minutes to think, but eventually she threw out her hand and shook her head. "Harry."

"No,"

It was Hermione's turn to look shocked at the sudden rebuke. "Might I ask why not?"

Minerva looked a mix of uncomfortable and peeved as she spoke. "Albus advised me not to give the offer to Mr Potter."

"Why not," Once more her anger for the older wizard that had been lying latent surged at the thought of him refusing Harry something that might make the right impressions in later life, not that 'chosen one' wasn't an already big enough impression but it was the principles that mattered as she waited.

"He simply thinks that it might be too much for him." The younger girl scoffed. "So what Ron was the overall better choice..." She stopped as a thought came to her and she turned back to her Mother.

"It was him wasn't it? He suggested Ron for the prefect role."

Knowing that was what indeed had happened, and that she was simply right in guessing Minerva nodded. There was no point in trying to deny it as Hermione raged.

"What the hell was he thinking? Does he wish for Gryffindor to look like they are scraping the bottom of the barrel?"

Again her words surprised the other woman; surely there must have been something about the youngest male Weasley she liked, but the laugh she got told her otherwise.

They talked a little while longer, with Hermione trying to override the choice but to her dismay the older woman wasn't budging, so accepting defeat on that she moved on from her friends and thought about the others in the fifth year boys.

She vetoed Neville, he was still to unsure of himself and so would have been a walkover, Seamus just liked to blow things up, she mused on Dean for a while before finally conceding that he was the second best choice if not Harry and so with that in mind she told the other woman who had to recall the other boys grades and classroom behaviour.

"Well I don't recall him ever having been in trouble before. Nor has he ever had a bad word said about him in any of the other teachers' classes.

"I know." She looked down at her again. "Are you sure that he is who you would like to see as prefect? Remember that it is a three year role."

Hermione nodded. "It's only a choice, he might not accept. Plus it's not head boy either, so you can always replace him if anything does occur."

She was right about that, well she didn't see the harm in offering him the position. It wasn't Ronald like Albus suggested, but it was her house and so her decision. So nodding she said she would write to Mr Thomas and let him know he had the position, also that if he wished to refuse that he should come speak to her at the start of the feast.

With the two choices settled Hermione gives her another hug. "When do you need to go and get your new school things?"

Musing in thought for a moment, she works out which day would be best and goes to speak, when another thought came to her, now that she was trusted enough to go places by herself. This would be the perfect opportunity to do a little outside snooping, and if she timed it correctly get a dam chicken before she left for school.

"Next week or so…"

Minerva nodded. That seemed acceptable. Plus with Hermione no longer needed a chaperone, other than to get her there it gave her time to finish off some of the trickier plans for her sixth and seventh year classes.

"I could ask if Ginny want's to come along. I know she had fun when we went to get out dresses." Well they would have had fun if the younger girl hadn't of been such a bloody worry most of the time.

"That sounds like a good idea."

Perfect. With the beginnings of a plan forming she picks up her letter and with one last goodbye, leaves the room and rushes back up the steps. Opening the door to her room she throws herself on the bed once more upturning the cat that had made his way over when she had left. Quickly bending down she hooked her hand around his stomach to stop his fall before plonking him back on the mattress.

"Sorry,"

His squashed little face does absolutely nothing to make the glare sent her way anymore intimidating, in fact she found it rather cute and so leaned over and kissed his nose.

"Don't be grumpy, I'll find you a treat."

With the promise of food he simply turns around and holds his tail high, circling his previous spot and settles down once more, eyes still on her before they shut and he resumes his nap.

Shaking her head she turns back to the letter and carefully rips the top open. Tipping it upside down she shakes the envelope until the badge falls into her palm. Holding it in her fingers she tilts the badge slightly, admiring the glint that shone from the metal and the words that would ultimately give her more power than what she already had in the tower.

Only this meant it was legal.

She wasn't going as far as to say she was entirely hypocritical of Ron when she said he would abuse his status, she knew he would, everyone knew he would. She would to, only she had more sense not to get caught about it.

The problem with Ron was that he was far too open about his bias, his hate for anything in green and silver seemed almost enough to power the entire castle and that is what made him such a poor candidate for the position. With Dean it would be perfect; yes with him being muggle-born it might seem that he would have an outright vendetta against those that mocked him.

But the teachers all saw how he ignored it, how he simply got on with his work and kept to himself, if she had someone so low-key when it came to patrols then who better than to take deserved points than one nobody would ever suspect of being vindictive enough to do so.

She kept her eyes on the badge for a moment longer, until the sound of tapping had her turning to see at the window was Noctis, she had sent him to get the letters Sirius had been keeping for her, Hippo had hurt his wing and so couldn't deliver the reply's as much as he wanted and so with no other owl he had sent a small note when Minerva went back to the headquarters.

So she had sent one of her own to go get them. Well – not her owls, but the ones that lived there. It had been rather slim on the preferences as most were out when she went to the small make shift aviary, the only one being Spartacus, Mira, Noctis and Hera.

She couldn't use Spartacus or Mira seeing as they were eagles, and as impressive as that would have been neither were suitable for menial errands… they were much to prideful for such things, Hera was small and amusing to be around but wasn't a good choice either.

So that left only the hawk owl. He was a very finicky bird but one whose loyalty and labour could be bought with a mouse or rat, so seeing him at the window made her smile as she slid from the bed and made her way to the window. Pushing it open just enough to he could hop his way inside she turned to him as he dropped his cargo onto the table.

A stare off then proceeded as he gazed at her with his eyes unblinking, it was enough to creep her out really and wondering what it was he wanted, kept her eye son him for fear of him making a move, in the end it finally came to her as she sighed loudly. She had forgotten his treat.

She had promised him a rat… why she had said rat when there wasn't really any outside she would never know, the only ones that dared scuttle through the garden were snapped up faster by Addie than Harry on his broom searching for the snitch. Biting her lip she slowly opened her eyes to see him still in his spot – unmoving and still unblinking.

Knowing that there was no away she was going to get rid of him anytime soon, or feel at all safe in any room he was in without due reward made her turn to the only thing she had pertaining to meat that wasn't the cat.

The box of mice that she kept in the cupboard, she had gotten them for her reptilian friend but since he had already found food she kept them safe for when he needed them. But seeing as now she was stuck between a two story window and a psychopathic looking owl, one she was sure would do more harm than her jumping out of any window, she caved and made her way to the snakes' secret stash.

"I know I said rat." She turned back to face him, box in hand as she moved back to where he waited. She saw his whole body perk up at the sound of frantic squeaking coming from inside and rose up higher when she approached.

"But I have been busy, so would you begrudge me if it was mice instead?" He lifted his head to look at her, beady eyes boring deep into her making her flinch a little, the face off still continued as he mused on whether it was an acceptable now that he had been deceived, after an age he hooted softly making her smile.

"Thank you, oh kind one."

She chuckled at his slightly louder hoot before opening the box and tilting it sideways. He watched with sharply keen eyes as she shook the side and with chittering squeaks three mice slid from the box and as soon as they hit the surface, made a break in whichever direction they could.

Hermione jumped back no sooner as she had for the owl had opened his wings wide and dived upon his prey, from the bed and having been woken one more by the noise, Crookshanks watched with disinterested eyes at the commotion across from his as the terrified mice scarpered in a vain effort of escaping the large predator swooping on them.

Hermione watched with both a little morbid and fascinated curiosity as he snatched them up in his knife like talons and pulled them closer to his body.

With another hoot she opened the window higher and stepped back again as he – with his newly earned meal for the night – left the desk and out the window again as he set off for the aviary leaving her staring on after him, once he had gone she shut the window and locked it before picking up the letters.

Glancing at each of the names she reaches the last and throws the rest down on the bed, they'll still be there later, staring down at Cedric's name she can't help but smile as she gets comfy again settling on the bed before carefully opening his letter.

The rest of the night is spent reading each of her friend's replies, eve so often reaching out to pet a contented fat ball of orange, curled up at her side.