Chapter 28

There was homework?!

Romania

Romania was there with Hermione when Harry and Ron were finally allowed to leave their beds in the Hospital Wing. Together (yes, together - Hermione and Ron were back on good terms, to Romania's relief), they went down for breakfast.

During said travel down to the Hall, Hermione brought up the topic of Ginny and Dean having an argument. Seeing Harry's reaction to the story, Romania couldn't help but notice the tension in his voice and effort to hide his inner hope.

Harry's unusual curiosity about Dean and Ginny's relationship status was caught by Hermione as well, leading to her saying - "Yes, they are – but why are you so interested?" – after Harry asked if they're still together.

"I just don't want my Quidditch team messed up again!" Harry said hastily, but Hermione continued to look suspicious. Romania only just kept on smiling.

"Harry!"

"Oh, hi, Luna," Harry, thankful for an excuse to look away from Hermione's laser-eyes, turned to look at Luna.

"I went to the hospital wing to find you," Luna said as she rummaged through her bag, "But they said you'd left…"

All sorts of things came out of Luna's bag as she pulled them out – Romania recognized some of them, but others… he could make out what on earth those were. Luna finally found what she was looking for after she dumped a mush of… cat litter - ? Into Ron's hands.

Luna handed the grubby scroll of parchment she dug out.

"…I've been told to give you this."

Laying eyes on the small roll of parchment, the Golden Trio and Romania instantly recognized at once as another invitation to a lesson to Harry from Dumbledore.

"Tonight," Harry said once he had unrolled it.

"Nice commentary last match!" Ron said to Luna, who was putting everything back into her bag. Luna smiled slightly.

"You're making fun of me, aren't you?" she said, "Everyone says I was dreadful."

"No, I'm serious!" Ron earnestly said, "I can't remember enjoying commentary more!"

"Same with me!" Romania said. He also mentally added, 'I mean I've lived centuries and it's the best of all! Never seen – heard – anything like it before.'

Luna smiled pleasantly and said thank you to the two boys who had appreciated her commentary.

"What is this, by the way?" Ron added, holding the onion-like object up to eye-level.

"Oh, it's a Gurdyroot," Luna said in a way that suggested she presumed Ron knows what a Gurdyroot is – though from what Romania could tell, he didn't. "You can keep it if you like, I've got a few of them. They're really excellent for warding off Gulping Plimpies."

And she walked away, leaving Ron chortling, still clutching the Gurdyroot.

"You know, she's grown on me, Luna," Ron said, as they set off again for the Great Hall, "I know she's insane, but it's in a good – "

Romania raised his eyebrow at Ron's sudden terrified, nervous expression and stop to his sentence until he spotted Lavender Brown at the foot on the marble staircase with a face of an angry England. Which basically means: thunderous.

"Hi," Ron manages to say, nervousness clearly shown by the crack of his voice.

"C'mon," Harry muttered, and the four students swiftly moved their legs to make an escape, but was not fast enough evade Lavender shooting words at Ron.

"Why didn't you tell me you were getting out today? And why was she with you?"

Silently wishing Ron good luck, Romania quickly moved away from the confrontation. Ron ended up sitting with Lavender and not with Harry, Hermione, and Romania.

Ron's dissatisfaction and tiredness were obvious; everyone could see it. Romania could see England and Norway in their respective House tables giving Ron a glance and frowning slightly. As those two turned their attention to Ron, their friends did too, leading to a whole bunch of teenage boys wishing Ron good luck, as they all knew Ron most definitely needed that luck.

Though Ron was tired, Hermione was not bothered by Lavender at all, unlike before. In fact, she was better than before – in a better mood. She even looked over (finish writing) Harry's Herbology essay! Romania swore he would never see such thing happen, yet he looking right at it.

Romania was still looking at Hermione 'looking over' Harry's essay with disbelief.

"Thanks a lot, Hermione," Harry said, giving her a hasty pat on the back as he checked his watch and saw that it was nearly eight o'clock, "Listen, I've got to hurry or I'll be late for Dumbledore…"

"We shall be waiting for your return," Romania said in a joking tone, making Harry snort before he left.

After Harry left, Hermione finished looking over Harry's essay and opened her book with a pleased smile.

"Sooooooooooo," Romania said, putting his elbow on the sofa armrest and his chin on his hand to lean against his arm. He had the expression of the Weasley twins on, as if he was about to stir up some chaos.

"Happy Ron called your name in his sleep?"

Hermione did not answer, pretending she was too submerged in her book to hear him.

"Oh come on, Hermione," Romania leaned closer over to Hermione, "Telllll meeeee. You like Ron, riggggghhhhhhhtttt?"

When Hermione continued to ignore Romania, Romania called Hermione's name repeatedly like an alarm.

"Hermione! Hermione! Hermione! Hermione! Hermione! Hermione! Hermione! Hermione!"

"Gosh, Vlad! You're acting like a child!" Hermione shouted in annoyance as she closed her book with a slam. "And you're hundreds of years old!" she added in a quieter voice.

"Oh yes but you know we all act nothing like how old we actually are; we act more like how we look like," Romania said jokingly, "That's probably why none of us look old. Maybe we look like what age we act like."

Hermione sighed and looked straight into Romania's red eyes, which had turned slightly orange as it reflected the fireplace's fire's light.

"Zip your mouth, please, Vlad," Hermione said.

"You know, 'zip your mouth' with 'please' combined is quite weird," Romania said and changed his position so that he was leaning back on the sofa. "Anyhow, I'm going to take that as a 'yes I like-like Ron.'"

"Don't make it weird, Vlad," Hermione said.

"Ye-up! I won't," Romania said, "Pinky promise."

Hermione smiled and nodded before returning to her book while Romania continued to finish up his own homework.

Ron came back to the Gryffindor Common Room with an expression on his face that made Romania think that he just met a dementor. Lavender was trailing along his side, sticking close to him. Ron met Romania's eyes in a desperate call for help, and Romania responded to such call.

"Ron! Lavender!" Romania said loudly, jumping up from the sofa and hopping over the couple. "Out until this late? What were you two do~ing?"

Kissing, Romania guessed, but asked anyway.

"Oh, just things that people who are dearly in love do," Lavenger said with a giggle, making Romania cringe on the inside.

"So sorry to interrupt you two lovebirds but may I please borrow Ron? I need to talk about the Potions homework," Romania said, "Y'know, compare answers and things."

"Oh-hehehe! Of course, good luck with the work, Won-Won!"

With that, Lavender left. As soon as Lavender was out of sight, Ron placed his hand on Romania's shoulder and let out a "Thank you."

"What friends are for, pal," Romania smiled, and escorted Ron over to the sofa in front of the fireplace. "So did you do the Potions homework, Ron?"

"What?"

"Potions homework."

"…I thought you made that up to save me from Lavender."

"Uh, comparing answers bit was the on-spot improvisation part. The presence of Potions homework, due tomorrow, is real, Ron."

"Bloody hell."

Ron frantically started to rush through the Potions homework, and with Hermione and Romania's support, he was about two-thirds done when Harry came back later on that night.

"Harry! How was it?" Romania asked, waving at Harry to come sit. Harry, after sitting down, told the summarized version of everything he saw and heard.

He spoke about Trelawney's dissatisfaction towards Firenze teaching, and how Dumbledore cannot let her leave Hogwarts as, although she is unaware of it, she may be in grave danger outside of Hogwarts. He also told his friends more about Tom Riddle, Voldemort's past. His wish to work as a professor at Hogwarts, his job at Borgin and Burkes, his 'friendship' with Hepzibah Smith, and his murder of said person – Hermione was furious when she heard about Hokey the house-elf being convicted for the murder - to get his hands on Hufflepuff's cup and Slytherin's locket.

"And your mission is still to get Slughorn's memory?" Romania asked.

"Yes," Harry said, "Dumbledore says it is a crucial bit of information."

"…Well, we better figure out a way to get that memory from him soon," Romania said, "…Because if Voldemort really does have Horcruxes, we need to get a move on with destroying them."

-0-0-0-

Usual everyday conversation, even with e-learning :

"Hey what did you write for Question 4?"

"What Question 4?"

"The homework."

"whAT HOMEWORK?!"

-PotterheadNo.04