Okay, sorry if chaps are too short or long. Vinoli is mine. So is Merlyn. An sorry if I dont post for a while.

An hour later they arrived at Hogwarts. They rode the carriages to the castle and got out. The food at the feast was wonderful, as always, and everyone was sorted. Harry disappeared when they left the Great Hall and Hermione and Ron, the prefects from Gryffindor other than Harry, let everyone in. Up in the girls dorm, Ginny sat on Hermione's bed. "You'll never believe what I saw in the gardens, Herm! Harry and Cho, you know, Cedric's old girlfriend, kissing.

Apparently she's gotten over last year." At that, both the girls started sniffling. Last year, Cho's boyfriend, Cedric Diggory, was killed by Lord Voldemort. They met the boys downstairs after unpacking when an owl flew in front of Hermione. It was the same owl that had delivered the first message from her mysterious friend. She excused herself to an empty corner and read it. It was a chatty letter, about this and that and Hermione replied, in the same chatty mood.

By and by they teased Harry about Cho, especially since they took to holding hands in the hall. Then one day, Hermione got up and went down to the common room and found another note from her unknown friend. She had taken to reading them in private, but that morning, just when the common room was deserted, another person would come down. Finally Hermione gave up.

She walked over to the bulletin board of house points and stuff and yelled in delight, "Hogsmeade! The day after Halloween! Four days!" Girls and boys in their pyjamas and dressing gowns stumbled down the stairs to see what the yelling was about. Hermione went back over to her corner, but people were coming over there. She said, "I wish I had a secret spot that no one knew about." Then she had an idea. She sat upright in her chair, stood up, and ran for the portrait hole, nearly bowling poor Neville over. Once out side, she headed for her favorite room in the castle.

Ron and Harry were eating their lunch when Harry noticed the chair next to Ron, which was usually Hermione's chair, was empty. Harry said to Ron, "Have you seen Hermione?" Neville leaned over and said, "She's in the library. Stacks of books are all around her. She hasn't left since this morning." Then he went back to his sandwich.

Hermione was now in the castle gardens, by a statue of Merlyn the Magician. One hand was by his side, and the other was out, with one of his fingers pointing. She checked the book, than tapped Merlin three times and said each time, "Dittendicious" Three times she tapped his finger with hers. Then she made circular motions around, like something spinning. Then she went around back and lightly traced a door.

A gray film was left over the tracing, and when she was done, it melted into the stone. She went around front again, said the opening word, and tapped the finger. Noiselessly, the statue revolved and the door in Merlyn's back opened. She created some steps with a flick of her wand, and then walked down a little ways. There she created a room. It was nice and roomy, but quite cold. Satisfied, Hermione dashed up the stairs and into the Great Hall. Ron asked her when she sat down, "What were you in the library for? You've been there all morning!" She lightly replied, "I was looking up a spell I wanted to try." Then she started eating.