For What It's Worth : Chapter 9
Disclaimer: Harry Potter etc doesn't belong to me.
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Hermione walked the dungeons slowly, letting each step tap on the cold floor and echo down the dark corridor. There were little to none students at this time of night out, even if it was near the Slytherin Common Room. But curfew had not passed yet, meaning even Head Girl wasn't allowed to send away any students chatting noisily away, even if all she wanted was peace and quiet to think.
She would find her peace and quiet elsewhere.
Stepping into the all too familiar library, and amongst the welcoming shelves of books around her, Hermione smiled at Madame Pince, who nodded her head slightly in greeting. Hermione had many times spent her entire night in here, and though the Madame had highly thought it both improper and unhealthy, she had only wasted her breath telling off Hermione thrice, before yielding to the girl's obvious obsession with books.
Hermione sighed softly, wandering the shelves and tables, picking up an interesting-looking book here, a book that might help with her OWLs there, and found herself with six after only a minute.
"What about…that wand thing…" Mumbling to herself, she strode quickly to the Wands, About Section, and picked up a few there as well. Hoping at least one would tell her something of the ability Snape was so intrigued about.
Snape.
Hermione sighed again, settling herself into a soft chair in the corner, and picking up a random book from her choices.
Snape.
What was wrong with him, anyway? Hermione found herself thinking. Why can't he trust someone other than himself? If he would just look at himself sometimes, maybe –
She shook away the bitter thoughts. Perhaps it was just an honest mistake.
Honest, maybe. But was there really the need to insult you like that? I'd say he rather liked making a fool out of –
He was just giving his usual insult as a first reaction. And it was a perfectly normal reaction to having such an important Potion ruined –
Didn't even stop to apologise. I swear, there is absolutely no doubt that that man is an complete and utter –
Well, it's not like I gave him the chance to apologise. I'm willing to bet he would've if he had been given –
"Gods, shut up." Hermione murmured, her grip tightening around the hard covers of the book she was holding. "Think I'm losing it."
Realizing she hadn't even looked at it before opening, she turned the cover to see it was titled 'Wands and Properties'. Flipping through it rather quickly, Hermione turned to the index, but then realized she didn't even know what the ability was called. Seeing 'wand cores' instead and her interest caught, she turned to page 119.
Wand cores are the essence of wands, and it is the wand core that determines the wand's bearer and user. Found in various forms, most are listed below, along with their rarity. Cores can be personally selected, or produced and placed inside a wand, but there is no guarantee as to if the wand will accept or reject the intended owner. [If the wand is rejected, the bearer will have difficulty controlling how the rejected wand may react in situations, where as properly chosen wand could be manipulated to cast whatever spell or charm.] In extreme circumstances, rejected wands cannot be used at all.
"Snape already said that."
The rarer the core of the wand, the harder it is to control. But levels of control and ability differ from individual to individual. Most wizards have only a single wand in the world that will operate for them, and if a wand is broken, the old core has to be taken out and made into the new wand. Few others may be able to operate any wand, regardless of core matter. Such wizards are called Myriads, meaning infinite, or endless.
"Myriads. At least now I know what I am."
WAND CORES
Unicorn Tail Hair [Common]
Unicorn Mane Hair [Uncommon]
Unicorn Horn [Rare]
Phoenix Feather [Common]
Phoenix Tail Feather [Rare]
Phoenix Claw [Rare]
And the list went on for much longer, and as Hermione scanned it, she noted with interest that Dragon Claw was not even mentioned, despite stranger things being inside a wand included, such as Hippogriff Wing Feathers and Oak Tree Leaves.
Hermione shifted her position so that she was comfortable, and continued to read. She left after 2:30am, after Madame Pince had left, and after most if not all of Hogwarts was asleep.
* * *
Hermione was late for breakfast the next day, and though many students didn't go to breakfast at all, both Harry and Ron were there, eating, and having a rather heated discussion about Quidditch.
"Hey Harry, Ron."
"Hey 'Mione," Both Ron and Harry replied in unison. Harry shoved his bag to the floor to make room for her.
"Where were you last night?" Ron turned to her. "Come to think of it Mione, what have you been doing these nights? You're either never around, or turn up real late."
Hermione bit her lip, and Ron continued.
"Bloody hell Mione, you better not be having an affair with a ferret Slytherin."
Heart stopping and eyes widening, for a second, Hermione didn't breathe. Then she realized Ron was turning purple. He cracked up. She narrowed her eyes and glared.
"Come off it Herm'. Just joking." He gasped for air after laughing a full minute.
"Unless of course you are seeing Malfoy," Harry winked at Hermione from him seat, and at Hermione's indignant expression, Ron was set off again, slapping the table in hysterics at a topic that no one around found that funny.
"Oi Ron." Harry finally said. "Shut up. I was just showing you how the feint the Hufflepuffs are planning."
Ron wiped the stray tears from his eyes and immediately was back in the debate. "It's the same one they used against us last season, and I bet the Ravenclaws'll expect it. And then there's the third year Chaser they just got – "
An owl swooped from the charmed ceiling and let loose a deafening screech. A package in it's talons, it whirled past and missed Hermione but inches, dropping the parcel on her empty plate. Turning back and heading for the ceiling, Hermione lost sight of it as it floated around the arches of the Great Hall.
"Bit early for mail, don't you think?" Ron commented.
Hermione looked down at her plate and slowly unraveled the brown paper. Interestingly, the box-sized package was either to protect or deceive, as the item inside was only stick-thin, literally. From inside many, many layers of paper, out rolled…
"A wand 'Mione? Who's giving you a wand? And why would you need another one?"
Hermione ignored Ron, letting his voice fade into the chattering background sounds around them. Instead, she turned to look at the table at the front of the Hall. When she didn't find who she was looking for, she turned her eyes back to the wand in her hands. Turning it over, she slid her hand along the length of the polished black wood. And on it…
"I didn't know you could engrave wands," Hermione murmured to no one in particular.
Touching the carved letters, she ran her finger over them, reading the words aloud:
"Dragon Claw."
***
Author's Note: Okay, I know this isn't much, if not any, longer than the previous chapter, but you have to be majorly proud of me… because I took under a week to update!
Hopefully, you'll be plenty happy so as to not kill me when I say next chapter will take a while because of my piano exam, [wish me well ;)].
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_Thanks to:
Aindel S.Druida: So it's an otter then! =P. And I have to say a huge thanks for successfully making me feel better after writing an OOC Snape… And the same thanks goes to Renton and sk.
Kyra Invictus Black and ChildofMidnight: Nope, sadly, Hermione didn't hear when Snape awarded her 100 points, and she'll probably never know either…aww…
JoeBob1378, Kurtfan5678, Nymphadora, Melwasul, Aliana Granger, Friendlyquark, Raclswt, EnsignAbby, someone28, Anarane Anwamane, Michelline, and Tabii: Thank you all so much for all your wonderful words :D Well, I hope you're somewhat happy that I posted early (!)
Meriadoc / Celithrathien, Nymphadora, sk: Glad you liked it!
Thanks!
