"Perhaps, Mr Weasley," Snape began icily, "You would like to explain why your potion has turned a rather incorrect shade of purple? Is it perhaps because you added an ingredient that I explicitly told you not to?"
Ron turned the same shade as his potion and gave the Potions Master a look that by all rights should have had Snape dropping dead. "If Malfoy hadn't chucked beetle eyes at me, they wouldn't have gotten in my potion!" he growled.
"An accident, Professor," Draco simpered, avoiding Snape's wrath, as usual.
Next to Ron, Hermione sighed. The lot of them still acted like first years. She loved Hogwarts, but lately, everything seemed a bit mundane. Perhaps, she mused, I need a change.
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"But Hermione," Harry objected, "You've just taken on two completely new classes this year, in addition to being Head Girl. Don't you think that's enough?" He turned to Ron. "What do you think?"
"You're mad! I've always said it, but this time I truly mean it. Absolutely bonkers!" Ron gasped.
"You know, that's the second time you've turned that colour today, Ron," Hermione observed. "Do you think you're coming down with something?"
Harry grinned. "Apparently she's serious, mate. What exactly did you have in mind, Hermione?"
All of the gears in Hermione's head cranked to a halt. "You know," she said thoughtfully. "I'm not quite sure. I've just been convincing myself why it is I need something new – not really what it is."
"You could try writing my Herbology essay for me, Hermione," Ron suggested. "I'm sure that'll try you mind. You could try something new – magical forgery!"
This received the customary frown from Hermione, but Harry frowned.
"What is it, Harry? You've got an odd look on your face. Have you thought of something?" Ron wanted to know.
"You know, Ron – that's not such a bad idea," Harry began, and Ron crowed triumphantly.
"Two to one! You're writing my essay tonight, Hermione!"
"No, Ron," Harry said quietly. "I mean about the forgery part. Look, we all know Voldemort's back, right? And the Death Eaters are on the move. None of us are naïve enough to think that everything they do will be overt. They're already making sure the Ministry doesn't make any kind of attack. Why shouldn't we start preparing ourselves?"
Ron frowned in confusion, but Hermione gasped.
"Oh, Harry! You think they're here! You think they're infiltrating Hogwarts!"
Harry shook his head grimly. "I don't know anything, but doesn't it make sense? All along we've known that Voldemort's one major obstacle is Hogwarts and Dumbledore. He's tried bringing a teacher in, but surely he realized by now that students aren't looked upon with suspicion."
Ron and Hermione looked shaken.
"Harry, how long have you been thinking about this?" Ron asked.
"Quite a while," he admitted. "But I couldn't figure out what to do about it, and I believe you've hit on it, Hermione. This calls for books." Hermione glowed.
"Right!" she said confidently. "We'll start by figuring out what we need to focus on. Then we'll go to the library. We can try Hogsmeade, too! I bet that would be helpful!"
Ron just groaned.
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Two hours later, Harry rubbed his eyes and sighed. Hermione and Ron weren't looking too perky either. He shut his book with a thump and stretched tiredly, muscles complaining insistently that he truly needed some sleep.
"Time to get going?" Hermione asked, stifling a sigh. Ron let out a very eloquent yawn, and Harry just nodded.
"Alright," Hermione said, "Here's what we've got so far. Magical forgery, lock spells, dark magic detection, hiding and finding spells, tamper-proofing, and secrecy spells, especially detecting them. Anything else?"
"Any kind of silence spell," Harry offered. "Both to silence a person, or to silence sounds. Those would definitely be useful." Hermione nodded.
"One thing bothers me," interjected Ron suddenly. "Where do they get their money?"
This sudden statement earned him a blank stare from Harry and Hermione.
"No, look, you two," he insisted. "We know that a few of the Death Eaters have a lot of money, right? Well, with everything that they do, I think at least a few of them – like Lucius Malfoy – should have run out of it a long time ago. So where are they getting more?"
Hermione sighed. "Come on, Ron," she said, "It's late, we're tired, if you think of something comprehensible, tell us tomorrow." With that, she picked up her books and the three of them headed to bed.
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The next day, Hermione woke with the sun shining gently on her bed. She sighed and turned over, thinking about yesterday. Was it really a good idea to do this? Could meddling in things like this be dangerous? She snorted. Since when had Ron or Harry been concerned about danger? And as for herself, she had been cured of that after her first year with the two of them! Hermione reluctantly rolled out of bed and after showering and getting dressed, headed down for breakfast.
"'Mornin' 'ermione!" Ron mumbled through a mouthful of eggs. Harry was over talking to a first-year about joining the Quidditch team, so Hermione sat down and started her meal, still thinking about the dangers of dark magic. Should they get a teacher involved? No, the most they were likely to uncover was a few people trying to cheat on O.W.L.S. But just in case....
"Harry," she said suddenly. "Ron. If something happened to one of us, the other two would go to a teacher immediately, right?"
The two of them looked at her blankly. "Er, sure, Hermione," said Ron, and then, under his breath to Harry, "Where did that come from? I don't understand her. They should have a class devoted to comprehension of the female mind."
"It wouldn't work, because you wouldn't ever do your homework," Hermione said waspishly.
"Hey, I did my homework for today!" Ron protested. Hermione's eyebrow crept up onto her forehead.
"You really did that brutal Potions essay?" she asked in surprise. Ron's jaw dropped.
"Potions...essay? Oh, no. No, no, no. You must be joking."
Harry shook his head seriously. "You're in deep this time, mate. Snape's taking it at the beginning of class. You'd best get working." Ron shoved a piece of toast in his mouth and jumped up, nearly tripping over his fallen chair in the process. He practically sprinted out of the hall as Hermione and Harry sat leaned back in their chair watching.
"I wonder what he'll write about?" Harry wondered casually.
"I wonder how long it'll take him to figure out there is no essay," Hermione got out with a straight face, before they both burst out laughing and went to save Ron's quill hand.
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