As Hermione was repacking her trunk to take with her on the winter break, which was fast approaching, she found the books her parents had given her for her birthday at the bottom. She paged through one of the math books for a bit, though they hadn't gotten far enough in Arithmancy for it to be useful yet. The books her Dad had given her, though, had more immediate potential, and Hermione was pleased to discover muggle books had no protections against copying spells.

Hermione wrapped a copy of one of them in a bit of silver paper, taking it up to the Gryffindor common room. The Twins were gleeful after opening it, taking it and opening it promptly, teasing her for forgetting them for so long – she'd originally planned to share the book with them shortly after term started, but she'd gotten so distracted by the dementors and classes that it'd been months. Months! How could she forget them so cruelly? Perhaps she was an evil Slytherin after all, toying cruelly with their hearts.

Hermione bore their teasing with good humor, rolling her eyes until they settled down and actually began examining the book.

The book of magic items from her father's make-believe game was detailed and interesting. A lot of it didn't make much sense, with references to things she didn't understand, but a lot of it was straight-forward imaginative descriptions of made-up magical items. Hermione upside-down from in front of them as they paged through it, reading some entries aloud before laughing and looking at her.

"These are ridiculous," Fred said, grinning.

"This is really what muggles think of magic?" George said, amused. "Really?"

"They don't think any of it's real," Hermione said patiently, "so anything they imagine is in the realm of possibility."

"Some of this has potential," Fred mused. "The Hat of Disguise, for example – that wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility."

"There's a Cloak of the Bat," George said, laughing. His eyes danced. "Bet that's what Snape's already got."

"A lot of these are weapons," Fred said, paging through the book. "Do the muggles really fight that much?"

"I think they do in the game?" Hermione said, guessing. "It's a fantasy game where you fight dragons. I imagine there are lots of swords and armor as well as magic."

"Dragons?" George shook his head, amused. "Muggles are mad."

"Some of these have potential, though," Fred said. "Like this – Broach of Insect Repulsion. That's not exactly pranking-level magic, is it? But I bet witches would buy them like mad."

"I was wondering if you could more do this sort of thing…"

Hermione paged through the book for them, flipping to the R's.

"There are a lot of rings here with interesting potential," she said. "The Ring of Armoring, for example, or the Ring of Defense, would be excellent for wearing just in general. And the Ring of Water – there's probably a specialized market for that, too—"

"Ring of Maggot," George interrupted, pointing and laughing. "Fred, look – this is brilliant."

Fred bent closer to read.

"'This ring is actually a device of trickery or revenge'," he read. "'The ring will show up under magic detection as a ring +1, but what it does not reveal is that anyone who puts it on will start to stink like the foulest of rotten filth and garbage and will reek horribly for 1d12 days.'" He glanced up. "What's a ring +1? Or 1d12?"

"No idea," Hermione said. "I think it has to do with the made-up status numbers and dice?"

"This has pranking potential," George declared. "A ring that makes you reek of garbage is excellent."

"Ring of Treasure Location has potential just for us," Fred said, pointing to a lower entry. "It flashes when we get closer to treasure. Might help for finding lost galleons just as we go about our day."

Hermione sighed.

"You know, you have the potential to craft really powerful things here, not just pranking things," she said pointedly. "If you could enchant a ring or amulet to automatically protect the wearer with a shield charm, you could literally save lives. And it's not like it wouldn't be lucrative – you could sell them to the Aurors and make a mint."

Fred and George exchanged a look.

"We could," Fred admitted.

"But pranking is just so much more fun," George said.

"Sorry, snakey," Fred said, his voice teasing. "Maybe next time."

Disgusted, Hermione wandered away from the twins, sitting down on one of the plush red couches in front of the fireplace next to Harry, sulking. Her deal with the Twins had been that she'd get to help test their prototypes. She'd been hoping to test things like a shield-charm ring, not a ring that would make her smell like garbage. She scowled at the fire, and Harry looked like he was entertained by her sulking.

"Frustrated with the twins?" Harry asked cheerily.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "What was your first clue?"

Harry grinned.

"They're not so bad," he told her. "They just… have their own way of doing things, y'know?"

"Apparently," Hermione grumbled. "I just don't understand. If you could do something to help, why wouldn't you?"

Harry shrugged.

"I mean, if it's a lot of work, a lot of people are put off by that," he said. He looked up at her, amused. "I think you and I both have a bit of a 'saving people' thing, so we might be the exceptions. Most people just worry about themselves, I think, and everyone else later."

Hermione sighed and sat back into the couch. "I guess."

"Oh! This might cheer you up," Harry said. "I finally talked Lupin around – he'll give all five of us anti-dementor lessons next term."

"He will?" Hermione brightened up. "That's excellent, Harry!"

Harry grinned.

"Told him I figured more people who could help protect me from the dementors was a better thing," he said, running his hand through his hair ruefully. "May have guilted him into it a bit, but it worked."

"You persuaded him, Harry, not guilted him," Hermione told him.

Harry smirked. "Trust a Slytherin to make that distinction," he teased.

Hermione rolled her eyes and shoved him, pushing him into the far armrest of the couch, making him laugh. They settled down eventually, Harry reading over a Quidditch magazine's ranking of several models of broomsticks while Hermione read over a book of healing spells and potions.

The Twins' occasional snickering from over their gifted book irritated her, making Hermione shoot sharp looks at them from time to time, but she eventually managed to tune them out.

Even if the Twins weren't interested in making things to help people, she was sure something interesting would come of them having such a book eventually.

Hermione took her seat at the next Wizengamot session with a sense of pride. Her black velvet robes were heavy, but she held her head high as she sat down, feeling very adult. She'd helped write actual legislation, for once. It was very grown-up and a mature thing to do.

"You look happy," Era commented. "Committee go well?"

"It did," Hermione confirmed, fluffing her robes out before taking her seat. "Speaking of which…" She leveled Royce with a sharp look. "Why didn't you come to any of the committee meetings?"

Royce snorted. "Why would I? Nothing ever gets done in committees."

"It did," Hermione insisted. "We wrote a new budgetary bill and everything. Your input would have been helpful – especially when we were listing out trading restrictions with the goblins."

Royce seemed only mildly intrigued.

"I suppose miracles do happen on occasion," he said. His tone was dry. "I'll just hear the bill when it's presented, then, won't I? And suggest amendments as necessary."

Hermione rolled her eyes and scowled. Amendment sessions took forever, with lots of bickering. She was hoping it could be avoided.

When Dumbledore called the Wizengamot into session and went over the minutes from last time, he checked in with people on a few things over clarifications or clerical issues, before he came to the tabling of the budget bill for committee revision.

"Was the budgetary bill revised in committee?" he asked, peering over his glasses at Phaedra Lestrange, even though Hermione knew Dumbledore knew she'd gone to committee meetings twice to make sure it was.

Phaedra rose smoothly to her feet. "It was."

With a wave of her wand, copies of the new bill flew about the room, settling onto everyone's small desks. Hermione was impressed despite herself, even as Phaedra was going on about how the original bill had been revised to just make mention of this one, which would contain the specifics.

"Figures," Eva snorted. "I can never get anything copied in time, but Lestrange can get fifty copies of her bill in minutes."

Hermione looked sideways at Eva. "You don't make your own copies?"

Eva shrugged. "Most things are just carbon-copy, when we need multiple copies of forms. But if you need multiple copies of things, you need to go to the Clerical Support Staff, up on the Minister's floor. There are a few copiers employed there, but there's always a nightmare of a backlog." She made a face. "Lestrange probably bribed them to cut the queue."

Hermione wanted to ask more, but Phaedra and Melker started speaking, presenting the bill and reading it aloud, and she quickly refocused on her own copy, sitting on her desk.

.

A Bill to Fund Improvements
to the Tenancies of Wizarding Britain
through Restricted Trade with the Goblin Nation

.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE WIZENGAMOT HERE ASSEMBLED THAT:

.

SECTION 1. Trade will be established with the Goblin Nation for the express purposes of funding improvements to the tenancies of Wizarding Britain.

.

SECTION 2. Trade will be strictly limited to items that the Goblin Nation requests that are of a non-combative nature.

— A. Goods such as parchment, ink, quills, herbs, and produce that cannot be used for combat or warfare will be permitted and eligible for trading with the Goblin Nation.

— B. Goods that could be used in combat or for warfare, such as weapons, magical woods, magical animal parts, enchanted items, secrecy clothing, invisibility cloaks, etc. shall be strictly banned from being traded with the Goblin Nation as a matter of national security.

.

SECTION 3. A new government agency will oversee the trade of such goods along with the distribution of resulting monies to the tenancies' landlords.

— C. This government agency will be formed by a council of five representatives from the landlords within the Sacred 28, with an optional two additional representatives to act as goblin liaisons or translators called upon as needed or when necessary.

— D. If at any time one of the Sacred 28 feels the council is not adequately representing the needs of landlords, an inquiry may be called before the Wizengamot to investigate.

.

SECTION 4. Improvements to the tenancies will be funded through a proportional distribution of profits gained through restricted trade to all tenancy holders as according to population of the tenancy.

— E. Landlords of a tenancy will be responsible for planning and executing the improvements of their tenancy. No more than 35% of funds allocated to a tenancy may be used by the landlord for administrative expenses.

— F. Landlords must prioritize the restoration or creation of silver wards within their tenancy, either to be done by a hired contractor or by the tenants themselves.

— G. Further improvements for the tenancy may be funded after the establishment of silver wards at the landlord's discretion. These improvements may include, but are not limited to: larger grain allotments, literacy programs, and building restoration assistance.

— H. All records kept by a landlord who receives funds through this program must be filed under the Open Information Act and be publicly available for citizens to review.

.

SECTION 5. This legislation will take effect on January 1, 1994. All laws in conflict with this legislation are hereby declared null and void.

.

.

Hermione thought it sounded just like other bills that had been presented. It was specific and had all the necessary bits, and she was rather proud of it.

Thus, when people immediately started complaining about it and bickering, Hermione grew annoyed and frustrated very fast.

The first complaint was that it was innately unfair to the smaller houses. Amycus Carrow objected that it prioritized the tenancies of larger Houses over that of the smaller Houses, which was innately unfair – why should the lives of those tenancies be worth more than those of the smaller ones?

Several other smaller Houses quickly agreed – the Fawleys, the Parkinsons, and the Weasleys.

These objections resulted in a fantastic bickering session, where Malfoy, Greengrass, and Longbottom all got up to speak in support of the bill. Augusta's tone booked no nonsense as she pointed out the practicality and fairness of dividing the funds proportionally according to population, and Hermione felt perverse amusement when Lucius Malfoy got up and had to explain the concept of 'the greater good' and utilitarianism to Amycus Carrow, who was glowering at him the whole time.

Eventually, despite objections, a vote was called for on the bill, and Hermione raised her paddle white. Most of the people around her did as well, including Royce. He shot her a wry grin as he did.

"Well, you did a good job," he admitted. "Everything you included in the restrictions for trade were the things I would have advised, too."

Hermione beamed.

After everyone voted, the votes were tallied.

"By a vote of 37 to 12, the bill passes," Dumbledore announced, marking down the votes. "The tenancy improvements will now be mentioned in the overall budgetary bill for the upcoming year. All in agreement?"

The rest of the session was more bickering about funding as the budgetary bill was finalized, and Hermione was relieved as a final version was finally put to a vote. She lackadaisically raised her paddle white, just wanting to be done with the entire thing, and it seemed most everyone felt the same. It passed by a vote of 45 to 4, and Hermione was glad to be rid of it.

That last bit of business concluded, the Wizengamot session was closed, with sessions scheduled to resume in the new year, after the holidays. Members circulated on the floor afterward as people left, and Hermione found herself lingering there as she waited for Dumbledore to sort out his papers and finish up.

To her surprise, Phaedra Lestrange gestured to Hermione, ushering her over to join a small circle of people, which she approached hesitantly.

"We were just talking about plans for Yule, Hermione," she said, giving her a smile that Hermione didn't trust for a second. "Do you have any plans?"

"Oh," Hermione said. "I—well—"

"The Malfoys are hosting a party," Narcissa told her smoothly. "If you are free, we would be delighted to have you come."

Hermione's eyes went wide.

"I—ah—while I'm honored, I'm afraid I must decline," she said, giving her a deep curtsy. "I have a prior engagement that evening."

"Do you?" Lucius Malfoy raised an eyebrow coolly, and he sneered. "I thought muggles celebrated days later, on Christmas instead."

Hermione met his eyes squarely.

"They do," she said flatly. "But I never said my prior engagement was with muggles, did I?"

There was a slight rustling of the people in the circle at that. Thoros Nott's eyes refocused on her, and Rowan Greengrass looked intrigued.

"Oh?" Rowan Greengrass said, curious. "Another party?"

"It's—"

"Miss Granger. Are you ready to go?"

Dumbledore came up from behind Hermione, resting a hand on her shoulder lightly, and Hermione had never felt so grateful for Dumbledore before.

"We must get a move on," Dumbledore said pleasantly. "Miss Granger still has exams to study for before Christmas break. And alas, there is always more work for a Headmaster to do."

"Of course," Lucius said, his lip curling.

Dumbledore walked her away from their group as they departed, leaving to go around to the private Floo the Wizengamot used.

"What did they want with you?" Dumbledore asked quietly. His eyes were sharp behind his glasses.

"I don't know," Hermione said honestly. "They were asking about holiday parties and my plans. I told them I was busy—"

"Good." Dumbledore gave her a slow look. "You are a bright young woman, Miss Granger. I would be much grieved to see something happen to you because you trusted someone you should not."

"You think I trust those families?" Hermione said, aghast. "Professor—"

Dumbledore traced a sigil over the Floo and pulled her through, and they disappeared with a whoosh and spinning of green flame, falling out into his office moments later.

"—not an idiot. They're all blood purists and Death Eaters who avoided prison, and they probably hate me because I stand for everything they don't like—"

"Do you?" Dumbledore asked mildly.

Hermione faltered. "Err—do I what?"

"Do you stand for everything they hate?" Dumbledore asked her, his tone conversational. "I was under the impression being a New Blood made you just like them – a Great House, purist of the pure." His eyes twinkled behind his glasses. "Does that make you their enemy? Or does it make you one of them?"

Hermione paused. Dumbledore had never so much as mentioned her being a New Blood before.

"It—it gives me as much claim to greatness as they have," she said slowly. "It gives me as much legitimacy as they say they have. But I'm still borne of muggles – something they say is unnatural and deviant. The existence of a New Blood, of someone powerful being chosen by Magic – that challenges their views that power only goes through bloodlines, and that those borne of muggles are naturally inferior."

Dumbledore looked at her through his glasses, blue eyes twinkling.

"So despite your claim that you are a New Blood, and some outward acknowledgement of this on their parts, they still think of you as a Muggle-born," Dumbledore summarized. He gave her a quirked smile. "So even though you are not a Muggle-born, you fight for them anyway."

"I—err—"

She paused, thinking.

"I suppose so," she said finally. "Though I like to think I fight for everyone – Muggleborns, halfbloods, purebloods, and hedgewitches too."

Dumbledore suddenly looked very old.

"The plight of hedgewitches is a tragic one," he said, his voice tired. "As much as it pains me, they truly do not have a place at Hogwarts with their level of magical ability."

"But sir," Hermione said, urging him, "surely if they got wands at eleven and practiced, the same as the rest of us—"

"Alas, it is not quite that simple," Dumbledore said, sighing. "At least your budgetary bill should help protect them from werewolves – if the council overseeing trade does not get too corrupt too quickly."

Hermione didn't know what else to say to that, so she excused herself, leaving to return to her dorm, her mind buzzing.

If Dumbledore knew about the hedgewitches, and he thought their situation was tragic, why hadn't he done anything about it? He was said to be the greatest wizard alive, and he was Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot – why hadn't he done anything to help them? As far as she was aware, no one had made any effort to help them at all recently.

Hermione let her mind muse on this. If Dumbledore was a Light wizard fighting for the rights of Muggleborns, but not for everyone else… how Light and fair could he truly be?