Chapter 15
"Self-love seems so often unrequited."
Anthony Powell
It was the next day and I accomplished my task. Hermione had to be the easiest person ever to track down.
"I thought I might find you here" I said sitting down beside her in the library "How are you liking Hogwarts so far?"
At first her face lit up but then it faltered before becoming dreary.
"Ah I see." I did it was tough being on the outside looking in.
"I'm not fitting in here anymore then I did back in my old school. I don't get it. You are extremely intelligent and yet people seem to really like you. What am I doing wrong?"
I was taken aback by the bluntness. I stopped to formulate a response.
"Hermione what works for me might not work for you."
She just scowled at me.
"Alright Alright. I'll just point out some things that you can change that I think will help. Does that work?"
She nodded her head.
"Well for one thing I hear you've won more points then any one else in your year right?"
"Yes, and that's another thing you did as well."
"Not really since my first year."
"What, why not?" She said shocked
"Well I finally realized why teachers ask questions in class."
"Well that much is obvious. It's to determine how well students retain the information." She said smugly.
"Not really. That's what homework and tests are for."
She was confused "Then what?"
"People learn differently. You and I can learn from reading but others learn by doing. Some are better with hearing info to retain it, others like to write it down to remember."
"I do that." She said
"My point is in trying to work out the question some might remember which will help reinforce it in their minds. The class questions are not for those that know the answer but for those that don't. In always answering them you not only alienate your classmates by looking like a know it all but you deprive them of a learning opportunity."
She looked horrified at that.
"Besides haven't you figured it out yet?"
"Figured what out?"
"The house points, hell the whole house cup its all worthless."
She just spittered and sputtered in outrage at that.
"That's ridiculous."
"Is it? Name one advantage scoring points or winning the house cup brings you over anyone else."
She thought about it. Honestly she couldn't come up with an answer.
"Prestige." She said, knowing it was grasping at straws.
"Which has no real value and that kind of prestige fades within a few years at most. Can you name the house that won the cup 3 years ago? Hell can you even last years?"
She couldn't so she shook her head no. It hadn't really ever come up but she would know by tomorrow.
"Exactly. It's all a way to give students a carrot and stick. They use at as a way to keep us in line and surprising it works fairly well at that."
She looked skeptical, as Hogwarts students weren't exactly well behaved.
"Think about it. There are only what 8 teachers and a few other staff members but only 5 or 6 of those do we ever really see. Those 6 people keep hundreds of kids from literally killing each other as unlike muggle children we have a gun, knife, and bomb all rolled into one." He said, holding up his wand.
She paled at that. She had never really given it much thought but it was like walking around in a gun show where literally everyone was armed.
"Honestly the best piece of advice I can give you is just to tone it down. There is nothing to be ashamed about being smart but don't constantly rub peoples faces in it. Don't spout off random facts that people didn't ask about or go off on tangents about subjects they haven't expressed interest in. "
This had come from decades of always being the smartest person in the room in my previous life. No one likes a know it all. No one cares about all the little things like quantum physics and history that you find interesting. Luckily I had Football which kept my foot in the door with my common man but otherwise I usually had jack shit to talk about.
"What do I talk about then?"
"You want to know what the most powerful word in the english language is?"
"What?"
"Exactly?"
"Exactly, is the most powerful word in the english language?"
"No, what."
She was now totally confused.
"What do you think about this or that? What do you think potions class is going to be like today? I hope Snape has washed his hair, I am always worried all that grease will ignite with all the open flames around."
She laughed at that before catching herself, then the scowled returned.
"You shouldn't talk bad about a professor. Even one like Professor Snape."
"Hermione, I only talk like that about Snape and Binns and one of those is literally dead on his feet." She laughed again "Snape is just a bad teacher and I have no respect for bad teachers."
She looked horrified at that "If he was so bad Dumbledore wouldn't keep him."
Oh I beg to differ. He can't lose his pet double agent now can he, might as well let Hogwarts foot the bill while he's at it.
"Hermione I was brewing stuff his Newt students struggle with as a firstie. I will give the man his due he's a brilliant potion master but he's pant's at teaching. Now we are getting off point. In conversations try to always put the ball in someone else's court and all but the shyest will do all the work for you. People love to talk about their interests and themselves in general. Usually you can find some common interest and that's what you can focus on in the future with those people."
She nodded sagely. "I think I understand."
"But like I said just tone it down. Nothing wrong about being who you are but maybe let people see the whole you a little at a time."
She nodded. "I think I get it. Thanks for the advice Cedric."
"Anytime. Anytime. Speaking of..." I reached into my pocket and handed her the ring.
She spitted and sputtered "Cedric this is too fast I don't know what…."
Oh god I should have listened to Bernard. Quickly…
"Um its a communication device, Hermione nothing more." She blushed so hard I thought I saw steam come from her ears "It's so if you need to talk to me you can at any time. Just tap it three times and say Cedric and I will hear you anywhere on the planet."
"Oh thank you" She said, taking the ring and putting it on.
Then she did that thing women do, holding her hand upwards and palm out, and admired it.
Really should have listened to Bernard.
"Now come with me I have something I want to show you"
She nodded and put back the books she was reading. I waited and when she finished she followed me to the seventh floor.
XXXX
She followed Cedric to the seventh floor, which was the first time she'd been there. They stopped in front of a really strange painting of dancing trolls.
"I'm about to show you something I haven't shown anyone else. I think it goes without saying that it can not be shown or even talked about to anyone. Are you good with that?"
First he gives me a ring now he's sharing his deepest secrets. This is flirting right? I have read about it but experiencing it was on a whole new level. She thought. Her face was so hot by this point she thought steam must be shooting from her ears.
"Ye..sss.." She said
Dammit Girl pull yourself together.
He just smiled at her. Her knees went weak.
He then did something extremely strange. He started pacing back and forth in front of the painting. Then like magic a door appeared.
She then followed him into a room that almost put the Hogwarts library to shame.
"This is what I call the Library of Lost Ones. It is a cumulation of every book, tome, magazine, or newspaper that has ever been lost in Hogwarts. Some of these date back to a time you wouldn't even be able to read them as they are so old even English is unrecognizable. It is my sanctuary when I want to be alone."
She didn't even know where to start. It was like trying to figure out where to start eating an elephant.
"Before we entered you saw me pacing back and forth in front of the Balmy painting. You have to do that three times while thinking about anything you want the room to become."
"Wait it's not just a library?"
"Nope. It actually can become virtually any room you can imagine. Here lets step back out. It makes it easier just starting over if you want to change it."
They walked back out into the hall and when Cedric closed the door it merged back into the wall.
"How about you try?"
"Okay." She said, shrugging.
She walked back and forth in front of the painting and suddenly the door reappeared. They walked in and were greeted by a small but quaint kitchen. The window was open and there was a cool breeze coming in.
"Is that pie?" Cedric asked as he spotted it on the window seal.
"Yeah. This is my grams kitchen and she makes the best apple pie."
He just walked over and cut himself a slice. Then he started eating.
"You're right, that is some good pie."
She walked over and got a slice herself.
"Just remember anything the Room makes is conjured so its not permanent. That's good for the waistline in this case but if you were starving it would be worthless."
She just nodded her head. Then there was an awkward silence.
"What is it?" He asked
She hesitated but decided to ask the question that was bothering her.
"Why are you helping me? I mean you are popular and have friends, so why?"
He paused, then looked at her for so long it started to make her fidgety.
"Alright sure we can go the direct route I suppose."
He walked back out of the room and motioned for her to follow. She did so and they walked down to the third floor.
"Wait I thought Dumbledore said to stay away from the third floor corridor."
"I know surprised me he has the balls to try to bluff him." He said chuckling
"What?"
"All in good time Hermione. All in good time."
They didn't go into the forbidden corridor. Instead they just stopped in front of a blank wall. He took out his wand and made a few swiping motions and a door appeared.
They walked into what had obviously at one time been a classroom. The desk were even still there though they seemed to be glued to one wall. There was a potion cauldron along with what appeared to be some kind of chemist equipment. Beakers and bunsen burners were strange to see in a magic castle. There was also a….
"Is that a dry erase board?"
"Why yes it is."
"I thought you were a full blood wizard. How have you even heard of one let alone have one?"
"Another question that will have to wait."
She huffed at that but he ignored her. He went to one of the desks that wasn't affixed to the wall and opened a drawer. He pulled out what appeared to be simple college rule paper.
She looked at it then at him and quirked an eyebrow at him. He just smiled and nodded for her to take it.
"What exactly is this Cedric?" She said having glanced over it.
"That is a variation of the Unbreakable Vow I have come up with. It is a binding oath on your magic that will prevent you from revealing any of my secrets. If you make that oath and violate it first it will inflict pain on you as a warning then it will strip you of said magic if you continue. Without your magic you die."
She paled at that.
"In order to proceed Hermione you are going to have to take a leap of faith. Do you trust me?"
She thought about it and decided that …
"Yes I do trust you Cedric."
"Then take the Vow. Trust me it will be worth it."
She hesitated but not as long as she probably should have. She raised her head and then nodded.
"Ok Hermione. Bernard."
A small green creature with large ears appeared with a pop. She gasped and then pointed her wand at it.
"Chill Hermione. This is Bernard, he's just a house elf."
"A house elf?"
"Yeah sorry I forgot you haven't met one yet. He works for me doing errands and the like. I need him to seal the spell, as it needs to be a third party. He assures me his elf magic will work for this purpose."
He shook his oversized head at that. She hesitated but extended her hand.
"I'm Hermione. Nice to meet you."
"Now for the Vow you need to grasp my right hand" She did so "Will you keep anything heard or seen in any area deemed a 'workshop' a secret?" (This is pretty much lifted straight from the Half Blood Prince)
"I will" She looked on in awe as light ropes intertwined around their arms.
"Will you not share this information through any means either directly or indirectly with any other person."
"I will" More light ropes
"Will you do all in your power to prevent said secrets from being revealed."
"I will"
With the Vow completed the light twirled all around them then vanished.
"Now it is done."
She waited and when he didn't continue.
"Well what was the big secret."
"I doubt you would believe it."
"Try me."
"Ok. Well I'll start by answering your earlier question. I'm helping you because I want you….." Her heart was beating so fast she thought it would explode "...to work for me." He extended his hand
"Welcome to Helios Inc"
That was not what she had been expected.
Chapter 15: Every Great Man needs a Minion.
Got you motherfuckers. I bet you thought I was training her up to be a sex slave or something. Nope. Hermione was constantly praised as the smartest witch of her age throughout the books and was the only one of the trio that got by on something other than pure luck and plot armor. I'm going to use her like that nameless engineer that made Steve Jobs or Elon Musk what they became. That guy or girl none of us can name but made Tesla and Ipod/Iphones possible. Not saying they won't end up together (I'm letting romance develop naturally so I don't even know) but that wasn't his goal. Next Chapter the MC finally starts to reveal his master plan. Stay tuned for the next exciting episode of HPZ.