A Sirius Situation
Chapter 14
Hufflepuff vs. Gryffindor
Author: Jelsemium
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, JK Rowling does
Uncle Badger laughed. "I'm not doing this for repayment, my little dandelion," he insisted. "I just want you to be safe, both in your cousins' new bed and breakfast, and in Helga's Forge."
"Thank you," Hermione said again. "Are you sure there's nothing I can do for you?"
Uncle Badger looked wistful and shook his head. "No, my lioness, I think not."
Hermione studied him for a few minutes, and then smiled cheerily. "I'll send you a Christmas card, then," she said. "I'll be sure to have my friends sign it, too."
Ron and Ginny nodded vigorously.
Uncle Badger smiled, "I'd appreciate that, my lioness. Oh, and give my regards to that sweet Minerva McGonagall, when next you see her. She was always very patient with me."
"I'll do that," Hermione promised. It was odd thinking of Professor McGonagall as being 'sweet', but she reckoned she had more bizarre images cross her mind. She felt that she'd guessed correctly that Uncle Badger really wanted Harry's autograph, only couldn't ask because he thought that would be "too forward."
Just then, an owl swooped in and dropped off a note.
Uncle Badger picked it up, read it, and then handed it to Hermione.
"Oh, good," Hermione said, after she read it. "Charlie and the Hengsts are going to be at the entrance to the Forge Mall at the rendezvous time. Poor Belinda will be safe for tonight, anyway. The vicar had the foresight to call Bob and Belinda's parents to invite us to stay overnight. Apparently the vicar is having a special dinner for young adults."
"How unlike Zephaniah to arrange something like that on such short notice," Uncle Badger said.
Hermione smirked a little. "Anyway, Cousin Annie will bring our overnight things when she comes, in case any of us decide to stay."
"Do you think the others will want to stay?" Ginny asked.
"Well, Belinda will," Hermione said. "And Tanya will stay if Belinda stays."
"Leoma's very pretty," observed Ron.
Hermione gave him a hurt look.
"Not as pretty as you," Ron amended hastily. "But your cousin and his friend will probably be impressed enough to stick around. Especially if she starts flirting."
"Did she ever flirt with you?" Hermione asked, frowning.
"Would you two excuse us for a moment?" Ron said. He steered Hermione over to where a set of bookcases made a mostly private nook.
"Hermione, what's wrong?" Ron said. "You act like you are going to burst into tears if I even mention another girl."
Hermione frowned. "Don't you think I'm pretty?" she said.
"Of course I do!" Ron hissed. "That doesn't mean that I can't notice that other girls are pretty, does it? It's no skin off your nose if I still have eyes in my head! If you're going to get jealous every time I talk to another girl, then this isn't going to work out at all."
"You get jealous," Hermione said defensively.
"When you go to another country to visit another wizard, yes," Ron said. "Not when you talk about another wizard's looks."
"Yes, you do," Hermione corrected. "You hate it when I mention that I think Justin's cute or that I don't mind looking at Parvati's poster of Kirley McCormack."
"Oh," Ron said, looking startled. "I guess I do get jealous."
They stared at each other for a few minutes, not sure where to take the conversation from there. They were used to arguing at the top of their lungs, not discussing things in a mature, rational manner. Frankly, it scared them.
"Well, then, let's not argue over this, okay?" Ron finally stuttered. "Harry would be upset if I forced you to say he was the ugliest thing on two feet."
"That wouldn't be true," Hermione said. "Not while Professor Snape is still around."
Ron sniggered.
Silence.
Hermione sighed. "I'm sorry that I overreacted," she said.
"Nah, you didn't overreact," Ron said. "I mean, my hair didn't fall out and I'm not covered with boils or really nasty acne." He hesitated, then drew on his courage and gave her a quick peck on the cheek. "I'll have to get you a better mirror for your birthday," he said. "So you can see that you're the prettiest witch in the world."
Hermione blushed.
Ron still couldn't think of anything to say, so he decided to just kiss her.
"I'd best be on my way, then," Hermione said, when she could stop stammering and hyperventilating.
Ron was having a bit of trouble with respiration and blood flow, so he reckoned that he'd done the kissing thing correctly. "Erm, oh, well, we need to get on our way, too," he managed.
They rejoined the other two. Ginny looked highly amused. Ron had a sneaking suspicion he knew the topic of her next letter to Harry. Uncle Badger looked both amused and sympathetic.
"If I can, I'll drop in before I leave," Hermione said to Uncle Badger.
"You can use my fireplace to get back to London," Uncle Badger offered.
"Thanks," Hermione said regretfully. "But I wouldn't be able to explain that to my cousins. I'm afraid that I'm stuck with British Railways."
"You make it sound so horrible," Ginny said. She looked up from a bundle of black fluff in her hands. "Is the Muggle train really that bad?"
"Is that really a puppy in your hands?" Ron asked. "Mum will go spare if you try to bring home a dog."
"It's just a toy, Ron," Ginny sniffed. "Look, it runs on batteries." She flicked a switch and the palm sized puppy began to bound around on her hand and emit high-pitched yapping noises.
"Ow!" Ron covered his ears. "Turn that thing off, it's a bloody menace!"
"Ron, language!" Hermione barked.
Then grinned at each other, feeling a little more comfortable now that they had slipped back into their accustomed roles.
"I think it's adorable," Ginny said. She sighed and put it down.
"Can't afford it?" Ron asked.
Ginny shook her head.
"I know how that feels," Ron said. "I had to pass on the Muggle chess set."
"You're interested in chess, are you?" Uncle Badger asked.
"Yeah," Ron said.
"Any good?" Uncle Badger asked.
Ron straightened up proudly. "Yes, as a matter of fact, I am good at chess," he said.
Uncle Badger gave him a challenging grin. "Care to back that up?"
Ron grinned. "Is that a challenge?"
"It is indeed," Uncle Badger said.
"Okay, then, I think we have enough time for a round," Ron said.
Hermione checked her watch, and then nodded.
Uncle Badger smirked. "Let's make this more interesting," he suggested.
Ron narrowed his eyes and studied him warily. "Mum always said not to gamble with money I don't have," he said.
"I didn't say anything about money," Uncle Badger said. "I was thinking of that toy dog for… what will you wager?"
Ron thought about it for a minute. "I know," he said finally. "How about a signed picture of Harry Potter?"
"You have one?" Uncle Badger asked.
"I can get one," Ron said.
"Very well, then, you're on."
Uncle Badger set up his Hogwarts Chess Set – gold and scarlet pieces for the Gryffindor, yellow and black for himself.
The boy knew something about the noble game of chess, so it would be tricky to lose and not make it look like he was throwing the game. He'd just have to keep an eye open for places to make "mistakes," he decided.
"Wow," Ron said.
Ginny and Hermione were also impressed with the chess set.
"These are gorgeous!" Hermione enthused. She picked up a Hufflepuff bishop, who waved at her genially.
"It's a one of a kind set," Uncle Badger said proudly. "There are pieces for Ravenclaw and Slytherin, too."
"Slytherin probably cheats," muttered Ron.
"Ravenclaw probably takes forever to make a move," Ginny snickered.
"Now, now, let's not get into House rivalries today," Uncle Badger admonished. "I have friends in all houses, nowadays."
He held out his fists, with a Gryffindor knight in one hand and the Hufflepuff knight in the other.
"Your choice," he said. "Pick your house and you go first. Pick mine, and I go first."
Ron nodded, and pointed at Uncle Badger's left hand, which held the Hufflepuff knight. "Hufflepuff is White today," he said cheerfully.
"All right, then" Uncle Badger said. He decided on the Dresden opening. It was a Muggle opening that usually lost the game for White, but one the boy was unlikely to recognize.
Rather, one he didn't expect the boy to recognize. The disgusted look that Ron gave him made Uncle Badger suspect that he'd underestimated the young Gryffindor.
Uncle Badger never lost a game so quickly before.
Ron chortled to himself as he started putting the survivors away.
Uncle Badger glared. "I was too easy on you, my fine young lion."
Ron leered at him. "Best two out of three?" he suggested, in a mocking tone.
Uncle Badger knew he'd deserved that for so underrating Ron. That didn't mean he had to put up with it. "You're on," he said. "But, just to give these pieces a few minutes to catch their breath, let's play with the other pieces." He leered at Ron. "I'll take Slytherin."
Ron's grin became wolfish. So, Uncle Badger thought that he could beat him in a matter of minutes? "I reckon the chess set isn't as important as the chess player." To the pieces, he said, "C'mon you Eagles, let's show these snakes how the game is played."
This game took longer. Ginny and Hermione watched for a while, and then wandered off to do some more shopping. They kept a wary eye on the players, because the sound coming from the chess game was more appropriate to the Roman arena than a 'gentlemanly' game of chess.
Ron eventually won, with a series of cleverly laid traps, a determined knight and a couple of inspired pawns. Even his Ravenclaw chess pieces were impressed with him.
"You'll have to come back for a rematch," Uncle Badger said. "So, what's your second forfeit?"
Ron gave him a blank look. "Excuse me?"
"Well, you won two games," Uncle Badger said. "You wanted the Angus Helvetica pocket knife, and you can pick anything else… within reason… for your second prize."
"Oh, well," Ron thought for a moment. "I'll take some of those battery thingies for the dog."
Uncle Badger was a little surprised that Ron didn't pick something for himself, but he only said, "I'll just wrap those for you, shall I?"
Ron handed the toy dog to Ginny, who cuddled it like it was a real dog. "Thank you, Ron," she said happily. "What should I name him?"
"Killer," Ron answered.
"Honestly, Ron, you are such a prat," Ginny said.
"It's part of my charm," Ron said.
The Weasleys were still arguing as they paid for their treasures. They bundled off into the Floo network with cheerful "farewell's" and "don't forget to write's."
The shop seemed very dark and quiet after the Weasleys had left. Hermione and Uncle Badger looked at the dragon chimney for a few minutes, and then Hermione shook herself.
"I'd better get over to Mr. Candlewick's shop," she said. "I have just enough time to buy that new toothbrush before I meet up with my cousins, and Charlie and the Vicar."
"I'll send my owl Quill around to check on you tomorrow night," Uncle Badger promised. "Keep an ear out for an old barn owl, now."
"Thank you," Hermione followed Uncle Badger to his fireplace and took a handful of Floo powder.
"Are you sure you won't need my help?" Uncle Badger asked a trifle anxiously.
"Not absolutely, but I believe that this will work out," Hermione said with more confidence than she felt. "Charlie will be there, and he works with dragons."
"He can't be in the same room as you, or the gremlin won't show itself," Uncle Badger warned.
"Right, I know that," Hermione said. "Charlie and I will work out some sort of signal, in case I need help." She paused and rubbed the bridge of her nose with a forefinger. "I expect that a long, drawn out scream should be sufficient."
"You know you can't use magic," Uncle Badger repeated.
"All I need is a bit of cleverness and the right tools," Hermione said with a grin. She held up the bag of her purchases. "I may not be able to use my wand, but I have my wits… plus, of course, the always useful "tooth of the lion'."
"Good luck, my Dandelion," Uncle Badger said. After she left, he shook his head. "Gryffindors," he said, not without affection. This was one story that it was going to be hard to wait for the ending!