A Sirius Situation

Chapter 15

Hermione and her Plan

Author: Jelsemium

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, JK Rowling does

Amazingly enough, everything went just as planned. Hermione arrived at Cuthbert Candlewick's shop with plenty of time to buy her mum a few scented candles that would burn for weeks. She couldn't think of anything to get for her dad and wished she'd picked something up for him at Uncle Badger's.

She strolled through the modern mall, dutifully admiring the decorations, although she preferred the eclectic and mysterious clutter at Uncle Badger's. She found a store that sold the kind of toothbrush that she wanted. She also found a shop that sold books about the history of the region.

As suspected, there was nothing in it about the haunting of the priory.

Then Hermione made her way to the main entrance to the mall. She didn't have long to wait before her cousins showed up.

They were just comparing purchases (she admired Belinda's new crucifix and she pretended to admire Hermione's set of books) when Vicar Zephaniah Hengst, his daughter Leoma, and Charlie Weasley strolled up to them to tender their invitation to dinner and a night of star gazing.

"There's supposed to be a meteor shower at one o'clock this morning," Charlie said. "We were wondering if you would like to come and meet some of the other young adults in the area. It will be fun as well as educational."

Belinda and Tanya were much taken with the idea… or maybe it was Charlie they were taken with. Hermione was glad that Ron wasn't there. If the other two girls had fawned over him the way they fawned over Charlie, Hermione was sure she'd lose control of her powers.

As it was, she still found it annoying. She was amazed that Charlie put up with it with such equanimity. Of course, she told herself, Charlie might actually enjoy being fawned over like some rock star. (Just because Harry hated it didn't mean everybody did.)

Fortunately, Bob and Geordie were much too busy being impressed with Leoma to notice, or care about, how much Belinda and Tanya were impressed with the Vicar's "Nephew."

Annie showed up with their overnight bags, much to the amusement of Tanya, Bob, and Geordie.

"We've been set up," Bob said. He didn't feign his Cockney accent, for which Hermione was grateful. Apparently acting like a total git in front of a girl as pretty as Leoma was out of the question.

"I don't mind," Geordie said, never taking his eyes off Leoma.

Belinda looked at Hermione, who cocked an eyebrow at her.

"I don't know how you pulled this off," Belinda said. "But I appreciate it." She fingered her new cross. "Vicar Hengst agreed to bless my cross tonight, but I don't know what I'm going to do tomorrow night."

Hermione patted her shoulder. "Don't worry about tomorrow night," she said. "Charlie Weasley and I have a plan to make the Priory perfectly safe from that thing."

Belinda nodded and blinked back sudden tears.

Then Leoma pulled them into a conversation about dancing, and Hermione shrugged off thoughts about the gremlin.

Hermione enjoyed the meteorite show more than she expected, although she wondered if it was a real shower or an illusion put on for their benefit.

She and Leoma even found some time to compare their O.W.L. results. Leoma was a bit put out to discover that while she and Hermione had achieved the same number of O.W.L.s, Hermione's overall score was higher than hers.

"It's the Defence Against the Dark Arts that tipped things my way," Hermione said, blithely overlooking the fact that she outscored Leoma in everything. "When you hang around Harry and Ron as much as I do, you learn how to defend yourself, fast."

Leoma decided to accept that explanation. "So, what's Harry like, really?" she asked. "I saw him in the Prowlery, of course, but most of the time he seemed sick or distracted."

"He's a bit on the shy side when it comes to girls," Hermione said. "He's only open with me because he doesn't quite classify me as a 'girl.'"

"That's too bad," Leoma said. "So, does he have a girlfriend at all? I know he fancied Cho for a while."

"That didn't work out," Hermione said. "I think he's seeing Ginny Weasley, but I'm not sure."

"Oh," Leoma said. She brushed back her raven hair and sighed. "I guess I haven't much hope of competing against her. Who'd pick boring black hair over those flaming tresses?" She wandered off looking disappointed and Hermione wondered why a beautiful girl like Leoma felt she couldn't compete.

"Maybe we all feel ugly," she muttered. That was an answer she wasn't sure that she'd ever find in a book.

The next morning, she was up early, but Charlie and Vicar Hengst were up before her.

"Good morning, Hermione," Charlie said. "How are you feeling?"

"Nervous," Hermione admitted. "I have my wand, but if I use it, I'll probably be expelled. I did get a warning last summer for involuntary magic."

"I think, maybe you should borrow my wand," Charlie said. "I'll hold on to your wand."

"How will that help me against a charge of underage magic?" Hermione asked.

"Well, my wand won't set off their alarms," Charlie said. "And if they investigate the use of your wand, then I can truthfully say that I had been using it."

"Oh," Hermione tilted her head. "Won't they be suspicious of you using my wand?"

Charlie shrugged. "Maybe, but there won't be much they can do about it. Your wand won't work as well for me, but gremlins are pretty low on the Ministry of Magic's classification scale. We shouldn't have a problem."

"Only two X's for them," Hermione said. "We shouldn't underestimate them, though. "Anybody can get in a lucky blow."

"Which is why I'm here," Charlie said, his broad face crinkled cheerfully. "To prevent any blows, lucky or otherwise."

"And I'm so very grateful that you just happened to be in the neighborhood," Hermione said with a touch of asperity.

Charlie just grinned. "Can't have anything happen to my future sister-in-law," he said.

"Oh? Are congratulations in order?" asked Vicar Hengst.

"No," Hermione said firmly. "Ron and spent quite a bit of time studying for our O.W.L.s together last year and people are making more of it than necessary."

"Ah, Leoma's mentioned the Prowlery," Vicar Hengst said. "An excellent idea. I wish we'd had one when I was sitting for my O.W.L.s." He shuddered. "I still have nightmares."

"It only gets worse," Charlie said with the cheerfulness of someone's whose exams were safely in the past. "N.E.W.T.s will be upon you before you know it."

"I'll be ready," Hermione said grimly. "Ron will be ready, if I have to beat him over the head with a steel plated study guide."

Speaking of 'ready', Charlie said more seriously. " I've got the trap all rigged and ready. That Uncle Badger sold you high quality Spirit Gum, it would probably even hold Peeves long enough to do him some mischief."

Hermione raised an eyebrow.

"Not that I didn't think you were capable of setting the trap yourself," Charlie assured her. "But I've had experience, so I could do the work faster than you could."

He looked at his watch. "There's a reception here starting at eleven. We want to get this over with between the time your adult cousins leave the Priory and the time the reception starts.

"Right," Hermione said. She went upstairs to brush her hair and get her coat.

"It looks like I'll be offering those congratulations in only a few more years," Vicar Hengst said.

Charlie grinned. "According to my sister, Ron and Hermione have been crazy about each other since they first laid eyes on each other."

"The fact that she's willing to tackle this gremlin to help her cousin shows the girl has courage to spare," Vicar Hengst said.

"The fact that she would entertain the thought of joining a family that includes Fred and George proved that to me months ago," Charlie returned amiably. He finished his tea and stood up as Hermione returned.

"Ready?" he asked.

"Yes," she said.

They exchanged wands.