Thanks so much to everyone who's been reading, and especially those who have taken the time to review! I hope you like this chapter and I'll try and get the next one up soon!

The fireflies were already out at the burrow, even though the sky was still lit up a brilliant, sunset orange. Hermione bent to pick a dandelion, twirling the stem in her fingers as she walked beside the lake with Leopold. She began to tug at the petals, playing a game her mother had taught her when she was little. He loves me, he loves me not…

"You shouldn't be too hard on him."

"What?" Hermione asked, confused. "Who?"

"Your friend Ronald. I think he means well. He does have a temper though, doesn't he?"

Hermione gave a tight smile and nodded. It was certainly an accurate statement. She didn't know how to handle him lately. Hermione couldn't believe their relationship had come to this, each of them afraid to speak to the other, snapping at one another instead of just saying what they meant. Her frustration with the situation was almost to a breaking point; she honestly didn't know how much more she could take.

"You know, it's not by accident I'm involved with the Sylvan court."

Hermione turned to Leopold at this. She had to squint to see him clearly, the setting sun casting a bright glare behind him.

"What do you mean?"

"I had a close relationship with the last princess, Princess Amelia…"

Leopold trailed off, looking at the lake as it glittered with the lights of the fireflies.

"She was my wife," he said finally. Hermione opened her mouth in a surprised O. She tried to think of something to say, but found herself at a rare loss for words. She dropped the dandelion stem and moved to stand next to him at the lake.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly. "I mean, for your loss. It must have been very hard for you to lose her."

Leopold gave a terse smile.

"It was the most difficult thing I've ever experienced. But loving Amelia was also the most gratifying experience. I had eighty-four years with my beloved, and then I had to let her go. I can only hope for you the same kind of grief one day."

"Eighty-four….how is that possible? That would make you…"

"I am 103 years old," Leopold said with a grin.

"But, how can…I mean, you look…"

"Miss Granger, you flatter me. In truth, I have aged slower than some, the magic of my bond with Princess Amelia allowing us more time on this Earth than others. Now that she's gone, I will age at a pace more in line with my years."

Hermione nodded. She itched to run back to the house and grab that lengthy book, desperate to read and learn more. Leopold looked as if he knew this.

"If you have any other questions, I will try to answer them as best I can."

Hermione wracked her brain, deciding which issues she was most curious about. There was so much she still needed to understand. Leopold held out his arm again to her again. He began to lead he along a tall path of sunflowers she and Ginny had helped Mrs. Weasley plant the summer after fifth year.

"Okay," Hermione said finally. "Can you begin by explaining the connection between the princess candidate and her knight?"

Leopold nodded, as if expecting the question.

"The candidate's knight is a champion, a young man who will work with the candidate during her trial. This is very important for several reasons. The young man in question must be worthy, first of all, or else he'll be of no use in the trial. And the candidate must have a knight she can rely on, one who will be loyal to her at all costs.

"Also, the knight position is incredibly important for the young woman who is ultimately crowned princess. He will stay with her and remain her truest companion. There's magic in the selection of the knight, just as there is in the selection of the princesses. It has a touch of destiny about it."

Hermione nodded, growing more uneasy by the moment. From the sounds of it, this would be just like the Yule Ball all over again, with her waiting on the sidelines for someone to choose her.

"What if I don't have one? A knight, I mean."

Leopold patted her arm gently in response.

"You'll have a knight, I assure you. The two go hand in hand. The moment you were born, magic was spirited into the soul of another, ready to be there when you need him most. You have to trust that."

"Is that why you married Princess Amelia?"

Leopold laughed, though not unkindly.

"No. I couldn't have cared less if she was a princess or a pauper. I had already loved her for years when she was called. However, I can tell you, there is a long history of princesses marrying their knights. There's a bond there that almost always develops over time."

The pair stopped walking at that and Hermione realized they had returned to the front yard of the burrow. She could make out the line of Mrs. Weasley drying dishes through the kitchen window. On the porch sat Ron, swinging from the porch swing and pushing himself back and forth with one toe. He had an arm slung over the back seat of the swing and looked like he was trying very hard not to look at Hermione and Leopold ahead of him.

"Miss Granger…"

"Please, you can call me Hermione."

"Hermione," Leopold said more softly. "Tell me, when you picture your future, what do you see?"

Hermione tore her gaze from Ron and looked back at Leopold, contemplating his question.

"I-I don't know…I need to retrieve my parents. They were sent away, before the war." Leopold nodded patiently. "And then I suppose I should finish my schooling, then get a job of some sort. Doing something productive, helpful."

"Is that all?"

"I want what anyone wants," Hermione said quietly, looking down at her feet. "Marry someone, have a home, raise a family."

"You can have that, Hermione. Amelia had all that and more. When I was assigned as your squire, eighteen years ago, I knew it would one day be my mission to guide you, to act as your mentor in this process. Over the years, I've studied you. You have no idea how worried I was during the year you were on the run…"

Leopold trailed off and looked in the distance, where the first few stars were already shining.

"It's not a coincidence you formed SPEW. The job of Sylvan princess is first and foremost as an advocate for house elves, goblins, trolls, all manner of creatures. This position is made for a young woman of incredible compassion and empathy for beings not often granted respect in the wizarding community. Whatever other doubts you may have, I want you to rest assured, you would be good at this work."

Hermione paused, touched by the admission. It was bizarre to hear this stranger say things about her, private things about her life and time at school.

"What do I do next?"

Leopold reached into his cape and withdrew a glass bottle, filled with a glittering, purple liquid.

"This is a tonic designed to unveil the Sylvan magic already within you. You drink this, and I can bring you to the court for presentation."

Hermione nodded, taking the bottle from Leopold's hand. She still had trepidations and wasn't even sure this was a responsibility she wanted. Still, holding the bottle in her palm, she could almost feel the magic flame within her. Something was telling her this was right. With one last look at Ron, she unstoppered the bottle and gulped its contents down in one go.