When the train finally arrived at the school, Hermione got off the train, impatiently pushing through and past the others. She was relieved that only the first years had to take boats; she was far too wound up to sit still for long now. She claimed the first horseless carriage for herself, and Blaise followed her into it, as well as the Carrow twins. The carriage soon set off, and Hermione vibrated on her seat nervously.
"It'll be fine, Hermione," Blaise told her. "Why are you so wound up about this?"
Hermione shot him a dark look.
"He's my friend," she told him. "Of course I'm worried."
"Yeah, but do you need to be this worried?" Blaise objected.
"I'd be this worried if you were missing," Hermione shot back. "I don't want something bad to happen to my friends!"
Blaise fell silent at that, looking at her with inscrutable eyes. Hermione broke his gaze and looked out the carriage window, bouncing. She bit her lip.
"…the Gryffindors were talking about maybe Harry being kidnapped," she admitted quietly. "I know it's extremely unlikely, but- I just can't stop thinking about it now, you know?"
She could see Blaise's face soften with understanding.
"I know you already know this," he told her, "but he's fine. It's going to be okay. Worrying won't help matters – it'll just stress you out more."
Hermione sighed. "I know."
She was well aware that despite her worry, the entire situation was out of her control, and panicking wouldn't help anything.
Worrying and anxiety weren't exactly rational matters, though, and it was hard to keep her mind from dwelling on the worst.
After the carriages stopped, the students all filed out of them. Professors were there to guide the students inside and to the Great Hall before the first years arrived, and Hermione made a beeline for Snape.
"Professor," Hermione said. "Harry Potter is missing. He never made it onto the train."
Professor Snape's eyes widened, then narrowed.
"Missing?" he said. "Mr. Potter?"
"I searched the entire train twice," Hermione told him. "Harry and Ronald were missing, and the prefects couldn't find them either."
Snape raised an eyebrow. Hermione could practically feel the and I care because…? sentiment oozing off of him.
"We think Weasley might have gone rogue and done something dumb," Blaise said, stepping up next to Hermione. "We figured you'd be a better person to tell – Merlin knows that McGonagall would go easy on him for breaking the rules."
Snape's eyes gleamed, and Hermione felt a rush of gratitude for Blaise keeping his Slytherin skills sharp.
"I see," he said. "Perhaps I shall look into the matter."
He nodded to them in obvious dismissal, and Blaise's hand came up behind her to guide Hermione through the castle to the Slytherin table. Blaise was a solid, comforting presence at her side, and as her worry slowly lessened, Hermione noticed that she wasn't sitting in the same place that she used to.
"We're further up," she commented.
"We're second years, now," Blaise told her. "We don't sit on the end anymore."
Hermione nodded, then bit her lip. She could taste blood on it, from all her biting it in her nervousness. She licked it away, then bit it again.
"Stop that."
Hermione looked up at Blaise. "Stop what?"
"Stop abusing your lip." Blaise's hand came up to cup her face, gently pulling her lip out from under her upper teeth with his thumb. His eyes met hers, holding her gaze. "There's no need to hurt yourself in worry. Your lips are too pretty to hurt."
Hermione tore her face away from him, her face flushing as she glared at him. Blaise offered her a lazy, unrepentant grin as their classmates filed in to sit down next to them, Tracey seating herself on Hermione's other side.
"You're incorrigible," she muttered. "Flirting with me at a time like this."
"All day, every day," Blaise agreed cheerily, and Hermione hmphed and turned away to watch the Sorting.
The hall was quieting down, Dumbledore settling into his seat, and a moment later, Professor McGonagall strode in, the first years behind her, gasping as they looked up at the ceiling for the first time. Hermione smiled, remembering her own Sorting – her awe at the Great Hall, her determination to be sorted into Slytherin, her nerves at sitting up in front of the entire school.
It had been so nerve-wracking at the time. Now, she looked on it fondly.
"Wonder where Snape's gotten to," Tracey murmured, while McGonagall instructed the first years on how to proceed with the sorting. Hermione glanced at the head table; sure enough, his chair was empty.
"Adams, Calder!"
Hermione watched as a pale-haired boy was promptly sorted into Hufflepuff. She clapped along with the rest of the school as he scurried towards the badgers' table.
Bertram, Penelope went to Ravenclaw, and Creevey, Colin went to Gryffindor. Fawley, Jemma was the first to be sorted into Slytherin, followed quickly by Flett, James. Hermione's eyes scanned the first years, looking over them, but it was hard to see over the Ravenclaws – the first years were just so short.
"Harper, Andrew!"
Andrew joined them at Slytherin, and Hermione clapped along with them, offering the thin boy a smile, which he nervously returned.
Another one to Hufflepuff, another one to Gryffindor, and then…
"Lovegood, Luna!"
Hermione sat up straight, craning her neck to see, and held her breath.
Luna Lovegood looked exactly the same as Hermione remembered her – pale, waifish, with light blonde hair that seemed to float around her. She walked up to the stool and sat on it, a serene smile on her face as McGonagall put the hat on her head. She looked perfectly content to be sitting there, not at all worried about everyone in the school watching her. One minute passed, then two. Hermione crossed her fingers, selfishly hoping…
"RAVENCLAW!"
Luna bounced off the stool and over to the Ravenclaw table, which was applauding loudly. Hermione clapped along with them, with mixed feelings. If not Slytherin, Ravenclaw was the next best option, if Luna still wanted to be her friend. Hermione already had friends in Ravenclaw, too, and she could introduce Luna around.
"Motupali, Kumar!"
Luna's pale blonde hair drifted out of sight, and Hermione forced herself to watch the rest of the sorting, applauding each time a new Slytherin joined them. There were more new students this year, she noticed – noticeably more.
"Why so many?" Hermione murmured.
"The war," Millie said quietly. "Eleven years ago, the war was finally over. People felt safe to start families again."
Hermione didn't know what to say to that.
Weasley, Ginny was the last one sorted – to Gryffindor, to no one's surprise – and Dumbledore stood, gesturing grandly.
"Before we begin our feast, let's take this moment to remember our school's motto, and reflect on its meaning to us," Dumbledore said. He looked out over them, stroking his beard. "Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus," he gravely intoned. "'Never tickle a sleeping dragon'. These are words to live by for us all."
Hermione exchanged an incredulous look with her friends. Draco Malfoy from across the table looked insulted; Theo looked amused.
"And with that," Dumbledore said cheerily, "we feast!"
The tables filled with dishes of food, and conversation broke out as people passed dishes around, everyone eager to eat.
"Never tickle a sleeping dragon?" Tracey said, filling her plate. "What's that mean? Is he mad?"
"Dumbledore just says things to seem like the eccentric old man," Theo said, dismissive. "It is the school motto. I wouldn't look into it too much."
"The entire premise is ridiculous," Draco scoffed. "Unless you've got a suicide wish, no one would ever try to tickle a dragon."
"You've never been tickled, Draco?" Hermione said, a teasing glint in her eyes. "You might like it, you know."
Draco choked on his pumpkin juice, before looking up and shooting Hermione a smirk. "…fair enough."
"Is it a threat, though?" Blaise said, his eyes alight. "Maybe Dumbledore's saying he's a dragon, and we'd do best to avoid drawing his attention."
"He might be," Daphne said. "He was really irritated by his inquisition at the Ministry; maybe he's warning us not to do anything to cause one again."
"As if we were the ones who caused it," Theo scoffed.
Hermione felt precisely zero surprise that everyone in Slytherin already seemed to know about what had happened in a secretive, closed, highly-confidential Wizengamot session.
"That's possible," Draco allowed. "And he's warning us that if we draw his attention, there will be repercussions."
"It's always better to not draw the Headmaster's attention," Hermione commented, remembering his pale blue eyes fixed on her at the end of last year's feast. "I can't imagine there'd ever be a reason for him to pay attention to you that was good."
"Especially given he can find out all your secrets." Theo shuddered. "No thank you. I'll stay far away."
Hermione looked at him. "What do you mean, he can find out all your secrets?"
Theo gave her a look that Hermione returned quizzically. Theo let out a sharp sigh, then shook his head.
"Dumbledore just seems to know everything that's going on in the castle," he commented. "I bet the portraits all spy on us and report to him."
That didn't seem quite like what Theo had been saying, but Hermione wouldn't put it past Dumbledore to have a secret spy network of portraits. If she were Headmaster, she would have one.
"Snape still isn't around," Blaise remarked.
"You're right," Hermione said, looking. "I wonder why?"
A familiar, airy lilt entered the conversation. "He's trying to punish Harry and Ron." There was a smile in the voice. "He'll rejoin us soon."
Hermione whirled around to see Luna Lovegood, smiling at her serenely as if no time had passed. Hermione felt her breath catch and her heart swell, and she barely caught herself from hugging Luna close – she was back at Hogwarts, now; she needed to calm down with the touchy-feely stuff.
"Luna!" she exclaimed. "Congratulations on Ravenclaw!"
"Thanks, Hermione," Luna said. She sat down next to Hermione, squeezing in between her and Blaise without a word. "Of course, I always knew I was going to Ravenclaw, but the hat wanted to argue about it, saying I couldn't be a Ravenclaw already if I hadn't been sorted."
"Of course." Hermione smirked, and Luna smiled.
"Ah, excuse me? Just who are you?"
Hermione groaned to herself, turning to look at Draco Malfoy, who was giving Luna a disgusted expression. She quickly smoothed her features.
"This is Luna Lovegood," Hermione said, introducing her to the table at large. "She was just sorted into Ravenclaw."
"And… how do you know her already?" Theo asked, raising an eyebrow.
Hermione's mouth quirked. "Luna is a Seer."
A murmur ran through the nearby Slytherins, glances quickly exchanged.
"A Seer?" Blaise sounded impressed. "That's a rare talent."
"That usually runs in families," Daphne said. "I don't know much about your father. Is it through the Lovegood or the Evermonde line?"
"I'm not sure." Luna tilted her head. "Maybe both."
"Oh, please," a snide voice came down the table, and Hermione looked over to see Pansy sneering. "I presume this is the 'Seer' who gave you this New Blood nonsense?" Pansy scoffed. "And we're supposed to believe she's a Seer? Based on what?"
Hermione felt her hackles rising, getting ready to retort, but Luna opened her mouth next to her, her dreamy voice coming out.
"Oh, you're the part-troll girl, aren't you?" Luna's voice contained no malice, just open curiosity. "I saw you confronting your grandmother about it over the summer. She was so mad at you and refused to answer you, but you knew she was lying to protect you."
Pansy froze, staring at Luna, who blinked her large, pale eyes back at her.
"How did you know that?" Pansy hissed. "You have no possible way of knowing that. Were you spying on me, you little freak?"
Luna just looked at Pansy, while Hermione raised an eyebrow.
"I believe it's called scrying, not spying," Blaise commented, smirking. "At least, when a Seer does it."
"Can you really see the future?" Draco looked incredulous. "Like, just on demand? Or just random prophecies?"
Luna looked to Hermione, as if for guidance, and Hermione shrugged, urging Luna on. Luna turned back to Draco.
"The prophecies that come are easier and more accurate," she admitted. "A prophecy coming is like a big buildup of temporal energy that shoots back in time and spills out my mouth. They're usually to do with dramatic things that change the course of the world."
"Do those happen often?" Daphne looked fascinated.
"Not really," Luna said. She glanced sideways at Hermione. "But they do happen."
"Can you see the future, though?" Draco said. "Even if it's not entirely accurate?"
"It's rather difficult," Luna said. "There are so many things people can do each day, and each thing a person does can change all the other things other people were going to do."
Luna's voice was lilting and musical, and Hermione found watching her housemates' visible unease and warring curiosity amusing.
"Can you see what's for breakfast tomorrow?" Greg wanted to know from down the table.
"It is not polite to ask a Seer about the future," Daphne hissed at him. "A Seer will tell you if you are to know something they have seen. You do not hassle them and ask them to perform party tricks."
But Luna had answered anyway.
"For you, nothing," she said. "You'll miss breakfast. You and your closest friend."
Greg looked at Luna, then looked at Vince, before looking back.
"No," he grunted. "I like breakfast. Wouldn't miss it."
Luna shrugged in an airy manner, and Daphne and Draco were giving Greg suspicious looks, to Hermione's intense amusement. Luna turned back to Hermione, smiling.
"I am so glad to see you again," she told her, and Hermione could hear the honesty in her voice. "I have thought of you often, Hermione."
"Likewise, Luna," Hermione said, giving her a smile. "Oh! I have something for you!" Hermione rummaged in her sack. "Here."
Hermione withdrew the several small charms she had purchased with her mother.
"These are for your bracelet," she said, and Luna's face lit up.
"The Muggle magic," she said.
Hermione smiled. "Yes. Exactly."
Luna held out her wrist, and Hermione fastened the new charms to the bracelet.
"The witch's hat is because you're an official witch now, with a wand and everything," Hermione told her. "The eagle is to celebrate your sorting into Ravenclaw; I got all four, so I'll need to return the other three."
"And the last?" Luna asked. "The curly-cue?"
Hermione hesitated.
"It's a symbol for friends," Hermione told her. "Sometimes Muggles will get matching tattoos of this with their best friends."
Luna held up her wrist, observing the new charms as they jingled, before smiling back at Hermione.
"Thank you, Hermione," she said. "I should go now, though. Professor Snape will be back soon, and he will be in a bad mood."
"You mentioned that earlier," Blaise commented. "You said he's been yelling at Potter and Weasley? What for?"
Luna's eyes danced.
"Check the Daily Prophet," she remarked. She turned to Hermione, offering her a smile. "I'll see you soon."
She floated off back to the Ravenclaw table. Hermione watched as Anthony Goldstein moved to have her sit next to him and started talking to her very rapidly. He kept glancing over at the Slytherin table, and when his eyes met Hermione's, he gave her a grin, and Hermione's face colored.
"I wonder what the teachers have been up to," Theo remarked. "Dumbledore and McGonagall have vanished, too. Do you think they're all punishing Potter and Weasley?"
"Whatever it is, at least they're still alive," Hermione groaned. "Thank Merlin for small mercies."
"It'd have been better if it were a smaller mercy," Draco said. "If only Potter was still alive, I doubt anyone would truly mourn Weasley."
There was a snicker around the table, and Hermione felt a sharp jolt of something in her chest when her eyes met Draco's – like a rope, sharply yanking her heart into her lungs. Draco's eyes widened as if he felt something too, and Hermione held her breath, anxious. Conversation continued around them, and Hermione gradually lowered her eyes from Draco's after a long moment when nothing else happened, resuming eating, though she noticed Draco kept shooting her curious looks throughout the feast.
When the feast was finally over, the prefects led them down into the dungeons. Hermione felt so pleasantly full, she felt as if she could just topple over into her bed and sleep for a week. She followed as Jade murmured "cambion" to the wall, opening it up to reveal to the common room, and everyone poured in, with some people sitting around, some people going directly to their dormitories. Hermione collapsed into a plush chair, Theo and Draco taking seats near her.
"I can't believe I was that small, once," Hermione said quietly, as Jade went through her Slytherin spiel with the new students. "And that was only a year ago."
"A lot can happen in a year," Draco said. He was giving her a significant look, but Hermione didn't know what he was implying, and honestly, she was too tired to try and puzzle it out.
"There were definitely fewer of us, though," Theo commented. "Fourteen new Slytherins this year. Imagine them all running around underfoot like mice."
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Be nice."
Jade finished her speech, and everyone seemed to take this as a sign, filtering out and to their dormitories. Hermione stood up and yawned, stretching. She was fully prepared to collapse into her bed for a nice, deep sleep.
"Granger?"
Hermione turned to see Theo, who was waiting. Theo gave her a look, then glanced at everyone else filtering out. Hermione looked at him quizzically, and it was only when nearly everyone else had left the room that Theo turned back to her.
"Earlier," he said. "When I said that Dumbledore can learn all your secrets."
"Yes. You said he had portraits spying on us," Hermione recalled.
"Yes. But, the truth is, Dumbledore can do a lot more than that." Theo looked grim. "Dumbledore knows Legilimency, Hermione."
Hermione cocked her head at him. "'Legilimency'?"
"Legilimency. It's a highly restricted art, but Dumbledore knows it," Theo confirmed. "He's not supposed to use it except in special circumstances, but it's not like anyone can prove it if he does it any other time."
Hermione's mind was sluggish, trying to put it together. Her Latin wasn't strong; 'mens' was mind, she thought, but what was the stem…?
"Can you see the danger, now?" Theo's eyes bored into Hermione's. "Hermione, don't you know what this means? Dumbledore can read people's minds."
Very suddenly, Hermione felt entirely, painfully awake.