Hermione eventually got Harry to the Hospital Wing. She was mortified to have Harry flip upside-down by his ankle the first time she tried the Levicorpus charm, but the second time she managed it, guiding him carefully through the halls.
"What kind of charm defaults to a prank charm?" Hermione despaired.
Harry seemed kind of weakly amused by the entire thing.
"You managed to make it work with the right intent the second time," he said. "So what's it matter?"
"Yes, but just the flat casting of it without intentionally trying to modify the result…" Hermione shook her head. "What a ridiculous charm."
Once they arrived, Madam Pomfrey was not amused.
"You should have come straight to me!" she raged, holding up the sad, limp remainder of Harry's arm. "I can mend bones in a second — but growing them back—"
"You will be able to, won't you?" Harry worried.
"I'll be able to, certainly, but it will be painful," Madam Pomfrey said grimly. "You'll have to stay the night…"
Hermione excused herself, wishing Harry a speedy recovery as she left so he could change. The entire Gryffindor Quidditch team was waiting outside the Hospital Wing with Ron and Neville, and Hermione offered them all a weak nod.
"Give him a few more minutes," she advised. "He's changing and he's got to take Skele-Gro, first."
"Fair enough," one of the Gryffindor Chasers said, shrugging and leaning against the wall. "That was incredible flying. The least we can do after he won us the match is wait."
"Miss Slytherin," Fred said. He smirked. "There's a package waiting for you in the Ravenclaw common room."
"The Ravenclaw common room?" Hermione said incredulously.
"It's not like we could trust the Slytherins to leave it with them," George said lazily. "I don't want their scaly hands all over my Quidditch robes…"
Hermione understood his meaning immediately.
"Thanks," she said. "I'll be sure to pick that up soon."
She swung by the library first, checking out few books on identifying jinxes and neutralizing them. Madam Pince seemed surprised to see anyone in the library on a Quidditch day, but she let Hermione check the books out easily enough. Hermione headed up to the Ravenclaw common room afterward, the eagle knocker blinking bronze eyes at her.
"The more you take, the more you leave behind," it told her, and Hermione paused to consider.
"Footsteps," she said after a moment, and the knocker nodded and pushed open the door.
In the Ravenclaw common room students were studying in small groups scattered around the area. The view of the storm was incredible from their high windows, and Hermione felt a stab of jealousy for the open, airy beauty of their tower.
"Hermione," Luna said happily, and Hermione turned. "We have a package for you!"
Hermione headed over to Luna, who was sitting with Mandy Brocklehurst and Terry Boot, a large box on their table.
"Hello," Hermione greeted them.
"I'm glad you're here," Terry said. "The Weasley Twins left this with us. They said it was top secret, and that you would know what to do with it."
"I'm not entirely sure what to do with it, but I'll certainly try," Hermione said, taking a seat. "It's the cursed Bludger that went after Harry."
Terry's eyes widened. "Are you going to cast the counter-curse?"
"If I can," Hermione shrugged. "More than that, I want to figure out who cursed it."
"I don't think that's possible."
Hermione turned to see Anthony Goldstein taking a seat next to her, giving her a wry grin. Michael Corner was with him, sitting at his right.
"Why not?" Hermione asked.
"Tracking magical signatures is a vague and iffy business," Anthony said. "Most research indicates it's not possible. The most you can generally get is a vague wand core signature, if even that."
Hermione considered.
"Let's un-jinx it first," she said finally. "Then we'll work on identifying the magic source behind it."
When they opened the box, the Bludger inside was still struggling within the robes, but much less frantically.
"Do you think Potter not being nearby has reduced its anger?" Terry asked.
"I'd guess as much," Hermione said. "Maybe it'll be easier to tie down, now…"
Michael Corner went running and returned with several belts. With a couple Extension Charms, they carefully belted the Bludger to the table, examining it as it struggled weakly under the leather.
"I've never heard of a hex to target a Bludger at someone," Anthony said. "Quidditch equipment generally has a lot of anti-hexing charms on them."
"That's true." Hermione frowned. "I wonder…"
She cast Finite Incantantem at the Bludger, to no effect, and she smiled grimly.
"Too strong?" Terry guessed. "The stronger the spell, the harder it is to dissipate—"
"Oh, it wasn't too strong," Hermione said. "I could feel the spell settle. It's just not relevant, here."
The Ravenclaws looked at her curiously.
"What do you mean?" Mandy asked. "Finite Incantantem stops spells from working."
"Exactly," Hermione said. "Which means this isn't a spell."
Eyes widened in comprehension.
"So what is this?" Terry breathed, examining the Bludger closely. "You think a targeting potion made with Potter's hair in it?" He sniffed it deeply. "It doesn't smell like a potion…"
"It probably smells like mud," Michael Corner scoffed. "The Weasleys were wrestling with it on the ground for ages."
Hermione considered.
"Luna," she said finally. "Can you tell anything about its aura?"
Luna blinked up at her.
"I can try," she said. "I'll have to touch it, though."
"Be careful," Hermione advised.
Luna climbed onto the table, sitting down next to the Bludger. She laid her hand on it carefully, avoiding the belts.
"Shh, shh," she whispered to the Bludger. "It's okay… you can stop fighting now… you've done so well…"
They all watched on in astonishment as the Bludger stopped struggling under Luna's touch. Hermione had been expecting Luna to look at the Bludger and find a color, not talk to it as if it were a child.
"It was a normal Bludger," Luna pronounced. "A geas was laid over it to hurt or maim Harry Potter recently."
Hermione's eyes widened. "A geas? Not a compulsion charm?"
Terry frowned. "What's the difference?"
"A geas," Luna confirmed, petting the Bludger. "One from someone close to home."
"Got it." Hermione bit her lip, considering. "Thanks, Luna."
Luna continued petting the Bludger for a while, while Hermione turned to Terry.
"A geas is a magical compulsion or curse, similar to the Imperius curse or a Compulsion charm," Hermione said. "But the difference is a geas is laid over an object or a person, not cast upon them."
Terry looked at her blankly. "And...?"
"Don't you get it?" Hermione said. "Wizards' magic is cast upon things. It's not witches or wizards that lay magic over things—it's other magical creatures who do."
Anthony whistled. "So you think the goblins are after Potter?"
"Goblins lay magic in things, generally, not over things," Hermione mused, reaching out to stroke the Bludger with a finger. "As far as I know, it's the elves who lay magic over things."
"You think a House Elf bewitched this Bludger?" Terry said. "Really?"
"Who knows?" Hermione said. Her finger caught on something on the Bludger, and she rubbed her finger over the rough patch, but it wouldn't come off. "I've no idea how to track elf magic, but it's a lead, at least."
"Who all has House Elves they could instruct to do such a thing?" Mandy wondered, and the Ravenclaws began brainstorming as Hermione leaned closer, examining the Bludger's surface. There were markings scratched into the surface in one area.
BD00458796X
"We could ask the castle's elves if they've noticed any strange elves lurking around?" Michael was suggesting.
"I don't know why you'd think they'd answer us honestly," Terry said. "They're more likely to band together to protect one of their own, aren't they?"
"I have a better idea," Hermione announced. She shifted the weakly-struggling Bludger under its straps so the numbers on it were more evident.
"What's that?" Mandy asked, peering.
"It's a serial number." Hermione smiled. "Each one is entirely unique. This time, we'll track the culprit the Muggle way."