A/N: I would like to warn the reader: In some of the coming chapters, Hermione may be acting what you would deem as 'out of character' or 'OOC'.

I would like you to remember Hermione's previous characterization during these times, and know that this is purposeful. I have not suddenly become a bad writer; everything done is deliberately and for a reason. It will be resolved in the plot by the end of the school year.

Please keep this in mind as we go back to Hogwarts for the second term…

Over the winter break, in the wake of the most recent attack, the staff of Hogwarts had been busy, coming up with new security regulations designed to keep the students safe. Blaise had gotten the scoop on the train and was happy to fill her in at dinner.

"They're not actually serious about catching the monster, mind you," Blaise commented over dinner. "But making it seem like they are Doing Something About It™."

"Why?" Hermione said cynically. "Because it was a pureblood this time, so now somebody actually cares?"

Blaise looked at her sideways.

"The Travers family went to the media immediately, despite Dumbledore's request not to," he said, side-stepping the question. "After the public uproar from the write-up in the Prophet, Dumbledore had to be seen doing something. The Ministry even tried to arrest someone."

"Hagrid," Hermione said. "He was blamed for the Chamber opening last time, fifty years ago."

"My, my, my…" Blaise's eyes danced. "Somebody's been busy gossiping over her holiday…"

"Did you hear? Dumbledore's finally lost it," Draco announced, arriving at the Slytherin table with Theo and Pansy. "We're required to travel in pairs all over the castle, now."

"Is that supposed to help?" Daphne asked. "Two first years are going to provide just as much of a challenge to the monster as one."

"I think it's being heavily implied that the pairs should be of mixed blood statuses," Theo said. "Halfbloods with the Muggleborns, purebloods with the halfbloods, and so on."

Tracey snorted. "Is that supposed to protect everyone from the heir?" she asked. "Sure didn't help Lilian Travers, did it?"

"I think we all know why Lilian Travers got attacked," Theo said. His eyes went sideways to Hermione. "I don't think any – well, many – others in Slytherin have anything to worry about."

The rest of her house carefully did not look at her, and Hermione felt a flush of pleasure. It was a heady feeling to realize her classmates fully believed it was her fault Lilian had been attacked. It had been her fault, so it wasn't like she was tricking them, but it was still good to see them believing she had caused it and being intimidated by it.

"But the other houses are shoring up a buddy-system," Theo continued. "Making sure no one goes anywhere alone. Snape will tell us too, tonight, but at least we won't have to have assigned partners."

"The prefects aren't allowed to patrol at night anymore, either," Draco said. "Only the professors, now."

Hermione frowned.

"What if you need to go to another house, though?" she asked. "Like, if I want to go study with the Ravenclaws, I'm required to have someone walk me up from Slytherin to get there, now? But then they wouldn't be allowed to walk back alone, either."

"Either get a Ravenclaw escort, or don't get caught?" Theo advised, and Hermione made a face.

"These rules don't take effect until we hear them tonight, though, right?" she said. "Surely we can't be held to rules we haven't been told about yet by our head of house?"

"The other Houses were all told upon arrival back in the castle," Draco said. "The only reason we haven't been is Snape isn't as worried about us, and Dumbledore's been keeping him busy with something all break."

"Not my fault," Hermione said promptly, standing up. "I have to run, then. If this is the last chance I have to go anywhere alone, I have a lot to get done."

"Where are you going, Hermione?" Blaise called after her, but Hermione ignored him and hurried from the hall.

She didn't go far – it was a couple twists, down one set of stairs, and she skidded to a stop in front of a painting of a large bowl of fruit. She looked up at it for a long moment and bit her lip, before tentatively tickling the apple.

There was a loud giggle, the sound of a fart, and a horrible smell of rotten apples filled the air, making Hermione gag. Holding her breath, she quickly tickled the pear, which turned into a door handle. She quickly wrenched it open and fled into the kitchens, taking deep breaths of the sweetly-smelling air, her nausea at the rotten apples gradually receding. A few nearby House Elves turned to look at her curiously.

"Hello," Hermione said, once she'd steadied her breathing. She offered them a smile. "Did you all have a nice break?"

The House Elves looked around to each other, puzzled. Hermione wondered if they didn't have a break, or if they didn't know how to respond to a witch asking them about their welfare. She sighed.

"Would one of you terribly mind bringing me some dessert?" she asked. "I'm afraid I missed it upstairs."

This, the elves seemed to know how to handle, and it was only a moment later that two elves were bustling over to her, urging her to sit down at a small table on the side and serving her pudding.

"Thank you," she told them, and they blushed in pleasure. "If you aren't needed for a moment, can I ask you some things?"

The elves looked confused, but they nodded, waiting.

"Before the break, there were several attacks," Hermione said. "But we only ever hear about the attacks on our classmates. Have any of the House Elves been attacked as well?"

The elves looked surprised and turned to look at each other with wide eyes, before turning back to Hermione.

"Elves is not in danger from the monster," the first elf told her. "But you is very kind to worry about us so."

"Elves also is not knowing where the monster is," the second elf warned her. "Dumbledore is already asking us."

"Do you know what the monster is?" Hermione pressed, and the elves shook their heads.

"We has not been hearing anything whens cleaning," the first one told her. "If we hads heard, we would be saying so."

"Well," Hermione sighed, standing. "That's not entirely unexpected. Thank you anyway."

She stretched as she stood, glancing around the kitchen as she did, and the large fire at the end of the kitchen niggled at a memory.

"Err—" she said, trying to remember. She looked down at both of the elves, then at the bits of holly hung up about the kitchens. The holidays decorations struck a memory, bringing back her curiosity from Halloween. "Oh – who decides what is cooked for the feasts?"

"That is being the Head Elf," the second elf told her seriously. "Are you needing thems?"

"If you don't mind," Hermione said, and the other two elves trotted off.

A moment later, a slightly-more wrinkly-looking elf came over.

"I is Tolly," the elf told her. "I is Head Elf."

"Pleased to meet you, Tolly," Hermione said. "My name is Hermione Granger."

"How can Tolly be helping Missy Hermione?"

Hermione hesitated. "I understand you plan the courses of food for the large school feasts, Tolly?"

"I does," Tolly told her. "I is Head Elf. It is being my solemn responsibility."

"And," Hermione continued, "did you plan the feast foods this past end of October?"

Tolly's eyes rapidly narrowed at her.

"I dids," Tolly told her, a dangerous note to her voice. "Whats of it?"

It was a new experience to hear a House Elf being vaguely threatening. Hermione didn't quite know what to make of it.

"Did you have a nice holiday season?" Hermione asked carefully. "I see the bits of holly hung up around here."

Tolly looked at her carefully.

"Us elves cannots take weeks off for a break," Tolly told her, "but wes managed to have a nice three days to celebrate with just the other elves."

Tolly looked at her defiantly, but Hermione felt a flush of satisfaction.

Three days, not one.

Yule lasted three days – not Christmas.

She had been right – the elves did keep the old traditions alive.

"That sounds lovely," Hermione told the Head Elf. "I'm glad you elves got to have a celebration yourselves. You all work very hard." She looked around at them all, then back to the Head Elf. "In fact, you should all probably take part of the evening off for just yourselves, tomorrow. Just relax, spend time with each other, and share baked apples and cider."

Tolly jerked suddenly in surprise, before beaming at Hermione.

"I is thinking that is a fantastic idea," Tolly pronounced. "Maybe Tolly is having elves throw bits of holly in the fire, but I thinks wassail and apples is a very goods idea."

"Very good," Hermione said. She smiled back at the elf. "I am glad you are able to enjoy such an evening to yourself."

Tolly's face suddenly darkened.

"Everyone should be beings able to enjoy apples and wassail on Wassail Eve," she muttered darkly. Her tone was mutinous for a moment, before her eyes darted back up to Hermione, large. "Would Missy Hermione be wanting to come with the elves tomorrow?"

"I—me?" Hermione was incredibly flattered. "Oh, I couldn't possibly impose. I've never celebrated Wassail Eve before. And I'm not an elf."

"Is not an elf tradition," Tolly told her firmly. "Is a magical tradition. And Missy Hermione is a magical being, too."

Well, that settled that.

"Honestly, I'd love to," Hermione told Tolly, "but the students are going to be forbidden to be out alone after tonight, and I don't know if I'd be able to sneak away."

Tolly grinned, revealing startlingly sharp teeth for a House Elf.

"We elves is having ways around that," Tolly told her smugly. "Missy Hermione just needs to be dressed warmly at night, and we will be doing the rest."