Almost as if Luna had read her mind, her coven was waiting for her at the top of the North Tower in an empty classroom that had some rugs and piles of soft pillows strewn about the floor, with an odd, musty smell hanging in the air. It was about as far as someone could get from the first-floor bathroom, and Hermione finally felt her shoulders start to relax.

"Hermione!" Susan exclaimed, getting to her feet. "I heard what happened! I'm so sorry!"

"Wait, what?" Hermione stopped short, and Susan hugged her tightly. "You did?"

"I told them," Blaise cut in, giving her a look. "Otherwise, it's still a matter internal to Slytherin, I believe."

"Oh," Hermione said. "That's okay then."

"Your eye looks awful," Harry said, wincing. "Madam Pomfrey didn't have anything to help with that?"

"No idea," Hermione said promptly, taking a seat. "I didn't go to the Hospital Wing."

"What?" Harry said. "Hermione, why not?"

Hermione hesitated. How best to explain she was suddenly afraid for her life…?

"Hermione is worried that she is in danger," Luna said calmly. "She isn't, but she worries she is."

Hermione shot Luna a look. "I'm not?"

"No," Luna said. She blinked up at her. "After all, nothing's really changed, has it?"

Hermione sighed and rolled her eyes. Luna was great, but sometimes the ambiguity of which statements were her getting vague impressions of the future or which statements were just vague drove Hermione a bit mad.

"She was just assaulted in the hallway," Blaise shot back. "That seems like a risk of danger to me."

Luna nodded wisely. "Yes. Rhamnaceae Rookwood is angry. But of course she is – her plan to pin her attack on Lilian on Hermione isn't working."

"Wait, what?" Susan looked baffled. "We just learned about this from Blaise. What are you talking about, she attacked Lilian?"

"Oh," Luna said. "Rhamnaceae and Lilian had a fight before the winter break. Rhamnaceae had the monster attack Lilian, and she's trying to get Hermione blamed for it because she hates Hermione."

Hermione's mind boggled for a moment as the coven bickered. Was Luna saying Rhamnaceae Rookwood was the Heir?

"But wouldn't that make Hermione look like the Heir of Slytherin?" Harry frowned. "Rookwood seems to want the exact opposite, if she's still on about Hermione's parentage."

"She's blaming Hermione for it because of Hermione's bet with Lilian and her friends," Luna said. "Not for doing it directly."

"How do you know about that bet?" Hermione demanded.

Luna merely tilted her head, her eyes wide. "Was I not supposed to?"

"I don't know where you're getting your information from, but you're wrong," Blaise pointed out. "Travers and Rookwood didn't fight before the holiday."

Luna gave him a bland smile. "Didn't they?"

"Regardless!" Hermione cut in, holding up her hands. "I—I am worried about being attacked in the halls. If you all could help make sure I don't go anywhere unprotected even in groups, I would really appreciate it."

"Of course!" Harry nodded fiercely. "We'll defend you, Hermione."

Susan looked thoughtful.

"Against bullies, or against the monster?" she asked.

"Why not both?" Hermione said, trying for a casual smile.

Susan raised her eyebrows but nodded. "Fair enough. Okay."

Blaise gave Hermione a pointed look like she was stupid to even ask, and Luna looked amused.

"If it will make you feel better, I will go with you," Luna told her. She patted Hermione's hand. "Don't worry, though; this won't last for long."

Hermione didn't know if that was a good thing or a bad thing, especially when she didn't even know which 'this' Luna was talking about.

To her pleasure, Hermione got a letter back from Bloodthorne the next day.

Hermione Granger, the letter began.

Hermione Granger,

Your sword is nearly done. The forging and enchantments are complete. The metalsmith has offered anyone in the Horde the opportunity to help temper the blade with their blood and venom, and the line has lengthened for weeks.

If you would come to get it over your midterm break, it would be done for you.

Bloodthorne

There was an addendum scribbled at the bottom.

This is unrelated to your commission. Do you have fears of:

The dark
Small enclosed spaces
Yelling
Being buried alive

Please write back with the answers. I would hope that your answers would be irrelevant anyway.

Hermione blinked.

Well. That was… odd.

Was she afraid of being buried alive?

"Do goblins have venom?" Hermione asked Millie, who shrugged.

"Maybe?" she said. "We don't really know much about goblins, as a whole. Even in the rebellions they always stole their dead away, so wizards never studied them in detail like they have other creatures."

Hermione made a face.

"They're not creatures," she said.

Millie snorted. "The Ministry disagrees with you."

"Why do you ask?" Blaise said, cutting in. His eyes gleamed. "Do you have a sudden secret need for goblin venom? Should I start putting feelers out to collect some?"

"No, Blaise." Hermione thought that it seemed Blaise like wanted everything she asked about to be a ritual component of some kind. "I just wondered."

Blaise adopted a sad and crestfallen expression, before grinning and winking at Hermione.

"Just checking," he said. "Always happy to be of use."

Hermione lingered after breakfast to write Bloodthorne back, Blaise staying with her and looking over his Charms homework before classes began.

Bloodthorne,

Thank you for your prompt response. I will go home over the Easter break and come to get the sword. Please let me know what I owe the smith for it at this time.

I am not afraid of the dark, nor of small enclosed spaces. I have never particularly liked being yelled at, but I am not afraid of it. And while the idea of being buried alive is a terrifying one, it's nothing I think about particularly often and actively fear happening to me.

Why do you ask?

Hermione Granger

She sent her reply off via owl, watching it fly off, her mind buzzing with curiosity. It was such an odd letter - asking about being buried alive?

Hermione had another response delivered to her later that afternoon as she walked outside between Herbology and Charms, a tiny Gringotts owl swooping in to drop the letter on her head.

Hermione Granger,

You may ask, but my reasoning is my own. I would tell you of it if it became immediately relevant to you.

I would see you soon.

Bloodthorne

"'My reasoning is my own'," Hermione mimicked with bad grace, scowling at the response. "Wonder how Snape would react to that one in Potions when I change the ingredient list up."

She resolved to get more answers from Bloodthorne in person. She couldn't just let this strangeness carry on and on.