A Hogsmeade visit was declared for right before break, to the joy of all the students. Cedric was mildly dismayed when Hermione turned him down for a date, though.
"I have to do all my holiday shopping," she told him earnestly, "and – well – I can't have you seeing everything I buy…"
Cedric's eyes sparkled, and a slow smile spread across his lips.
"We can just break for an hour or so, if you'd like," he suggested. "That way, I could carry your bags…"
"Thank you, but no thanks," Hermione said firmly, flushing. "I—I don't know quite what I want to get for everyone yet, and there will be a lot of perusing, I'm afraid."
Cedric grinned and kissed the back of her hand.
"Fair enough," he teased her. "I look forward to seeing what you find."
Tracey was relieved to have an excuse not to go with Adrian.
"Girl shopping is very important," she said, nodding decisively. "Especially right before the holidays. Much more than a date with a boy."
Hermione smirked. "Is that what you told him?"
"Well…" Tracey shrugged. "I may have implied I had to find a gift for him, and that's why he couldn't come along, too."
Hermione grinned. "That's what I thought."
Millie and Blaise were happy to come along on the shopping expedition, and each person came prepared with a list. They went over their lists briefly in the carriage on the way to Hogsmeade, finding correlations and planning out a collective schedule of where to go in what order, and Hermione found herself grinning widely. How had she been so lucky as to end up with such organized friends…?
There was one thing on her list that she needed help with, though, and no one else had anything similar on their lists.
"Is there a jeweler in Hogsmeade?" Hermione asked Blaise. "I need to buy some gems."
Blaise's eyebrow rose. "Gems?"
"Yes," Hermione said, wincing. "Fire opals, ideally."
"Fire opals?" Blaise's eyes widened. "Those are considered bright jewelry, Hermione. Are you sure—"
"I don't want or need them in jewelry," Hermione said impatiently. "I just need the raw gems. Similar to the malachite you got earlier in the year."
Blaise paused, and Hermione bit her lip, seeing the query in his eye.
"…this is something I need you to not ask further questions about for now," Hermione said quietly. "Occlumency barrier or not, it's better you have plausible deniability. Trust me."
Blaise looked uneasy for a moment. He regarded her for a long minute, before his face smoothed out, and he shrugged.
"I've been going through a contact I know," he admitted to her. "If we detour to the post office first thing, I can send an owl, and if we're lucky, maybe he can meet us at the Hog's Head towards the end of the day?"
Hermione relaxed. "Perfect."
The weather, ever accommodating, had decided to bless the Hogsmeade goers with a blizzard, making shopping much more difficult and miserable. This had the benefit of making the stores much less crowded (as people piled into the Three Broomsticks for refuge) but the detriment of it being cold and wet and damp.
"Glad Flitwick taught us the Impervius charm," Tracey said, recasting it on her hood and cloak again. She shook her head rapidly, small water droplets from melted snow flying off her hair like a dog. "Reckon everyone else forgot?"
"I wouldn't be surprised," Millie said, casting another warming charm on her own cloak. "A lot of people seem to forget everything as soon as they've passed the exam."
"Maybe it's that we're underage," Blaise said slyly, "and not supposed to cast magic outside of school grounds."
"Oh, bother that nonsense," Hermione dismissed impatiently. "Why on earth not? It's not like they can catch us, so long as we do the spells right."
The four of them walked around the shops, buying things for friends and family. Hermione was planning to enchant some new muggle clothes for her parents as a gift, but she bought them a couple books as well.
"Books on ghosts and Druids?" Blaise said, looking over her shoulder. "Really?"
Hermione shrugged. "My parents are curious what happens after death. And… I haven't really been able to find much on the topic."
Blaise's face clouded.
"I know that they used to do research on that," he said. "There's a place in the Department of Mysteries where they specifically investigate stuff like that."
"Really?" Hermione was surprised.
"Really." He looked thoughtful. "I wonder if all the results of their research are still classified for some reason. Maybe that's why there's a dearth of information on the topic."
Tracey and Hermione split away from Blaise and Millie for a bit, both of them lost over what gift to get for their beaus.
"What do you get for a boy who's not courting you, but isn't not courting you?" Tracey despaired. "I don't have the slightest idea where to start."
"Buying gifts for boys in general is always a pain," Hermione complained. "I never have any idea what sort of thing they'd want or like."
Tracey eventually settled on getting Adrian a cloak pin – a practical gift, but one that whispered of intimacy and jewelry.
"It's good enough," she said decisively. "And if he wanted something else, he should have dropped better hints."
Hermione found gifts for her classmates and friends, mentally making a list of what else she'd need to get from the muggle world to round out her gift-giving. She'd resolved to get Cedric a book of muggle poetry – it seemed the sort of romantic-ish thing he might like.
"What are you going to get Blaise?" Tracey asked Hermione, giving her a sideways look.
"Not sure," Hermione frowned. "What are you getting him?"
"I got him a new quill, but that's inconsequential," Tracey said, waving her off. "You and Blaise are closer than me and Blaise, so I'm curious what you'll get him."
"Closer?" Hermione kept her voice carefully neutral.
"Well…" Tracey lowered her voice. "I mean, you're in your coven together, right? As well as practically best friends in Slytherin."
"Oh." Hermione relaxed a bit. "Yeah, that's true. I wonder..."
What would Blaise want from her, she wondered. Blaise still flirted with her outrageously, and he'd moved to even flirting with her about other girls when they were alone, but it was more fun and familiar than genuine indicated interest, Hermione thought – it was just how Blaise teased and showed affection to her. She suspected he'd be more thrown and startled if she indicated genuine interest back to him – he didn't really want to date her; he just wanted her reactions to his flirting.
But what did Blaise really want, though…?
Her mind cast backwards, immediately hitting upon an idea, something Blaise would want. One thing Blaise had brought up time and time again.
She groaned, and Tracey gave her a worried look.
"Think of something?" she asked.
"I did," Hermione said gravely. She made a face. "Now I have to find a way to not give it to him entirely while still giving him part of it."
Tracey examined Hermione's face curiously, before shrugging.
"Have fun with that, then," she said, smirking. She grinned. "Glad I don't have to worry about weird complicated coven presents!"
Toward the end of the day when the blizzard was at its fiercest, the four of them made their way to the Hog's Head. Even with the weather, the pub was mostly empty, and it was grimy and unpleasant to be in. There were a few people inside the pub, most thoroughly ignoring everyone else, and one out-of-place fancy-looking man with very dark hair in the corner, who waved at Blaise,
"Lazzero!" Blaise led them over to a corner booth with a circular table. He went in first, to sit next to his contact, and Hermione next. Tracey squeezed in next to her, and Millie went to the bar to get them all warm butterbeers. "How are you?"
"I am well, Blaise," the man said. He grinned. "You have business for me, yes?"
"I do," Hermione said. "I'm Hermione Granger."
"Lazzero d'Alessi," Lazzero said, inclining his head. His eyes gleamed. "You need my gems, yes?"
"I need fire opals," Hermione corrected. "Those, specifically. Not just gems in general."
Lazzero's eyes gleamed. "As Blaise said. Yes, I have these for you."
Though they were doing nothing illegal, everyone instinctively shifted around on the bench, shading the visibility of the table with their cloaks and drinks so as to obscure the view.
"I have cabochons, and I have cut gems," Lazzero said, spreading examples out on the table. "Blaise bought malachite, which was fine to have as cabochon. But fire opals… I suspect you need play-of-color in them, yes?"
"They need to be precious fire opals," Hermione said, looking over his examples. "Like this one, for example."
"Precious fire opals are pricey, witch," Lazzero purred at her. "Are you prepared to pay?"
Hermione briefly considered offering to rent his gems from him, to give them back in exchange for a deposit once she was done. It was possible he would go for it, as odd as it was, if she argued and bargained well enough. But the memory of chilling cold clutched at her throat, haunting her, and it solidified her resolve.
Any price would be worth paying for this.
"I'd prefer cabochons if you have them," Hermione said, "but if you don't have enough, we can look at cut gems."
Lazzero wasn't kidding – the larger fire opals he had ranged from 100 to 170 galleons each. Hermione didn't know how many she would need, either – she just started making a small pile of them, adding ones to the pile over and over again until she thought the final pile was big enough to work. Lazzero's eyes gleamed, and he pulled stone after stone from his cloak pocket, each more fiery and brilliant than the last. Hermione wasn't sure if his cloak pocket was magically linked to a store inventory somewhere else, or if he legitimately just went around with thousands of galleons worth of gemstones in his pocket regularly.
When she was finished, Lazzero quietly added up the total for her gems. Hermione choked at the final number, but she nodded, determined.
"I'll need to get to Gringotts to get you that much," she admitted. "Can I meet you on the 20th in Diagon Alley?"
Lazzero raised an eyebrow. "Do you have the gold now?"
"I have it, just not on my person," Hermione said, annoyed. "And I can't get to Diagon Alley until we're dismissed for the holiday."
Lazzero glanced at Blaise, thoughtful, before he smirked.
"No," he announced. "We go now."
He seized Hermione's arm abruptly, there was a loud crack, and suddenly she was being shrunk and pushed through a tight tube, popping out on the other side, panting. It took her a moment to settle her stomach, and once she did and recognized the magnificent visage of Gringotts standing before her, glittering before her in the winter light, she was furious.
"I can't believe you just kidnapped me from a school field trip!" she exclaimed, stomping her foot. "And I can't just go into Gringotts! I have to get my sword first—"
"No," Lazzero said lazily. "We will go now."
He manhandled Hermione through the doors and into the line, gripping her forearm hard. Hermione glowered at him, livid. The Grey magic spells Jade had taught her the previous year whispered through her mind – spells she didn't need her wand for, ones that would make her very magic itself attack him to keep her safe – and it was only through an immense effort she managed to hold back. After all, she still needed him and his gems.
When they got to the front of the line, the goblin there sneered down at them.
"We need to get gold from Hermione's vault," Lazzero announced. "2500 galleons. She claims she has it."
"I do have it," Hermione snapped. She offered the goblin a hasty bow. "I'm so sorry – I would wear my sword, but this wizard forced me here—"
"She owes me gold," Lazzero dismissed. "We will need—"
"Let go of the witch." The goblin's voice was cool, and Lazzero blinked.
"I'm sorry?" he said, his tone incredulous but polite.
"Let go of the witch." The goblin's eyes were sharp and darkened, and Hermione could see pointy teeth in the slight sneer.
"What does me holding the witch have to do with—"
"You are on goblin ground," the goblin said quietly. "You must follow our laws. If you do not release her in the next ten seconds, you will lose the hand that clings to her."
Lazzero's eyes went wide, and Hermione felt her own eyes bulge.
"One," the goblin said lazily. "Two…"
Lazzero dropped Hermione's arm as if it were a hot coal, glaring at her. Hermione shrugged helplessly, as clueless as he was.
"Miss Hermione Granger," the goblin said, addressing her directly now. "I would be happy to have a goblin accompany you to your vault."
"I'm not letting her out of my sight," Lazzero snapped. "This is no small amount of gold she has promised me."
"I would trust a goblin to retrieve my gold for me," Hermione said, bowing slightly. "My stomach would not be pleased with the carts today, I'm afraid."
The goblin smirked widely. "As you like."
The goblin directed them over to the waiting benches. Lazzero glowered at the goblin, seizing Hermione's arm again to drag her over to the wall to sit down.
"Three," the goblin said, its eyes glinting and its voice carrying. "Four…"
Lazzero abruptly dropped her arm once more, glaring at her, and Hermione gave him a sweet smile. It was good to know the goblins were on her side.
It didn't take long; a goblin appeared within ten minutes with a large bag of gold, as well as a smaller bag of gold.
"There are 2500 galleons here, if you would count it," the goblins said, holding the larger bag aloft. He raised the smaller. "There are 500 here, if you would count them."
"I only asked for 2500," Lazzero said, eyes narrowing.
"You did," the goblin sneered at him. It turned to Hermione. "We withdrew additional funds for you, thinking you would want them. They can be returned if you do not."
"No, thanks," Hermione said hastily. "That's—that's really helpful, actually. Thank you."
She grabbed both bags of gold herself, stuffing them deep into her pockets. Lazzero gave her a sharp look.
"Those 2500 are mine," he growled.
"Not until you get me back to Hogsmeade safely," Hermione snapped. "And not until the gems are in my hand."
The goblin watched this exchange without comment. Lazzero scowled at Hermione, but the temptation of so much gold seemed enough to calm his ire.
"Fine," he growled. "We go now."
He stalked out of the bank before taking her arm once more. He Side-Along Apparated Hermione back into the Hog's Head, where they reappeared with a loud crack, and Hermione fought to keep her butterbeer down, gasping and heaving for air.
"Lazzero!" Blaise was at their side in a moment, his eyes flashing. "How dare you—!"
"Quiet," Lazzero said lazily. "The gold, girl?"
Hermione glared at him sideways. "The gems?"
Lazzero held out the small bag he'd put her gems into before, but Hermione made him dump it out on the table to make sure he hadn't swapped them at some point. Once she was satisfied that they were indeed the gems she wanted, she swept them into her own bag before handing over the large bag of gold.
"Pleasure doing business with you," Lazzero said, his eyes gleaming greedily.
"I wish I could say the same thing," Hermione said, glaring at him. "Never touch me again."
Lazzero shrugged, uncaring. "Ciao."
Millie and Blaise watched as he left, glaring after him. Tracey was looking at her worriedly.
"Are you okay?" she asked. "It all happened so fast! None of us knew what to do, or if you were coming back—"
"It's okay now," Hermione said, rubbing her arm where he had manhandled her. "It wasn't, but it's fine now."
Tracey looked at her worriedly, and Blaise turned back to Hermione.
"I swear to you, I had no idea he would do such a thing," he told her urgently. "I would never knowingly put you in danger. I am so sorry—"
"He was just an arrogant arse," Hermione said, reassuring him. "I don't blame you for his actions."
Blaise worried at his lip. "If you say so…"
"I didn't know you could kidnap someone by Side-Along Apparition…" Tracey said, still uncertain. "That's… not good."
"The carriages will be leaving soon," Millie commented, changing the subject. "Shall we make our way out to them?"
They left the bar and ventured back into the snow, trudging through the accumulation back to the carriages. The wind was too loud for conversation on the way, and it wasn't until they were safe and warm in one of the carriages that they could hear each other once again. Blaise sat next to Hermione, fussing over her cloak, while Tracey and Millie sat across from them, watching with silent eyes while Hermione tolerated Blaise's fussing, knowing it was how he felt he could best make up for his apparent slip of judgement with Lazzero.
"So," Tracey said brightly. "Are we just going to ignore that Hermione just casually has access to 2500 galleons to drop on a whim?"
Hermione groaned and thunked her head back, and Millie snickered.
"I'm certainly curious," Millie said, eyes gleaming. "That's a figure even a Malfoy would wince and think twice at."
"I have an arrangement with the goblins," Hermione said, looking at the ceiling of the carriage. "They help me fake large amounts of gold in order to scam people out of their valuables."
Tracey and Millie snickered, but Blaise smirked.
"I figure we'll need to fund the Shadows somehow," he commented. "I'm just happy we have the gold – I'm not about to ask too many questions."
Tracey's eyes lit in curiosity. "The Shadows?"
Hermione shot Blaise a look, which he ignored, smirking instead.
"Yes," he told them. "Listen: here's the plan…"
Hermione pretended to ignore Blaise as he quietly told Tracey and Millie the plan to have a solidified third faction in any new war – an organized group that could provide protection for members.
Hermione hadn't mentioned the Shadows to anyone over the school year. She'd been busy with her new classes and the Wizengamot, and honestly, it hadn't seemed as necessary – the whole of the wizarding world was united in the cause of catching Sirius Black, even the Dark wizards. There hadn't been as much tension between social groups and different houses as a result.
That being said… Hermione knew it was still very much a thing she wanted to do. Even if she didn't like to think about it, or consciously acknowledge it may someday become a necessity.
Of anyone to recruit next, though, Tracey and Millie were ideal. They'd already participated in plots with her, and they'd already done the Occlumency ritual to shield their thoughts. Hermione would trust them with her life, at this point – and what more could she demand?
Blaise was explaining about how neither Dumbledore nor the Dark Lord truly offered an attractive deal for people like them – Slytherins with no urge toward genocide – and how remaining neutral was a way to make yourself a target of suspicion with no protection. Tracey and Millie both glanced over at Hermione as he spoke, but Hermione avoided meeting their eyes. That seemed to give the entire idea more legitimacy in their minds, and both girls paid attention as Blaise outlined what had been devised so far.
"How do we join?" Tracey asked quietly. "I mean, I don't know about Millie—"
"I'm in," Millie said immediately. "I need protection from my father's family."
"—but I'd want to join."
"It's informal right now," Hermione admitted. "We haven't thought too much on how to do formal initiation yet."
"Well, count us in," Tracey told Hermione seriously. "Not that I think a bunch of teenagers becoming a side in a war is a great idea, but it's better than caving to Dumbledore or You-Know-Who. And we'd be stronger together, rather than each of us trying to hide out on our own."
Blaise grinned at them both, pleased. "We'll keep you in the loop."
