The Eve of Beltane dawned clear and warm. There was a happy feeling of joy at it being Friday amongst the students of the school in general, but for five students, there was a tense undercurrent of excitement, and they kept exchanging eager glances during breakfast.

Tonight, they would form their coven.

It was a short day for the Slytherins, for which Hermione was grateful; it was difficult to concentrate on classes at all. Even with a quick detour outside before Defense to cycle her magic and calm it, her own excitement seemed to be spinning her magic into a tizzy – at least for once, though, it wasn't making her feel unhinged.

Lockhart went on and on about the history of the town he had saved from the yeti today, describing their culture and weaknesses, explaining exactly why they hadn't been able to save themselves and had needed his generous and benevolent presence to eradicate the threat for them. Today the lecture was accompanied by animated drawings on the chalkboard instead of a grand play and acting, and Hermione found herself surprised and amused by the class. It wasn't as if she'd ever need to use this newfound knowledge of a tiny restrictive magic tribe in the Himalayas, but at least she'd learned something.

As class let out and Lockhart bid them all a good weekend, grinning widely and winking at them as he told them not to get into too much trouble, Hermione lingered behind. Lockhart turned to her with a smile.

"Miss Granger!" he said with a smile. "My little heroic protégée! Can I help you with anything?"

Hermione took a deep breath, offered him a smile, and did what she knew Snape would hate her for the most.

"Not really, sir," she said. "I was just reflecting, you know. On how I'll miss you when you're gone."

Lockhart's eyebrows went up. "Gone?"

"Well, yes." Hermione looked embarrassed. "The Defense Against the Dark Arts post is cursed, you know. No one's ever held the position for more than a year, and unfortunate things tend to happen to those who try."

Lockhart looked slightly alarmed.

"Is this true?" he wanted to know. "How have I never heard anything about this before?"

"I don't know," Hermione said honestly. "It's been cursed for the last thirty years at least. Did you not realize during your schooling here?"

Lockhart seemed to be thinking hard.

"We had… and then we had… and after her there was…" he muttered to himself. His eyes widened, refocusing on her. "I did have seven different Defense teachers during my years here. Seven."

Hermione gave him a helpless shrug. "See?"

Lockhart was trying to hide his worry, now. He wasn't doing a very good job of it.

"I was just sad, you know," she told him. "You're an excellent teacher. You're very good at teaching us about all the history and culture and details surrounding your adventures. You have a way of making it vivid and honest and real." She gave him a shy grin. "If you ever retired from adventuring, you could write best sellers about anything, I'd bet. Even adventures or epic things from history that other people did."

Lockhart was looking at her sideways.

"You think people would read books like that?" he asked. "Books where I didn't risk my life and save the day?"

"I think people would read anything you wrote," Hermione said honestly. "Your fans love to read about your adventures, sure, but I think what keeps them coming back is your vivid writing style. And all your meticulous research about the surrounding areas and into the details is what makes the stories come alive."

Lockhart looked thoughtful.

"What an interesting idea, Miss Granger," he said. "I have never considered such a thing before. But now that I think of it, of course I could do that! My books have all been best sellers, after all, and most of a book is the words. They only see my handsome face once on the cover, after all."

He gave her a roguish wink and a grin, and Hermione grinned back.

"That was all, sir," she said. "Sorry for dawdling. Have a good weekend!"

"You too!"

Harry and Blaise were waiting outside the classroom for her. She gave them a look as she left.

"Eavesdropping, are we?" she accused.

"Yes," Harry said, shameless. "Did you think we wouldn't?"

Hermione shot him a grin back as they headed down to Potions.

"That was too subtle," Blaise complained. "He's never going to put the pieces together just from that."

"I couldn't be more obvious, could I?" countered Hermione. "I don't want him to immediately look to me to blame."

"I'm fine if he doesn't put it together," Harry grumbled. He gave Hermione a sideways look. "Are you sure this is a good idea?"

"Yes," Hermione said flatly. "He cares about details and accuracy, and he researches the things he talks about. I know he has to do it so his lies don't fall apart, but at least he does it."

"And he's objective," Blaise added. "The only slant he ever puts on things is to make himself look better. But like today – he talked about why the tribe wasn't able to take care of their issue honestly."

"If you say so." Harry made a face. "Guess he couldn't make things any worse. And things'll certainly be more interesting."

"Exactly," Hermione beamed.

"Doesn't matter if he doesn't go for it," Blaise warned. "Five sickles says he doesn't put it together."

"Five galleons says he does," Hermione said immediately. "He's an opportunist if nothing else. And he's not stupid, no matter how clueless he might seem."

They broke apart once they reached the Potions classroom, Harry going over to join the Gryffindors, with Hermione taking her place next to Theo.

"You look cheerful," he commented. "Why's that? Defeated another ancient enemy?"

Hermione gave him a look.

"Would you rather I hadn't?" she said coolly. "Would you rather Harry Potter had saved the day and all Slytherin would have is the blame on its shoulders from the Heir?"

"Hey, I wasn't trying to start anything," Theo said, holding his hands up. "I was just saying. You have that look about you, like you're up to something."

"Then I'm not hiding it well enough," Hermione grumbled. She took a moment to close her eyes, trying to calm her excitement and spinning magic. She reopened her eyes. "How's this?"

"Better," Theo admitted. He looked at her sideways. "What are you so excited for, anyway?"

Snape strode in at that moment, the door slamming behind him, and immediately the chatter fell away.

"You will resume your Creeping Concoctions today," he informed them. "Retrieve your cauldrons from the back of the room carefully. You should be at a stable Phase 2 by the end of class."

Theo and Hermione obediently went and retrieved their cauldron, carefully hobbling it back to their station, careful not to slosh. As Theo started chopping flatworms and Hermione diced moon leeks, she leaned over to him.

"Tomorrow's Beltane," she told him. Theo's eyes flew to her face, his eyes wide.

"Do you… do you celebrate it?" he asked, his voice hushed, incredulous.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Not like that. But just… it's a time for new beginnings, you know? And I can feel spring and change in the air."

Theo smirked.

"I suppose if anyone could feel change and magic in the air, it'd be you," he commented. "Are you using the mortar and pestle?"

She passed it over, looking at him sideways.

"Why's that?" she asked. "Because I change things up so much?"

"That too," Theo said, smirking. He raised an eyebrow. "But I presumed because Magic speaks directly to you, too."

"Oh," said Hermione. She paused. "I…didn't consider that."

"You don't seem to realize a lot of things," Theo informed her. "When you figure out how to do the tricky charms in class the first try, or how to transfigure things beyond expectations, or intuitively realize how best to defeat a basilisk… I figure that Magic whispering in the back of your mind is just so instinctual to you at this point that you don't even really notice breaking records and pulling off crazy feats of magic anymore."

Hermione tried not to react. She did still know when she pulled off crazy feats of magic. Just… her reference point for 'crazy feat of magic' had changed, somewhat, she supposed.

"I guess you're right," she admitted slowly. "I mean, I know I'm best in the class still, but other than that…"

Theo smirked at her.

"Maybe being oblivious is part of being a New Blood, too," he suggested, eyes gleaming, and Hermione shoved him, indignant.

"Oh, shut up, you—"

"Is there a problem here?"

Snape descended on them like a hawk, eyes sharp, and both students hastily apologized and quickly got back to work.