Chapter 32
"What thebloodyhell was that all about?" Ron asked Hermione as she met them in the hallway.
She wrinkled her nose, giving him a dirty look and then rolled her eyes at him a moment before she smiled and held up the note.
"Got it," she said in satisfaction.
"So,that'swhy you were sucking up to him?" Ron asked.
"Ugh!" Hermione groaned in frustration, rolling her eyes again. "I swear Ronald, you are so thick sometimes! No, I wasn't 'sucking up to him' it's called 'being nice', and that wasn't the only reason I was being nice to him, but that is part of it. Unlike some, I genuinely think he's a good teacher."
"Regardless," Harry piped up in an attempt to divert an argument in the hallway. "It's great she got it. Who else do you think would have given it to us?"
"I don't know," Ron said with a shrug.
"Nobody," Hermione said. "That's who. Everyone else would have asked too many questions, even if they do like me more than either of you two."
"Hey!" Ron said, taking offence.
Harry shrugged when the red head looked at him. "Well, it's the truth," he told his friend. "We got into too much trouble last year."
"Yeah... alright," Ron said grudgingly.
"Well, I don't know about you two," Hermione said. "But I have to go to the library."
"We'll meet you there," Harry said, and Ron gaped at him.
"Alright," Hermione said. "But you better bring your homework to avoid raising suspicion, and grab a table near the back if you can."
"Okay," Harry said. "See you in a bit."
"Do we have to?" Ron groused, but Harry elbowed him.
"Yes!" he replied, with a sharp look at the redhead.
"Okay, see you later," Hermione called and headed off to the library.
Hermione paused outside the doors, exhaling heavily as she steeled herself to face Madam Pince. She'd never done anything as underhanded as she had in getting the note from Professor Lockhart for the book she needed, but she knew that she'd need the book to find out who was behind the writing on the wall.
Unlike Ron, she didn't readily believe that Draco Malfoy was behind it, but she was hesitant, wondering if Madam Pince would see through her or not. She hoped not, and that the witch would be more enamoured of finding she was being given Gilderoy Lockhart's autograph as it were, than the request for such a book in the restricted section to a second year student.
"Oh!" Madam Pince said when Hermione presented her with the note. She blinked and dropped her hand, looking hard at Hermione before looking at the note again. "Oh! My dear! How on Earth did you get this!? Never mind. It doesn't matter." She stopped and looked at the girl again. "Do you know how long I have been trying to get this? Standing in line at every single appearance for hours only to have him leave just when I was close! Keeps to himself when he's not wandering the halls, he does. Doesn't really get together with the faculty much and never comes in here, so even though he's a teacher here now, I've not been able to get it."
The woman paused and looked at the note once more. "Oh, you are a dear!" she said, looking at Hermione again and smiled before beginning to walk off.
"Madam Pince," Hermione called after her. "I need -"
"Take whatever you like dear," Madam Pince called back with a wave of her hand, not looking at her as she wandered away, looking at the note again.
It was strange, Hermione thought as she watched the woman walk away, to see such a change come over the woman described by students to be the female version of Professor Snape, with the way she would creep around the library in an irritable mood as she policed the bookshelves for loud, misbehaving students, to see her practically glowing and singing to herself as she fawned over the autograph.
It wasn't long before Hermione had the book they needed in hand, and found Ron and Harry in the back of the library, waiting for her.
"There you are," Ron said when she sat down.
"What's the matter?" Harry asked, noticing her odd expression as she took a seat across from him.
"That was just...odd," Hermione said with a shake of her head.
"What was?" Ron asked.
"Madam Pince," Hermione said.
Harry and Ron looked at her, but Hermione shook her head deciding it was best not to tell them that the witch had just more or less given her free access to the restricted section of the library all for a single autograph by their celebrity teacher.
Later that night after dinner, Hermione sat on her bed and began a letter to Oliver
5November 1992
Oliver,
You, the twins and Lee were right. I asked about the Chamber of Secrets in History of Magic and didn't get a whole lot out of Professor Binns, as he kept arguing that he dealt in facts, not legends. I was much more successful today.
During Transfiguration, I asked Professor McGonagall and though she didn't like the topic and was hesitant, she told us much more about it.
After that, Ron set me thinking when after class he immediately jumped to accusations that Malfoy was the Heir of Slytherin who opened the Chamber... all based on speculation of course. But like I said, it got me thinking. A few weeks ago in Potions, Professor Snape said something about a book called Moste Potente Potions, that was in the restricted section when he spoke about Polyjuice Potion. I'm not sure, I'd have to look into it more, but there has to be some way we can find proof of who is behind the writing on the wall.
Well, I — I have to be honest here... and I'm only doing this to look out for Harry and Ron to keep them from doing something stupid. I don't need them trying to brew Polyjuice Potion or something else and making a mistake that could cause some permanent damage. And I know that after finding the writing on the wall Harry won't leave this alone. After hearing what Professor McGonagall said, I have to think that is why Dobby, the house elf that visited Harry over the summer — may have been trying to keep him away.
It was really weird what happened next. I knew we couldn't get the book from the restricted section without a teacher's note, so I spent our time in DADA to flatter Professor Lockhart in hopes that he would help us with a note. I have never done anything so underhanded in my life. It felt awful, but I knew that was the only way we had a chance of getting a hold of the book. Now that I think about it... I might have been able to ask you but I didn't really know if you were studying Advanced DADA or Advanced Potions or not.
But that wasn't what was so weird. What was weird was how Madam Pince acted and what she said when I gave her the note. I never even had an inkling that she was a fan of Gilderoy Lockhart. She didn't even seem to read the note though, and was more interested in his autograph. In fact, she told me to take whatever I wanted. It was... rather creepy, to be honest.
Hermione
Hermione sent off the letter and got ready for bed. By the time she was finished and climbing into bed a response had arrived.
5 November 1992
Hermione,
No, you're right, I couldn't have helped. I'm not taking Advanced DADA or Advanced Potions classes. You really found out a lot about the Chamber of Secrets. Is it real or is it just a bunch of legends? Do you know yet? As for what happened with Professor Lockhart, I can't fault you for it, you do what you have to sometimes. I know he seems so self-absorbed that he would likely sign anything put in front of him regardless of what it was. It is odd, a bit creepy, and kind of funny too, if you think about it, how Madam Pince responded.
Be careful with that book though... It has some pretty advanced and dangerous potions in it. I'm not worried you can't do any of them, you're really smart — in a way, it's too bad you didn't take Professor Dumbledore up on skipping a few years last year. I really think you could have handled it, but they are dangerous and require a lot of attention, not to mention you need to be careful who sees , I trust your judgement on this, I just worry about you... particularly because of your background and what was written on the wall. I think we can all safely say that this year at Hogwarts seems a bit darker, and a bit more dangerous... I don't want anything to happen to you.
Oliver
Hermione sighed, clutching the letter in her hand as she looked out the window. Oliver was right... this year did seem darker and more dangerous... and she knew that she was doing the right thing helping Harry and Ron with the potion. It might be dangerous for her with her background, but Harry was The-Boy-Who-Lived, and the hope of the Wizarding world. Sure, no one else knew that Voldemort was still around in one form or another, but she believed that Harry had faced him — in a sense — last year and that he was still out there somewhere. They couldn't afford for something bad to happen to Harry because he rushed into situations without thinking.
Her decision made, she put the note from Oliver on her bedside table and settled down to sleep. She had a bit more trouble dozing off, but it wasn't as bad as it had been before. She watched as the moon moved slowly across the window, her eyes becoming heavy until sleep finally claimed her.