Practise makes perfect, and Hermione had been so focused on the practical lessons she had almost skipped lunch for the third day in a row.
"Moving right along then, we will pick up with the levitation charm after lunch," Anne held out her hand for her wand. Hermione tried very hard to not seem put out and tried to put on a smile as she returned the elder witch's wand.
Anne smirked as Hermione handed over the wand with a half glare and half feigned grin, leading to a strange expression.
"Come now Hermione, I'll demonstrate some advanced kitchen charms for you," Anne consoled the little witch.
Downstairs, Anne stood in the centre of the kitchen, as Hermione took her seat at the table. Anne had been raised a muggle for over a decade but spent more than half a century as a witch. With a smirk, the elder witch began waving her wand broadly in an exaggerated and silly manner, and Hermione watched in complete awe.
Anne summoned pans and dishes, and they floated and flew into their proper places on the stove and table. Anne turned the knobs on the stove in the muggle way, until the flames sparked to life. Anne summoned leftover Tupperware from the fridge without a word and set the food held within the containers into the pans without touching anything.
"Curry? Helen never ceases to surprise me," Anne mentioned as she set the chicken curry to reheat on the stove. There were faster magical ways to reheat food, but the goal was also to entertain Hermione.
"They hired a new woman for the front desk at their office. She's from Pakistan and she's made mum very creative," Hermione murmured while staring at Anne's dramatic performance of magic.
"You make it look so easy!" Hermione exclaimed as the food was finally set in front of her.
"It is easy. Or- it will become easy. Magic is almost like a muscle, so if you cast often your magic only ever gets stronger and it only ever gets easier. The strongest witches and wizards are very old." Anne smirked as she swiped her long silver hair over a shoulder and winked at her student.
Hermione stayed up an extra hour each night to practice her wand movements with a pencil. In theory, Hermione was reading third and fourth-year material, but practical applications were still within early first-year material.
"Lumos!" Hermione whispered urgently, as she lay in bed. The pencil did not light the way a wand would, but the faux wand warmed to almost burning.
"Shhh-" Hermione whimpered, dropping the pencil off the side of the bed instantly. Hermione cradled her stinging hand and glared at the pencil that had already burned into her carpet. Hermione glared at her dark line burnt into the otherwise perfectly plush carpet and scrunched up her nose at the burnt plastic smell before drifting off to sleep.
Letter to the editor's daughter-
Dear Luna,
I wondered what your thoughts are regarding one of your Father's latest articles. 'History of Heliopaths', I have never read about such creatures and wondered if you had any further reading to recommend. I stayed up late reading your father's article about them, and dreamed about them! Sight unseen and without a clear description in the article, I imagine them as ghostly horses but made of wisping flame instead of the white wisps of ghosts. They were silent in the dream, except for the soft roar of their flames.
Your Friend,
Hermione Granger
Dear Hermione,
I am glad you wrote to me to ask about Heliopaths, as I have the perfect book to loan you. My father has an impressive library of rare texts, and you are welcome to visit should you wish to broaden your magical perspective. Please give my owl a good treat, as this book was not an easy parcel for the old bird.
Your Friend,
Luna Lovegood
Bucolic War Heliopaths by Isidorus, translated by Pandora Volant, was a thick tome. Hermione paused in her fourth hour of reading, plotting how she could visit Luna Lovegood without telling her parents about magic. Anne would need to be involved somehow.
~The Rook, Ottery St. Catchpole~
Helen and Daniel Granger would be meeting Hermione and Anne at The Natural History Museum and for lunch afterwards in a few hours. The doctors' Granger believed Hermione and her private tutor Anne were already there. Instead, Anne drank tea with Xenophilius Lovegood in an almost overgrown garden over 200 kilometres away. If Anne were a muggle she'd be worried about getting Hermione where she needed to be on time. They had almost four hours before they were expected in London, and it would take that long to return by muggle car. Fortunately, Anne was a witch and she would only need a single moment to bring her student back to London. Hermione listened avidly to her younger friend, Luna, describe the uses of moonstone and its purpose of it in gardens. Anne knew of Xenophilius only through his magazine, The Quibbler, and through the research success of his recently deceased wife, Pandora.
"Hogwarts or Beuxbatons for your pupil, Mrs Peasegood?" Xenophilius asked, watching the girls carefully. He undoubtedly always watched Luna carefully now, him being the only adult to care for her now.
"I hope she'll choose Hogwarts, but I won't deny her the choice," Anne replied eyeing the spots on the back of her hands.
"You're a good witch, Mrs Peasegood. I'm glad about it. I know Ravenclaw is the only place for my Luna. Her future lies in research. The discovery and pursuit of knowledge. Her mother and I have always been the same in that," Xeno stopped.
"Luna will find many friends in Ravenclaw and Hogwarts. You're doing a fine job with her, Mr Lovegood." Anne rested her hand on the other wizard's arm in a comforting manner, and he replied with a small polite smile in thanks.
"I greatly appreciate that. The last few months have been- difficult. Our neighbors send food and our closest neighbour, Molly Weasley invited Luna to her own daughter's birthday. Luna wants to go but I just- Pan used to braid Luna's hair every morning, and I can't even do that! Her hair just keeps becoming wilder and wilder, and I don't want her to be the source of ridicule. I know very well how unkind words feel. I think it's just the stress but I can't make heads or tails of the charms for hair or laundry or cleaning either. I'm- exhausted. I've been late on every publishing deadline this summer since-" Xenophilius drooped in his chair and squeezed his eyes shut to will the tears back into hidden parts of his mind.
"A claw-like you can't make sense of some simple charm work? Come now, I'll have to tutor you as well."
An older wizard and three witches stood in the cluttered kitchen of The Rook. The adults mimed their wand movements and the children observed. Just 15 minutes of practice saw Xenophilius Lovegood creating an almost perfectly smooth blonde braid for his daughter. Luna pulled the new braid over her shoulder and stroked it gently with a small smile.
"Wonderful wand work!" Luna commented, hugging her father tightly.
"Come, Hermione! I must show Xeno how easy he has it. Braiding your hair with magic takes much more skill." Anne said with a smirk.
Hermione stood in front of Anne, who raised her wand overhead.
"Intexo como scripo", Anne murmured, moving her wand slowly back and forth in a serpentine motion. Hermione's hair followed the magic, pulling straight with the incantation and weaving tightly together with her wand's movement. Hermione's hair stretched above and around her, creating a honey-coloured halo that shimmered with magic. A full two minutes later, Hermione's hair was bound closely to her head without any frizz or painful pulling. As Hermione turned to thank Anne, the unlit fireplace suddenly blazed to life and spat giant green flames. A pump red-haired witch stepped through and paused in surprise at the rare company.
"Hello! I'm so sorry to have intruded! I was just bringing some roast and pie for you and Luna, Xeno, I didn't think-" the witch rambled on embarrassed.
"It's alright, Molly! This is Mrs Anne Peasegood, and her pupil, Miss Hermione Granger. Miss Granger is a friend of Luna's, and thusly Anne is now a friend of mine. Anne, Hermione, this is Molly Weasley. An old school friend and my closest neighbour. Come sit, if you have the time Molly," Xeno took the basket Molly offered.
"Oh you know I never have the time. I have a million things to do at home. It's lovely to meet you Mrs Peasegood, and Miss Granger. My daughter's birthday is in a few days, and I've been dizzy trying getting everything ready." Molly Weasley smiled and her eyes were bright when talking about her daughter, but the rolled-up sleeves, flour on her dress and apron, and the grass stains at the hem told the story of an incredibly busy witch.
"I'm sure your daughter will be overjoyed by the care you've taken for her, Mrs Weasley. Should you need any help in casting, I can always make myself available." Anne smiled warmly at the smaller witch who returned the warm expression.
"Can you bake Mrs Peasegood?" Molly asked.
"I even enjoy it. I only use a few recipes now, but that's just age. You forget to try new things." Anne shrugged with a small smile.
"I like you Peasegood. I have a million recipes I could show you, but I couldn't ask you to help without inviting you first. My little Ginevra's party is in four days, so floo to my home, The Burrow, whenever you like before then. Party is Saturday at noon, " Molly noticed Luna wandering away from the adults, as Hermione stood still, listening carefully and worriedly.
"And your Hermione is of course welcome to attend as well!" Molly reached to feel the soft end to Hermione's braid in a motherly way that was so comforting Hermione forgot to be startled by the affection.
"And learn?" Hermione asked.
"Learn what dear? It's a party!" Molly chuckled and met Hermione's hazel gaze.
"Before the party I mean, could you teach me to bake as you show Anne?" Hermione asked, noticing Luna wandering out the front door and into the tall unkempt garden.
"You want to learn to bake?" Molly asked with wide eyes.
"Yes. I want to learn any magic you can teach Mrs Weasley." Hermione answered matter-of-factly.
"I like you, little witch! Have Anne bring you round, and we'll put on a kitchen show. What smart friends you've made, Xeno!" Molly moved to kiss Xenophilius' cheek, before turning to the fireplace.
"I have to go now, but I look forward to seeing you all soon!" Molly reached into a brass pot on the high mantle and tossed green sand into the small fire. The flames turned green and massive and Molly Weasley stepped into the fireplace unharmed. Hermione watched the process wondering if the sand was the product of, or used in potion work.
"The Burrow!" Molly called and vanished.
"Hermione! Come! There are moon calf tracks!" Luna called loudly from far outside the roundhouse, and Hermione only slightly glanced at Anne for approval before running outside to join her friend.
"How are your laundry charms, Anne?" Xenophilius asked with a more relaxed smile, looking younger than she had.
"Non-existent I'm afraid, Mr Lovegood. I use muggle machines for laundry." Anne smirked, to Xenophilius' surprise.
"Are they expensive? I'd be willing to experiment some with a muggle machine if it's easier than a rune-carved washboard. I- did the runes incorrectly so I'm already washing our clothes the muggle way." Xenophilius offered embarrassed by his stress-induced ineptitude.
"Muggle machines can be expensive, but I have a friend that's moving and I can help with the magical modifications. I was aces at runes in school and use them on the muggle machines." Anne watched Xenophilius for any sign of judgement as Anne had just described something extremely illegal.
"You are a very skilled witch, Mrs Peasegood. I look forward to working with you." Xenophilius smirked knowingly and without judgement.
Hermione ran outside to Luna Lovegood, who began running as soon they found each other. The pair of girls ran alongside the mooncalf tracks, backtracking when they lost the trail. They found the tracks led through the warded stone line surrounding the Lovegood property, so the girls stopped and sat down in the grass just within the stone circle.
"My great-grandparents set these wardstones. My mother told me the stones are so powerful, once you're inside the circle you don't even feel like crossing them to leave. From the outside, you can't even see the house until you cross into it." Luna explained, Hermione listened carefully but was incapable of imagining the house disappearing the way Luna described it.
"Can you show me?" Hermione asked.
"Only for a second." Luna nodded, without hesitation.
"Hold both of my hands. It's easiest to cross outside the stone circle when we're in a casting circle when our magics are together as one- they're stronger." Luna held out both her hands for Hermione's own.
"Is all magic like that?" Hermione asked as she took Luna's hands, noticing the green and brown garden dirt beneath the pale witch's nails.
"No. Wands make it much simpler. Only the oldest magicks require some sort of circle." Luna gripped Hermione's hands firmly and they inched their way closer to the wardstones. As their ankles bumped the warm rock, Hermione heard a faint buzzing and felt the urge to go back inside the roundhouse. The urge wasn't based on fear of the outside, only on the feeling of safety provided by the roundhouse. The house was safe and warm, like the wardstones.
"It will be harder to cross back inside the wardstone circle. You'll only be allowed to cross back in while holding my hands, as a Lovegood guest. On three we'll jump outside the line together," Luna explained.
"One," Hermione began to show she was ready.
"Two," Luna said with a wide grin, as both girls tightened their grip on each other's hands.
"Three!" the girls said together, jumping simultaneously outside the circle.
As soon as they were in the air jumping, Hermione looked towards the roundhouse atop the hill above them. As they crossed the stone boundary mid-air, Hermione saw the house shimmer and vanish as Luna had described. Landing outside the circle, Hermione saw nothing atop the hill and dropped Luna's hands to rub at her eyes.
"Wow!" Hermione murmured, as Luna watched her friend stare at the now vacant hilltop.
"Don't try to cross back without me, but you shouldn't even want to," Luna commented.
"I don't. I don't want to. That is so strange. The hill seems boring to me, but I know this is the most interesting thing ill see all year!" Hermione exclaimed walking a little around the circle. The girls found the mooncalf trail again but watched it disappear into a small thicket of trees.
They returned the way they'd left, and Hermione was just as awed to see the roundhouse reappear.
The Natural History Museum was decidedly less interesting to Hermione.