Chapters 11-20

Pub Crawl

‘Why a Muggle pub, Hermione?’ Ron groused.

‘Because we needed to talk without being overheard, Ronald,’ Hermione replied, trying to cling to the fraying edges of her patience.

They were hanging out at a comfortably grubby pub/club affair in London. The kind of place students went for dinner and planning the rest of their evening. One of those places, Hermione imagined, that you would think back to fondly even many years later. The beer was good, though sloppily served. You could survive the fish’n’chips served there, but it was wiser to stick to the chili con carne. In compensation the prices did not make your stomach lurch.

Not that her companions—not even Harry, not anymore—had any idea about the value of Muggle money.

Upon settling down in their booth, they’d erected first an invisible Muffliato screen around them. Then a whispered Attentionem Propulso had made sure that no one would want to pay any attention to them.

‘Couldn’t we have done that somewhere in Diagon Alley? Or Hogsmeade? Or—’ Ron whined. They had had to schedule their meeting late because of him. The crash course in ‘Business Magic’ he was taking at the evening school in Skol Alley only ended at 10 pm. After just spending three hours tackling the wizarding version of accountancy, it was probably no wonder that he was grouchy.

‘Ron, shut it,’ Harry ordered. ‘We’re too well known in the wizarding world. This is much better.’

‘I like it,’ Luna put in. With a serene smile she surveyed her surroundings. Her large eyes shimmered in the dim light of the pub, filled with fascination at the goings-on around them

Ron and Neville looked distinctly uncomfortable.

I bet it’s the clothes, Hermione mused. Ron almost never left the house without robes, and she didn’t think she’d ever seen Neville in public without ‘proper’ clothes. It must feel to them as if they’re wearing pyjamas. She grinned to herself. That would also explain why Luna was so comfortable…although their eccentric friend had dressed herself, and now looked like very much like some kind of hippy in her skimpy, flowery dress, Luna fit in well. Even with her necklace of bottle-caps. One of the girls at the bar was actually decked out much weirder.

Ginny had looked down her nose at Harry for suggesting that he transfigure their robes. Then she’d cast a quick Vestimenta Transformo on herself.

‘So how long have you been reading the Vogue?’ Hermione asked her friend.

Ginny grinned. ‘That outfit is actually from the Cosmopolitan.’

The tight pair of white trousers showed off her slender legs, while the wide neckline of her charcoal top subtly emphasized her slight cleavage. Smooth amber-coloured leather boots hugged her calves. She even had a bag in the same style. Ginny had also applied some make-up, just enough to emphasise both hair and wide lips. And she wore her hair short now, styled into a rascally bob. Hermione sighed. No wonder that neither Neville nor Harry could keep their eyes off Ginny. Another reason for Ron’s bad temper, probably.

‘Hrmpf.’

‘I suggest we get started,’ Harry announced. ‘How is the Plan progressing, Hermione?’

‘I’ll sit my NEWTs next week.’ She fought a wave of panic that threatened to uncoil in her stomach.

‘Don’t worry, Hermione. You’ll be brilliant, as usual,’ Ginny encouraged her.

Hermione gave her a wry grin. ‘I’d better be, hadn’t I? If he’s ever going to take any notice of me, I have to be a bloody genius.’

Ron shook her head. ‘You actually like that, don’t you? A man that’s a real intellectual challenge. Someone who would ordinarily never even look at you.’

‘Ron!’ Harry and Ginny exclaimed angrily. Neville looked as if he’d like to turn invisible. Luna nodded appreciatively.

Hermione winced, but she couldn’t think of anything to say. She didn’t know what to think in the first place!

‘I thought you were over that, Ron,’ Ginny said.

‘I am,’ her brother bit out. ‘That was just a random observation among friends.’

For a moment silence descended around the table.

Then Harry continued, ‘Right. So how is he?’

‘Better,’ Hermione said. ‘He still has problems swallowing and almost no voice, and when he chokes he needs someone nearby who can cast Anapneo. But he is improving. Lois tells me that what he has is a paralysis of one side of his vocal cords due to the injury. The nerves were damaged and that’s something magic cannot repair. They have to heal in their own time. That takes long—many months. And he needs intensive therapy. But apart from that he is really much better. Healer Mugwort told me that he’ll be released from St. Mungo’s in a week. That way he’ll have a few weeks at home before summer academy starts at Hogwarts.’

‘And what will he do? You said that McGonagall asked him to come back to Hogwarts,’ Neville asked, ‘but will he?’ He took a deep swallow from his cider. ‘You know, Hermione, this stuff tastes not half bad.’

Luna was stacking up beer mats in front of her. She was inordinately fascinated with their different shapes and designs.

‘He will,’ Hermione confirmed. ‘He told me so when I visited him the last time. Apparently McGonagall simply told him when he’d have to be back in time for the summer courses and informed him that I’d be ready to start my apprenticeship with him at that time.’

‘And he simply agreed?’ Ginny frowned.

‘Apparently,’ Hermione replied. ‘You know, I have been wondering about that as well. Why would he so readily agree to come back? Not to mention having me of all people as his apprentice.’

Luna turned away from her reverie of the beer mats and gazed at her friends, her eyes wide and weird, as if she was seeing things no one else in the shabby pub could perceive.

‘Hogwarts needs him,’ she said simply. ‘His students need him. What else would he do?’