CH 226
"This is…"
"That," John said, "is a first edition copy of 'Hogwarts a History' — one of only seven in existence." Hermione's eyes remained fixed on the book and John was sure her pupils had dilated.
He inwardly smirked. Hermione had always had a near pathological book fetish. "Do you like it?"
Hermione looked up. She couldn't have looked more guarded if she were wearing full plate armour. "What's the trade?"
"Just that you accept this as a declaration of intention gift."
"What!" Hermione squeaked.
"A declaration of intention gift. You do know what they are?"
"Of…Of course I know what they are!" Hermione's voice raised in pitch. "But why are you giving me one!"
John smirked, still leaning against the door. "Why wouldn't I? You're cute, and powerful, and the best student in our year."
"I…" she thrust the book back in his arms. "I'd need to talk to my lord."
John frowned catching the book before it fell to the floor. "Hermione, do you need to ask your lord about everything? It's your decision if you accept such a gift, no one else's."
"I need to… to ask his advice." She turned to go.
"Hermione!" John's voice rose. "Why do you defer to this guy so much? Are you afraid of him! Does he hurt you!"
Hermione stiffened and whirled around. "No! He does not hurt me! How could you even suggest such a thing!"
"Then why? What do you even know about him! Have you even seen his face?"
"I…" Hermione froze. Her very being seemed to shift. Tension drained out of her. Anger and embarrassed panic faded away. Slowly and surely, princess Hermione formed again, cool, calm, and collected.
John's stomach dropped.
"I cannot give out my lord's secrets. I'm sorry, Heir Potter."
Damn. So close.
"I will consider your gift and let you know soon." And with that, Hermione turned around again and left the carriage, heading back towards the middle of the train.
John watched her go before heading back to his own compartment, in which waited a girl who definitely hadn't rejected his declaration of intent gift.
Susan smiled somewhat shyly as he entered and played with the citrine and onyx encrusted bracelet around her wrist. "Any luck?"
John shook his head. "She clammed up as soon as I asked."
Susan frowned. "Well, Auntie could only haul her in for veritaserum if Slytherin had actually been convicted of a crime, anyway."
John sat down heavily on the bench opposite the red-haired Bones heiress. "Still, you said she would only do that if Hermione had admitted she knew who Slytherin was."
Susan nodded slowly.
John smiled. "I'm sure I'll have more chances to get her to admit it."
Susan looked down at a small notebook. "What about the polyjuice idea?"
John tapped his knee and looked out of the window. "If we can get a strand of Slytherin's hair, or nail clipping, or something, then yes — pop polyjuice, and instantly find out Slytherin's actual identity, but getting that hair…" he looked back at Susan. "…I don't have a clue."
The two sat in silence for a bit.
Susan was the first to break it. "So, Granger actually refused to say? She didn't just say no?"
"Yeah, she refused to say one way or the other."
"Doesn't that mean probably has seen his face?"
that
she
John considered this for a moment. "It might," he finally conceded. "Why?"
"I was just thinking that instead of polyjuicing to be Lord Slytherin, we could polyjuice as Hermione and talk to Slytherin while he's around. You never know, he might let something slip."
John chewed his cheek and thought. "Risky, but it might work. Certainly less risky than a love potion."
Susan violently shook her head and half brandished her thirteen inch Hazel and unicorn hair wand. "No love potions, John, that's just wrong."
John grinned and raised his hands. "I know, I know, I'd never do that to Hermione."
"Good."
He lowered his hands and looked out of the window again. Still though, too much was going differently not to dig deeper. Not having Hermione this time round was killing him and she was looking to be doing even better this time around, too. He spotted Susan staring at him in the window's reflection. Mmmmm…. He looked back at Susan again, who blushed under his intense gaze. Maybe…. He took a deep breath. "Say, Susie, how would you like some private duelling lessons?" Susan's lessons?" John nodded.
eyes
widened.
"Private
duelling
"With you?" He nodded again.
"Mister rumoured-to-have-taken-out-his-entire-duelli ng-team?" "Yes."
Susan broke out into an ear splitting grin. "Sign me up, Heir boy-who-lived."
Daily Prophet Society Pages [6th January, 1992] LORD SLYTHERIN BUYS SCOTTISH ISLAND
Yesterday afternoon, a spokesman for the ministry confirmed that Gairsay Island, the ninety-ninth largest island in the Scottish Orkneys, is now the newest land in Magical Britain, and the largest such land transfer from muggle to magical in over one-hundred years.
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