When Rigel and Eliza had gone down to the kitchens to see Dobby, the usually welcoming house-elves pushed Eliza out of the door leaving a confused Rigel with several pastries.
Harry told them that the reason why the house-elves wouldn't let Eliza in was that Hermione finally lost it- she went on a long ramble, telling the elves that they deserved equal rights and that they had just as much right to be happy as wizards did.
This had occurred after Ron, Harry, and Hermione had seen the state Winky was in. She was some sort of drunk elf and was practically wasting away in those kitchens.
Harry had suggested that Winky should've gone to see Crouch because he was judging the tournament. Winky then went on to say something about Crouch having a secret.
It was a bit fishy but Rigel didn't bother much about Crouch's family secrets
"Can't you two sit next to each other without kissing for even just two minutes?" Ron finally snapped.
It was at breakfast when Rigel and Eliza felt a bit more like a cheesy couple but neither really cared.
"Oh, shh, ickle Ronnykins, eat your eggs," Rigel scowled, with his arm around Eliza's waist
"Yeah, you'll understand one day when you're older and more mature," Eliza added.
"I'm older than you two!" Ron exclaimed
Rigel ignored him.
When the post owls arrived, Hermione looked up eagerly; she seemed to be expecting something.
"Percy won't've had time to answer yet," said Ron. "We only sent Hedwig yesterday."
"No, it's not that," said Hermione. "I've taken out a subscription to the Daily Prophet. I'm getting sick of finding everything out from the Slytherins."
"Good thinking!" said Harry, also looking up at the owls. "Hey, Hermione, I think you're in luck —"
A gray owl was soaring down toward Hermione." It hasn't got a newspaper, though," she said, looking disappointed. "It's —"
But to her bewilderment, the gray owl landed in front of her plate, closely followed by four barn owls, a brown owl, and a tawny.
"How many subscriptions did you take out?" said Harry, seizingHermione's goblet before it was knocked over by the cluster of owls, all of whom were jostling close to her, trying to deliver their own letter first.
"What on earth — ?" Hermione said, taking the letter from the gray owl, opening it, and starting to read. "Oh really!" she sputtered, going rather red.
"What's up?" said Ron.
"It's — oh how ridiculous —"
She thrust the letter at Harry, who saw that it was not handwritten but composed from pasted letters that seemed to have been cut out of the Daily Prophet.
You are a WickEd giRL. HarRy PotTER desErves BeTteR. GO back wherE you cAMe from mUGgle
"Muggle really get your facts right" Rigel shook his head.
"They're all like it!" said Hermione desperately, opening one letter after another. " 'Harry Potter can do much better than the likes of you. . . .' 'You deserve to be boiled in frogspawn. . . .' Ouch!"
She had opened the last envelope, and yellowish-green liquid smelling strongly of petrol gushed over her hands, which began to erupt in large yellow boils.
"Undiluted bubotuber pus!" said Ron, picking up the envelope gingerly and sniffing it.
"C'mon Hermione, let's get you to the hospital wing," Eliza said helping Hermione.
Hermione didn't turn up for Herbology but Eliza came just in time. As Harry and Ron left the greenhouse for their Care of Magical Creatures class, they saw Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle descending the stone steps of the castle. Pansy Parkinson was whispering and giggling behind them with her gang of Slytherin girls. Catching sight of Harry, Pansy called, "Potter, have you split up with your girlfriend? Why was she so upset at breakfast?"
"Pansy did you know seen Draco Malfoy's been snogging Daphne Greengrass," Eliza shouted.
"What!?" Pansy yelled before rounding upon one of the blonde girls of her gang.
"Nice one." Rigel chuckled fist-bumping Eliza.
Hagrid, who had told them last lesson that they had finished with unicorns, was waiting for them outside his cabin with a fresh supply of open crates at his feet. instead of skrewt however, he brought nifflers, cute, black and fluffy treasure detectors that nearly stole Rigel's pocket watch and the necklace he gave to Eliza.
"Aww, you're so cute!" Eliza said hugging a niffler who was sniffing her enthusiastically
"Hang on," said Hagrid, looking down into the crate, "there's a spare niffler here . . . who's missin'? Where's Hermione?"
"She had to go to the hospital wing," said Ron."We'll explain later," Harry muttered; Pansy Parkinson was listening.
It was easily the most fun they had ever had in Care of magical creatures. The nifflers dived in and out of the patch of earth as though it was water.
"What should we name him?" Eliza asked.
Rigel shrugged. "Bandit?"
"That's a dumb name," Eliza said instantly.
"Clever." Rigel corrected. "What would you name yours?"
"Hmm...." Eliza said mock thinking which Rigel thought was cute. But then again, he always thought Eliza was cute. "How about... chicken nugget!" she said proudly.
Rigel smiled. "Chicken nugget? Gee, I thought big mac is better"
"Go chicken nugget!" Eliza cheered. "Come on! You can do better than Bandit."
"Can you buy these as pets, Hagrid?" Ron asked excitedly as his niffler dived back into the soil, splattering his robes.
"Yer mum wouldn' be happy, Ron," said Hagrid, grinning."They wreck houses, nifflers. I reckon they've nearly got the lot, now," he added, pacing around the patch of the earth while they nifflers continued to dive.
"It's gonna be sad having to say goodbye to Chicken nugget," Eliza sighed, watching the niffler dig through the dirt.
"I on'y buried a hundred coins. Oh there y'are, Hermione!"
Hermione was walking toward them across the lawn. Her hands were very heavily bandaged and she looked miserable. Pansy Parkinson was watching her beadily.
"Well, let's check how yeh've done!" said Hagrid. "Count yer coins! An' there's no point tryin' ter steal any, Goyle," he added, his beetle-black eyes narrowed. "It's leprechaun gold. Vanishes after a few hours."
Goyle emptied his pockets, looking extremely sulky. It turned out that Ron's niffler had been most successful, so Hagrid gave him an enormous slab of Honeydukes chocolate for a prize.
"Nice lesson Hagrid." Rigel beamed.
"'hanks Rigel. What yeh done ter your hands, Hermione?" said Hagrid, looking concerned.
Hermione told him about the hate mail she had received that morning, and the envelope full of bubotuber pus.
"Aaah, don' worry," said Hagrid gently, looking down at her. "I got some o' those letters an' all, after Rita Skeeter wrote abou' me mum.'Yeh're a monster an' yeh should be put down.' 'Yer mother killed innocent people an' if you had any decency you'd jump in a lake.' "
"No!" said Hermione, looking shocked.
"Yeah," said Hagrid, heaving the niffler crates over by his cabin wall. "They're jus' nutters, Hermione. Don' open 'em if yeh get anymore. Chuck 'em straigh' in the fire."
"Or let me get revenge!" Eliza added. "Or I can get Fred and George to help. There are many options."
"You missed a really good lesson," Harry told Hermione as they headed back toward the castle. "They're good, nifflers, aren't they, Ron?"
Ron, however, was frowning at the chocolate Hagrid had given him. He looked thoroughly put out about something.
"What's the matter?" said Harry. "Wrong flavor?"
"Any flavor is good," Eliza argued
"No," said Ron shortly turning to Eliza. "Why didn't you tell me about the gold?"
"What gold?" Eliza said suprised.
"The gold I gave you at the Quidditch World Cup," said Ron."The leprechaun gold I gave you for my Omnioculars. In the Top Box. Why didn't you tell me it disappeared?"
"I didn't even notice it was gone, Ron," she replied truthfully. "It's not a big deal- plus, we had way more important things to worry about. Like getting away from a mob of Death Eaters and Rigel missing, remember?"
They climbed the steps into the entrance hall and went into the great hall for lunch.
"Must be nice," Ron said abruptly when they had sat down andstarted serving themselves roast beef and Yorkshire puddings. "Tohave so much money you don't notice if a pocketful of Galleonsgoes missing."
"Listen, we had other stuff on our minds that night!" Eliza said impatiently. "We all did remember?"
"I didn't know leprechaun gold vanishes," Ron muttered. "I thought I was paying you back. You should've given me that Chudley Cannon hat for Christmas."
"Forget it, all right?" said Harry.
Ron speared a roast potato on the end of his fork, glaring at it. Then he said, "I hate being poor."
The four looked at each other. Neither of them really knew what to say.
"It's rubbish," said Ron, still glaring down at his potato. "I don blame Fred and George for trying to make some extra money. WishI could. Wish I had a niffler."
"Well, we know what to get you next Christmas," said Hermione brightly. Then, when Ron continued to look gloomy, she said, "Come on, Ron, it could be worse. At least your fingers aren't full of pus." Hermione was having a lot of difficulties managing her knife and fork, her fingers were so stiff and swollen. "I hate that skeeter woman!" she burst out savagely. "I hope she gets into Azkaban!"
Hate mail continued to arrive for Hermione over the following week, several of her ill-wishers sent Howlers, which exploded at the Gryffindor table and shrieked insults at her for the whole hall to hear. Even those people who didn't read Witch Weekly knew all about the supposed Harry-Krum-Hermione triangle now.
"It'll die down, though," he told Hermione, "if we just ignore it. . . . People got bored with that stuff she wrote about me last time —"
"I want to know how she's listening into private conversations when she's supposed to be banned from the grounds!" said Hermione angrily.
"Maybe she bugged the castle. If she's muggle-born." Harry said
"Why would she put bugs on the castle," Ron asked
Rigel started explaining about hidden microphones and recording equipment. Percy and Ron were fascinated, but Hermione interrupted them.
"Aren't you ever going to read Hogwarts, A History?"
"What's the point?" said Ron. "You know it by heart, we can just ask you."
"All those substitutes for magic Muggles use — electricity, computers, and radar, and all those things — they all go haywire around Hogwarts, there's too much magic in the air. No, Rita's using magic to eavesdrop, she must be. . . . If I could just find out what it is . . . ooh, if it's illegal, I'll have her . . ."
"Haven't we got enough to worry about?" Eliza asked her. "Do we have to start a vendetta against Rita Skeeter as well?"
"I'm not asking you to help!" Hermione snapped. "I'll do it on my own!"
She marched back up the marble staircase without a backward glance. They were quite sure she was going to the library.
"What's the chance she comes back with a box of I Hate Rita Skeeter badges?" said Ron.
So while Hermione researched on magical methods of eavesdropping, Rigel, Eliza, Harry, and Ron spent a considerable part of the final weekend of the Easter break doing their homework
Hedwig didn't return until the end of the Easter holidays. Percy's letter was enclosed in a package of Easter eggs that Mrs. Weasley had sent. Harry, Eliza, Rigel, and Ron were the size of dragon eggs and full of homemade toffee. Hermione's, however, was smaller than a chicken egg. Her face fell when she saw it.
Your mum doesn't read Witch Weekly, by any chance, does she, Ron?" she asked quietly.
"Yeah," said Ron, whose mouth was full of toffee. "Gets it for the recipes.
Hermione looked sadly at her tiny egg.
"Here, you can have mine," Rigel said nudging her half of his contents.
"Oh no, Rigel it's..."
"Take it." he said firmly "And you can help me in my history of magic homework."
Hermione smiled and took his eggs.
"Hey it seems that dad and Remus also sent some eggs," said Percy as his dad's owl prongs came gliding down. Like Mrs. Weasley, they all got large easter eggs, except they had the words Sirius Black is young and he even sent a message saying that the whole Harry-Hermione-Krum love triangle was hilarious.
"Well, at least they believe me," said Hermione
"Don't you want to see what Percy's written?" Harry asked.
Percy's letter was short and irritated.
As I am constantly telling the Daily Prophet, Mr. Crouch is taking a well-deserved break. He is sending in regular owls with instructions. No, I haven't actually seen him, but I think I can be trusted to know my own superior's handwriting. I have quite enough to do at the moment without trying to quash these ridiculous rumors. Please don't bother me again unless it's something important. Happy Easter
"Are you sure you sent it to the right Percy Ron?" Eliza asked.
The start of the summer term would normally have meant that RIgel was training hard for the last Quidditch match of the season. This year, however, was the third and final task for Harry.
It comes down to this," said Hermione, rubbing her forehead."Either Mr. Crouch attacked Viktor, or somebody else attacked both of them when Viktor wasn't looking."
Apparently, somehow, Crouch confronted Harry and Krum looking rather crazy-looking, and emerges from the forest asking for Dumbledore. He mentions that Voldemort is getting stronger and that he himself was responsible for something bad. He also mentions his son, as well as Bertha Jorkins, who is now dead. Harry went to retrieve Dumbledore, but when he returns, they find that Krum has been stunned and Crouch has been found dead by Eliza (Who had been trying to avoid Bagman). Karkaroff accuses Mr. Crouch's apparent attack on his student of a secret conspiracy by Dumbledore. Hagrid angrily demands that he apologize but Dumbledore restrains him. Dumbledore has Hagrid take Harry back to Gryffindor Tower to rest.
Harry had been a bit shaken but Eliza even more burying her face into Rigel's chest.
"It must've been Crouch," said Ron at once. "That's why he was gone when Harry and Dumbledore got there. He'd done a runner."
"I don't think so," Eliza said shaking her face pale. "He seemed really weak — I don't think he was up to Disapparating or anything."
"You can't Disapparate on the Hogwarts grounds, haven't I told you enough times?" said Hermione.
"Okay . . . how's this for a theory," said Ron excitedly. "Krum attacked Crouch — no, wait for it — and then Stunned himself!"
"I doubt that he would kill himself," Rigel said.
"Oh yeah . . .
It was daybreak. The five had crept out oftheir dormitories very early and hurried up to the Owlery together to send a note to Sirius. Now they were standing looking out at the misty ground. All four of them were puffy-eyed and pale because they had been talking late into the night about Mr. Crouch.
"Just go through it again, Eliza," said Hermione. "What did Mr. Crouch actually say?"
"I've told you, he wasn't making much sense," said Harry. "He said he wanted to warn Dumbledore about something. He definitely mentioned Bertha Jorkins, and he seemed to think she was dead. He kept saying stuff was his fault. . . . He mentioned his son."
"Well, that was his fault," said Hermione testily.
"He was out of his mind," Harry said. "Half the time he seemed to think his wife and son were still alive, and he kept talking to Percy about work and giving him instructions."
"And he said Voldemort was growing stronger and stronger," Rigel asked.
There was a pause. Then Ron said in a falsely confident voice,
"But he was out of his mind, like you said, so half of it was probably just raving. . . ."
"He was sanest when he was trying to talk about Voldemort," said Harry, and Ron winced at the sound of the name. "He was having real trouble stringing two words together, but that was when he seemed to know where he was and know what he wanted to do. He just kept saying he had to see Dumbledore."
Eliza turned away from the window and stared up into the rafters.
"If Snape hadn't held me up," Harry said bitterly, "we might've got there in time. 'The headmaster is busy, Potter . . . what's this rubbish, Potter?' Why couldn't he have just got out of the way?"
"Maybe he didn't want you to get there!" said Ron quickly."Maybe — hang on — how fast d'you reckon he could've gotten down to the forest? D'you reckon he could've beaten you and Dumbledore there?"
"Not unless he can turn himself into a bat or something," said harry.
"Wouldn't put it past him," Ron muttered.
"We need to see Professor Moody," said Hermione. "We need to find out whether he found Mr. Crouch."
"If he had the Marauder's Map on him, it would've been easy," said, Harry.
"Unless Crouch was already outside the grounds," said Ron, "because it only shows up to the boundaries, doesn't —"
"Wait you gave the map to Moody?" Rigel said. "Why didn't you tell?"
"Shh!" said Hermione suddenly. Somebody was climbing the steps up to the Owlery. Harry could hear two voices arguing, coming closer and closer.
"— that's blackmail, that is, we could get into a lot of trouble for that —"
"— we've tried being polite; it's time to play dirty, like him. He wouldn't like the Ministry of Magic knowing what he did —"
"I'm telling you if you put that in writing, it's blackmail!"
"Yeah, and you won't be complaining if we get a nice fat payoff, will you?"
The Owlery door banged open. Fred and George came over the threshold, then froze at the sight of Harry, Ron, and Hermione.
"What're you doing here?" Ron and Fred said at the same time.
"Sending a letter," said Harry and George in unison.
"What, at this time?" said Hermione and Fred.
Eliza looked at them. "What's wrong with you lot."
Fred grinned. "Fine — we won't ask you what you're doing if you don't ask us," he said.
He was holding a sealed envelope in his hands. Harry glanced at it, but Fred shifted his hand so that the name on it was covered.
"Well, don't let us hold you up," Fred said, making a mock bow and pointing at the door.
Ron didn't move. "Who're you blackmailing?" he said.
The grin vanished from Fred's face.
"Don't be stupid, I was only joking," George said easily.
"Didn't sound like that," said Ron.
Fred and George looked at each other. Then Fred said abruptly, "I've told you before, Ron, keep your nose out if you like it the shape it is. Can't see why you would, but —"
"It's my business if you're blackmailing someone," said Ron."George's right, you could end up in serious trouble for that."
"Told you, I was joking," said George. He walked over to Fred, pulled the letter out of his hands, and began attaching it to the leg of the nearest barn owl. "You're starting to sound a bit like our dear older brother, you are, Ron. Carry on like this and you'll be made a prefect."
"No, I won't!" said Ron hotly.
George carried the barn owl over to the window and it took off. George turned around and grinned at Ron."Well, stop telling people what to do then. See you later."He and Fred left the Owlery.
"You don't think they know something about all this, do you?"Hermione whispered. "About Crouch and everything?"
"No," said Harry. "If it was something that serious, they'd tell someone. They'd tell Dumbledore."
Ron, however, was looking uncomfortable.
"What's the matter?" Hermione asked him.
"Well . . ." said Ron slowly, "I dunno if they would. They're . . .they're obsessed with making money lately, I noticed it when I was hanging around with them — when — you know —"
"We weren't talking." Harry finished the sentence for him. "Yeah, but blackmail . . ."
"It's this joke shop idea they've got," said Ron. "I thought they were only saying it to annoy Mum, but they really mean it, they want to start one. They've only got a year left at Hogwarts, they keep going on about how it's time to think about their future, and Dad can't help them, and they need gold to get started."
Hermione was looking uncomfortable now. "Yes, but . . . they wouldn't do anything against the law to get gold."
"Wouldn't they?" said Ron, looking skeptical. "I dunno . . . they don't exactly mind breaking rules, do they?"
"Yes, but this is the law," said Hermione, looking scared."This isn't some silly school rule. . . . They'll get a lot more than detention for blackmail! Ron . . . maybe you'd better tell Percy. . . ."
"Are you mad?" said Ron. "Tell Percy? He'd probably do a Crouch and turn them in." He stared at the window through which Fred and Georges's owl had departed, then said,
"Come on, let's get some breakfast."
"Finally," Rigel signed.
"D'you think it's too early to go and see Professor Moody?"Hermione said
"Yes," said Harry. "He'd probably blast us through the door if we wake him at the crack of dawn; he'll think we're trying to attack him while he's asleep. Let's give it till break."
History of Magic had rarely gone so slowly. All of them were so tired they could happily have put their heads down on the desks and slept; even Hermione who wasn't taking their usual notes but were sitting with her head in her hand, gazing at professor Binns with her eyes out of focus.
When the bell finally rang, they hurried out into the corridor toward the Dark Arts classroom and found Professor Moody leaving it. He looked as tired as they felt. The eyelid of his normal eye was drooping, giving his face an even more lopsided appearance than usual.
"Professor Moody?" Harry called as they made their way toward him through the crowd.
"Hello, Potter," growled Moody. His magical eye followed a couple of passing first years, who sped up, looking nervous;
"Come in here."He stood back to let them into his empty classroom, limped after them, and closed the door.
"Did you find him?" Harry asked. "Mr Crouch?"
"No," said Moody.
"Did you use the map?" Eliza said.
"Of course," said Moody, taking a swig from his flask. "Took a leaf out of your book, Potter. Summoned it from my office into the forest. He wasn't anywhere on there."
"So he did Disapparate?" said Ron.
"You can't Disapparate on the grounds, Ron!" said Hermione, Eliza, and Rigel together.
Hermione said, "There are other ways he could have disappeared, aren't there, Professor?"
Moody's magical eye quivered as it rested on Hermione. "You're another one who might think about a career as an Auror," he told her. "Mind works the right way, Granger, Potter, Black"
Both Eliza and Hermione turned pink. Rigel just shrugged.
"Well, he wasn't invisible," Rugel noted. "The map shows invisible people. He must've left the grounds, then."
"But under his own steam?" said Hermione eagerly, "or because someone made him?"
"Yeah, someone could've — could've pulled him onto a broom and flown off with him, couldn't they?" said Ron quickly, looking hopefully at Moody as if he too wanted to be told he had the makings of an Auror.
"We can't rule out kidnap," growled Moody.
"So," said Ron, "d'you reckon he's somewhere in Hogsmeade?"
"Could be anywhere," said Moody, shaking his head. "Only thing we know for sure is that he's not here."
He yawned widely, and his lopsided mouth revealed several missing teeth. Then he said,
"Now, Dumbledore's told me you four fancy yourselves as investigators, but there's nothing you can do for Crouch. The Ministry be looking for him now, Dumbledore's notified them. Potter, Potter you just keep your mind on the third task."
"What?" said Harry.
"The tournament Idiot." Eliza hissed.
"Oh yeah . . ."
"Should be right up your street, this one," said Moody, looking up at Harry and scratching his scarred and stubbly chin.
"From what Dumbledore's said, you two managed to get through stuff like this plenty of times. Broke your way through a series of obstacles guarding the Sorcerer's Stone in your first year, didn't you?"
"We helped," Ron said quickly. "Me, Rigel, and Hermione helped."
"I didn't do much," Rigel added.
"Mate you're too noble," Ron said
Moody grinned. "Noble Mr. Black, killing a troll in your first year is nothing to you?"
Rigel looked at him. How did he know?
Moody grinned. "Well, help them practice for this one, and I'll be very surprised if you don't win," said Moody. "In the meantime . . . constant vigilance, Potter. Constant vigilance." He took another long draw from his hip flask, his magical eye swiveled towards the window.
"You three," counseled Moody, his normal eye on Rigel, Ron, and Hermione, "you stick close to them all right? I'm keeping an eye on things, but all the same . . . you can never have too many eyes out."
Sirius sent their owl back the very next morning. It fluttered down beside them at the same moment that a tawny owl landed in front of Hermione, clutching a copy of the Daily Prophet in its beak. She took the newspaper, scanned the first few pages, said, "Ha! She hasn't got wind of Crouch!" then joined the boys in reading what Sirius had to say.
Elizabeth Lily Potter,
What the hell did you think you were playing at, alone in the middle of the Forbidden Forest, in the dark, with someone who was obviously a nutcase, and a student from a school known to practice the dark arts?!
I nearly had a heart attack when I received the news from Dumbledore. His owl came much sooner before you and Harry's dad, the same night, actually.
You know that I love you and Harry more than anything (And Rigel if he's listening), but it must've been like dumb and dumber than night between the two of you. You could've been killed!
You must be careful. It isn't a coincidence that both Harry's and your name came out of the Goblet of Fire. Somebody wants you two out of the way. I'm so glad you're okay, I don't know what I'd do if something happened to you that night.
You are not to leave Harry's side again. If you are not with him, you will be with Rigel, Ron, or Hermione. Even Ginny Weasley. Enough sneaking around the castle at night, there can't be any more of that. Stay in Gryffindor Tower after hours, and prepare for the third task.
I'm guessing you're working on stunning right now; keep doing that. You already know how to disarm, so practice that. A few curses will help, too.
There is nothing you can do about Crouch. Keep your head down and stay out of trouble. I mean it, Eliza. I am waiting for letters from both you and Harry giving me your word that you will not go out of bounds again.-
Sirius Black.
"Who's he, to lecture us about being out-of-bounds?" said Harry in mild indignation as he folded up Sirius's letter and put it inside his robes. "After all the stuff he did at school!"
"Must we remind him of all the things he's done out of bounds?" Eliza grumbled. "Pulled out the full name on me! Told me we were dumb and dumber that night!"
"He's worried about you!" said Hermione sharply. "Just like Moody and Hagrid! So listen to them!"
"No one's tried to attack us all year," said Harry. "No one's done anything to me at all —"
"Except put your name in the Goblet of Fire," said Hermione."And they must've done that for a reason, guys. Sirius is right. Maybe they've been biding their time. Maybe this is the task they're going to get you."
"Look," said Harry impatiently, "let's say Padfoot is right, and someone Stunned Krum and killed Crouch. Well, they would've been in the trees near us, wouldn't they? But they waited till I was out of the way until they acted, didn't they? So it doesn't look like I'm their target, does it?"
"They couldn't have made it look like an accident if they'd murdered you in the forest!" said Hermione. "But if you die during the task—"
"They didn't care about attacking Krum, did they?" said Harry."Why didn't they just polish me off at the same time? They could've made it look like Krum and I had a duel or something."
"Harry, I don't understand it either," said Hermione desperately. "I just know there are a lot of odd things going on, and I don't like it. . . . Moody's right — Sirius is right — you two got to get in training for the third task, straight away. And both of you make sure you write back to Sirius and Remus and promise them you're not going to go sneaking off alone again."
The Hogwarts grounds never looked more inviting than when they had to stay indoors. For the next few days, Rigel spent all of his free time either in the library with Harry, Eliza Hermione, and Ron, looking at hexes, or else in empty classrooms, which they sneaked into to practice. The twins were concentrating on the Stunning Spell, which they had never used before. The trouble was that practicing it involved certain sacrifices on Rigel's, Ron's, and Hermione's part.
"Can't we kidnap Mrs. Norris?" Ron suggested on Monday lunchtime as he lay flat on his back in the middle of their Charmsclassroom, having just been Stunned and reawoken by Harry for the fifth time in a row. "Let's Stun her for a bit. Or you could use dobby, Harry, I bet he'd do anything to help you. I'm not complaining or anything" — he got gingerly to his feet, rubbing his backside — "but I'm aching all over. . . ."
"Well, you keep missing the cushions, don't you!" said Hermione impatiently, rearranging the pile of cushions they had used for the Banishing Spell, which Flitwick had left in a cabinet. "Just try and fall backward!"
"Once you're Stunned, you can't aim too well, Hermione!" said Ron angrily. "Why don't you take a turn?"
"Well, I think Harry's got it now, anyway," said Hermione hastily. "And we don't have to worry about Disarming, because he been able to do that for ages. . . . I think we ought to start on some of these hexes this evening."
"How about the bat bogey hex?" Rigel asked grinning mischievously
"No, it doesn't cause much damage," said Hermione consulting her list "I like the look of this one. Impediment Curse. Should slow down anything that's trying to attack you, Harry. We'll start with that one."
The bell rang. They hastily shoved the cushions back intoFlitwick's cupboard and slipped out of the classroom.
"See you at dinner!" said Hermione, and she set off for Arithmancy Eliza and Rigel behind her, and Harry and Ron headed toward North Tower, for Divination